Blood tests & MTX

[JFlay]

Hi,

Can anyone advise me how many days either side of taking MTX tablets is it best to book blood tests for? e.g if I take the tablets on a Monday is it ok to have a blood test done on Wednesday? Sorry if this sounds daft but the GP surgery seem clueless sometimes. Thanks

[Matilda_1922]

I don’t it matters when you have your blood test. So Wednesday is okay

[JFlay in reply to Matilda_1922]

Thanks for your reply. I'm only on my 5th week of MTX and getting used to it all Lol 😂 a nurse from the surgery rang me out of the blue to check on me prescription/blood tests etc. and said blood tests MUST be the day before taking MTX ? as it can affect the blood results ?

[Pinkypie2018]

I'm new to it too and my gp surgery rang me today to book in for bloods. I'm getting mine done on Friday and I take my mtx tablets on a Monday. They never asked what day I take my tablets but just as long as I go every 2 weeks. They don't open on a Sunday so I couldn't possibly go the day before. Out of curiosity I must ask on Friday whenever I'm down.

[helixhelix]

In nine years I've never really bothered to worry about this, and it doesn't seem to have made any difference. I generally don't have a blood test the day after injecting (I inject in the evening) just because I'm not in the mood to trudge off to the blood clinic. But I imagine I've had every other pattern. MTX is a slow acting drug, so I don't consider it to be like NSAIDs or steroids which can affect blood tests.

[JFlay in reply to helixhelix]

That all sounds very sensible to me! Thanks very much 😊

[sylvi]

I have never bothered to think about it,but i take mine on a Thursday morning and now i have my blood tests taken at home my bloods are taken on a Friday as that is the only day she works.x

[Mmrr in reply to sylvi]

How are you sylvi ?

[sylvi in reply to Mmrr]

Still in a lot of pain with my neck,back and hands darling thank you for asking. How are you.xxx

[Mmrr in reply to sylvi]

I start benepali tomorrow, fingers and everything else crossed.

[sylvi in reply to Mmrr]

Good luck with that darling i have another six weeks of antbiotics before i can start biologics if i am still able.xx

[Mmrr in reply to sylvi]

6 weeks seems forever, but it will pass. Sigh.

Fingers and everything else crossed for you too sylvi.

[sylvi in reply to Mmrr]

Tried to contact my rheumy team,can't get hold of the nurse and the consultant is away for the whole month. So i am stuffe. I am in so much pain and already had a howling session over it. I just don't know what i can do next apart from sit here in so much pain.xxx

[Mmrr in reply to sylvi]

Surely there must be someone covering if your rheumatologist is away for a month sylvi ?

[sylvi in reply to Mmrr]

There is a locum,but the list is already full,but she put me on a list though.xxx

[Mmrr in reply to sylvi]

Keep pushing sylvi. I despair when I hear that people are expected to live in pain.

[sylvi in reply to Mmrr]

I feel like giving up today, tomorrow is another day and hopefully things will be brighter.xx

[Mmrr in reply to sylvi]

rest today sylvi

[sylvi in reply to Mmrr]

I am darling.xxx

[Hidden in reply to sylvi]

You have been through so much Sylvi, I think you are a very strong lady and an inspiration to us all. Sending gentle hugs. XXXX

[sylvi in reply to Hidden]

I didn'tfeel like it earlier darling as i was in floods of tears. I have been haveing a video chat with my friend on my new laptop and despite the pain i am in she can always cheer me up.xxx

[Zip1]

Hi, I always time my bloods so the gp can check them before filling my repeat perscription, so it works out that I have them on a thursday ready for collecting my MTX on a monday which is the day I take them! Reading everyone’s experience I think it is when suits you best!

[Mmrr]

I always had my bloods taken on a Monday morning, then injected MTX in the evening.

That way I always knew that it was the previous weeks MTX that effected my white cell count (WCC).

Doing it this way I was able to show my new rheumatologist that a diagnosis a previous rheumatologist had given me of pre MTX chronic idiopathic neutropenia was incorrect (I have all bloods results going back 35 years !) and that in fact MTX was improving my WCC.

Getting bloods taken at random days does not permit you to link any changing dose of MTX , with immediate blood changes, which was important for me.

[chmod777]

My dr has always advised my to get bloodwork done at least 3 days after taking mtx. Says taking it closer can affect results.

[Floralqueens]

I never worry about the day, it’s more important that you have the blood tests as regular as the Rheumatoid team suggests!!!

[JFlay]

Thanks everyone!

[Hidden]

Sandy T, I was never told one way or another, I just go for blood whenever I make my appointment!

[skyemydog]

Hi,

I have my blood test every month irrespective of when I take my mtx .

So I don’t think it matters hope this helps.

Good luck

[nomoreheels]

From personal experience it makes no difference at all when I have my drug monitoring bloods in relation to dosing. In 10 years of having them taken for MTX, oral & injected, I've (on purpose just to prove to myself) booked them for the day before, the same day & the day after dosing & there's been nothing in it. I did ask my Rheumy once which day was preferable ie relating to dosing day & was told it makes no difference. I've settled on the day I inject & book my next month's bloods for the same day (Wednesdays) when I'm able to as sometimes the diary's not open for pre booking the following month.

[Hidden in reply to nomoreheels]

I have mine on a Wednesday too. DN comes out to me and I leave it for 6 weeks now. My bloods are usually pretty stable, and I'm only on a low dose now (7.5 mg) as it's for Vasculitis and not RA. Although it does boost my Leflunomide . Take MTX on Friday.