HAVE TAKEN MTX FOR ABOUT 8 YRS. IN PILL FORM, NOW SWITCHING TO INJECTION. HOPING IT WILL HELP IN MY SEVERE LOSS OF HAIR.HAVE NEVER GIVEN MYSELF A SHOT SO A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE-I'M CHICKEN-LOL. JUST WONDERING IF ANYONE NOTICED A DIFFERENCE BET. THE TWO.AND YES I DO TAKE FOLIC ACID AND PREDNISONE AND JUST STARTING ON MASSIVE DOSE OF VITAMIN D, IT CAME BACK VERY LOW LAST BLOOD TESTS. I HAVE THE COMMON DAYS OF EXHAUSTION AND STOMACH UPSET BUT HAVE DECIDED IT'S MY NEW NORM AND MARCH FORWARD. ANY AND ALL INFO IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. HOPE EVERYONE IS ENJOYING THE DAY AND FEELING BETTER.
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mrdiggs
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Hello... I am not sure there is a standard answer because people seem to experience side effects in many different ways. I tried mtx injections but they didn’t help my nausea... however I did develop a method of going very slowly with the needle which suited my lack of bravery! Give them a go...you don’t have to keep on with them if they don’t suit. x
Just found out today they should be arriving this coming Tuesday. Don't have any idea what to expect as far as what kind of injection delivery I'm getting . Thanks for answering. Wish me luck-lol.
We are all different so I would just give it a try, it’s the only way you will know if it will stop your hair loss. Not trying to put you off or anything because you will react differently but I had severe nausea all the time when I changed to the injections and I went back onto the pills. Are you having injections or using the pen injectors do you know? Good luck, let us know how it goes 😊
THANKS FOR ANSWERING. HAD TO GO THROUGH HELL TO GET THEM APPROVED BY MY INSURANCE. AM RETIRED AND ON PRIVATE SUBSCRIPTION INSURANCE IN U.S..I'M REALLY HOPING THEY WORK MIRACLES-LOL., BUT I'LL BE HAPPY JUST AS LONG AS THERE ARE NO FURTHER SIDE EFFECTS AND KEEP THE PAIN AT BAY.-STAY HAPPY AND THANKS AGAIN
I was on oral methotrexate for over 3 years. Now on injections (there are 2 types of pens I chose the nordamit )sooo easy and pain free.
I much prefer the injections. I am tired the next day and have noticed my bloated stomach has disappeared 😁on injections you tend to be on a lower dose as you absorb it better (much of the tablet is destroyed during digestion) win win as far as I’m concerned.
Vitamin D is a must but you should also take it with Vitamin K2 as K2 makes sure you absorb it correctly (google it explains it better than I could) amazon sell a combined VDVK2 really good.
Not being funny or anything J1707 but you shouldn’t tell someone they should take something when you don’t know their full medical history. Might be better to suggest they check with their GP as to whether they should be taking vit K 😊
HAVE NO IDEA WHAT KIND OF INJECTION DISPENSER I'M GETTING. HAD TO JUMP THRU HOOPS AND RAISE HELL TO GET IT APPROVED BY MY PRIVATE INSURANCE. IT'S COSTING ME AN ARM AND A LEG SO PRAYING THAT THEY WORK WELL.I'M IN THE U.S. AND HAVE SUPPOSEDLY REALLY GOOD INSURANCE BUT STILL COSTING ME $249.31 A MONTH FOR 4 SHOTS PER MONTH. DEFINITELY PLANNING ON GETTING THE K2 VITAMIN. THEY SHOULD BE ARRIVING THIS TUESDAY SO WISH ME LUCK. THANKS AGAIN !
Hi J1707 Totally agree about needing the other vitamin to help with the uptake of vitamin d3. When I asked my helpful pharmacist about it he said as long as I had plenty butter I'd be fine!
I’ve been on max dose of methotrexate for 3 1/2 years but now on 20mg methotrexate injections I’ve had a little thinning at the beginning but it stopped and my hair is normal thickness now (but I’m getting on a bit now and it’s grey🥴😞 nothing to do with the methotrexate) we don’t all get the same side effects some are worse than others. It’s unpredictable just like this 🤬disease.
UNFORTUNATELY I'VE HAD MAJOR HAIR LOSE AND IT'S NOT STOPPING .I'VE BEEN ON IT FOR 8 YRS. SO I WOULD SAY IT'S NOT GOING TO STOP. THIS IS MY LAST HOPE AND THEN I MAY JUST HAVE TO SWITCH MEDICATIONS AND SEE IF THAT MAKES ANY DIFFERENCE. EVERYBODY IN MY FAMILY HAS GOOD HAIR AND I DID TOO BUT RIGHT NOW HAVE LOST ABOUT 2/3 AND HAVE DEVELOPED A BALD SPOT , SO I'M A HURTING PUP--LOL. NOT ON A REALLY HIGH DOSE--ONLY 7.5 MGS A WEEK AND WILL STAY AT THAT WITH THE INJECTIBLE. WISH ME LUCK AND THANKS FOR REPLYING.
EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT AND I JUST HAPPEN TO BE ONE OF THOSE THAT HAS THIS PROBLEM. THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE ON THIS SITE THAT HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THIS MEDICATION AT ALL. THINK POSITIVE-I'M SURE YOU WILL BE O.K.
Methotrexate did the same thing to me! Major hair destruction. Don't forget Methotrexate is a Chemo drug. Many chemo drugs have effects on some peoples hair!
I think I did explain before...the dose of Methotrexate given to cancer patients on chemotherapy is vastly stronger than the 25/30mg a week which is usually the highest dose given for RA.
For cancer patients it can be in the thousands of mgs......administered far more frequently than once a week......mrdiggs is on 7.5 mgs ......a low dose even for RA.
You are correct in saying some people unfortunately do get hair thinning when they first start taking methotrexate but for the majority of people it doesn’t lead to major hair loss.
I believe you did say you took multiple Dmards quite quickly? Maybe in your case the drugs reacted to each other & Methotrexate wasn’t the only drug to attack your hair?
Thankfully, some do not have that particular side effect.
However:
One of the culprits: methotrexate. It’s the most commonly prescribed disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) for rheumatoid arthritis. It’s also responsible for hair loss in about 1 to 3 percent of people. The hair loss happens because methotrexate is doing what it’s supposed to do – stop cells from growing, including cells causing inflammation and, unfortunately, hair follicles.
Yes I have seen this list of side-effects TJ. Very off putting.Thank goodness most people don’t get all or any of them.
I took MTX very successfully for 7 years & I still have a full head of hair....as have most people who take it.
Very sadly you were not that lucky.
Believe me..... The first scientist to find a DMARD that doesn’t have some side effect for everyone will deserve a Nobel Prize.
I could list here the number of Dmards that I have taken & ended up with my head down the loo every day for a month! But that was my reaction.... I read of many people on this forum who take those that made me ill - taking them for years with no problem.
It can take some people years to find the right medication I just hope you find yours very soon.
After trying so many DMRDS and biologicals and NONE of them have worked even in the slightest to get rid of my terrible wrists flaring and the ONLY thing so far that has calmed the flaring is prednisone, my doctor has finally agreed to treat me with Minocycline.
I presented all the research that proves that Minocycline might be MY answer!
He agreed only because NOTHING else in the world of "standard RA drugs" has worked on my double wrist constant endless flare.
He did an Hand/Wrist xray and surprisingly there is no joint damage!
I have to get off this prednisone!! Just have too! Now have Cushingoid because of that crap!
My new regimen effective this past Thursday will be 100mg Minocycline daily for 2 weeks (dose low and slow), then 100mg Minocycline 2 times a day for 3 months.
800 mg Motrin 3 times a day.
Real CBD oil .4 x 3 times a day prescribed by MD.
And of course the dreaded prednisone which I am reducing slowly (was on 20-25 for months and months (thereby the Cushings) and down to 12.5mg today. Will "try" to reduce down to 10mg after the 2 weeks of Minocycline. Then try to reduce and reduce and reduce down to zero! I cannot wait for that day! I do not even look like myself anymore.
Not only my hair so messed up and have to wear fake hair buns & pony tails, but I still have the moon face, fat pads pertruding off the sides of my neck and a stomach that looks like I am 9 months pregnant!
I am crossing my fingers that this treatment may be the one! I go back for blood testing to RA doctor in 6 weeks.
Totally agree with Aged Crone. I never lost any hair with MTX but when I had cancer, the chemo I had caused total loss. Head, eyebrows, eyelashes, nasal hair, armpits, that's enough. I was just left a tiny patch on each shin.
TRIED GOING OFF OF IT TWO TIMES FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS EACH TIME BUT HAD RAGING FLARE UPS SO HAD TO START UP AGAIN. FUNNY THING WAS MY HAIR STARTED TO LOOK A LOT BETTER AND FILL IN A BIT.WISH I COULD HAVE STAYED OFF OF IT A BIT LONGER. WILL DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THE ALOPECIA THING TO BE SURE I'M ON THE RIGHT TRACK. THANKS FOR THE SUGGESTION. SHOULD MENTION THAT EACH TIME I'VE HAD A FLARE UP THE MTX WAS INCREASED TO 20 MGS AND THEN HAD TO WEAN IT DOWN OVER TIME. I FIGHT TO KEEP THE DOSAGE LOW BEC. OF THE SIDE AFFECTS, PROBABLY SHOULD BE TAKING MORE ALONG WITH A HIGHER DOSAGE OF THE PREDNISONE BUT THAT'S BULL HEADED ME. LOL
I lost loads of hair with mtx then bought a supplement off Amazon called Biotin (recommended by my Rheumy) and afternoon two months the hair loss was back to normal levels and new hair started growing back. Give it a go?
I’m on 20mg mtx injections and daily hydroxychloroquin . I take one Biotin tablet a day. It’s just a supplement that you can buy on line but check with your health professional first.
When I first started thinning I did take Biotin it did make a difference. My husbands hair has always been fine and as he has got older finer still. He started taking biotin about 2 months ago and there really has been some thickening . He will never have a thick head of hair but the pink scalp is less notable . Just go for the highest dose you can get. Good luck
Just butting in....mrdiggs is In the US CagneysMum....Biotin might not be available over there under that name-if the ingredients list isn’t too long could you write it down so mrdiggsvcan show it to pharmacist then check with doctor?
I lost my long, silky hair from taking Methotrexate (which did nothing for the flaring by the way) and was desperate to try to remedy it, so my RA doctor switched me to Xeljanz.
I never got a chance to see if it would help with my hair because that drug also did nothing for my endless flare!
Hair thinning is a common side effect of methotrexate. More of the drug is absorbed by the body when taken be injection so I can't see how this will lesson. Folic acid helps to minimise side effects. In the UK we take 5mgs of folic acid every day apart from the day we take methotrexate, that is 6 days a week. Is your dosage of folic acid different in theUS.
Also could I ask that you type using lower case letters. Messages written all in capitol letters is considered shouting, and folk tend to get a bit irritated about it.
my meds should arrive tuesday-------first time trying them-----have never given myself a needle, new experience. i'm a tad leery but may go to dr.'s office to walk me thru it the first time.
Do they just give you the injections without showing you how to do them first Mrdiggs. Here we had to be shown and then do our first one in front of the nurse to make sure we were doing it correctly.
that's what has happened so far.talked with insurance pharmacist on the phone, her directions were rather involved from removing the needle from its encasement to actually giving myself the shot. said there is a video on line from company and a pamphlet. i'm going to see if my gp has any experience with this and if so go to his office. my ra doc is really a bit of a drive for this.wish me luck----lol still may end up going to see him if nothing else pans out -.
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