Mtx injection

[Buckybri]

As the mtx meds are making me really ill for three days after taking them i have now got to go on a course to learn how to inject , can anyone give me information on how you do it and will it take the sickness away

Thanks

[Hidden]

Ok I stared methotrexate injections 10 weeks ago. I had been on tablets for 3 1/2 years not too many problems a bit of nausea . It was decided that the injections would work better as you absorb more rather than destroying it via the digestive system so you generally have a lower dose. I have noticed that I’m am tired the next day but no nausea and a bonus my stomach has shrunk hadn’t realised the tablets was causing bloating ( just though I was getting fat😁) The injections themselves is easy and pain free. I use nordimet injections they are pre-filled the size of a fat felt tip pen and you just hold and press into your leg and hold for the count of 10 dead easy. I prefer injections

[KittyJ]

I didn’t go on a course Buckybri it was just an appointment with the nurse who demonstrated how to do it and then I did it myself. Quick and easy if it’s a pen injection 😊 Of course I can’t guarantee it’ll take the sickness away but lots of people find it much better than the tablets. 🤞🏻

[Buckybri in reply to KittyJ]

Hope so I can’t go in like this ,for three days after I feel like crap , on the plus side I have lost weight because I can’t stand the smell of food .

[Brushwork]

My methotrexate experience was similar to yours . I would loose 3 days each week, barely able to function during that time, with nausea, fatigue and brain fog, eventually leading to depression. My Rheumatologist said the injections would only help with the nausea so there was no point in me trying them. However, we are all different, our Rheumatologists are all different too.

I wish you luck.

[RosieA in reply to Brushwork]

Hum! I would have thought getting rid of the nausea would be an excellent thing in itself, especially if your experiencing it for three days. It is so debillitating. Perhaps worth another chat if you feel it's appropriate. We can quickly start to accept things as the norm when in reality they need not be. Getting rid of one of these side effects would potentially have a big effect on your mental well being and should not be dismissed. The marmalade jar helps my fatique no end but not if I was feeling nauseous. Good luck.

[Brushwork in reply to RosieA]

The brain fog was as dreadful as the nausea, and the inability to function for 3 days too much. I wouldn't want to go back there, to be honest.

[RosieA in reply to Brushwork]

Sorry, assumed your were still on MTX. Sounds like you have found a different solution which is great. I'm still learning about all this. It seems from reading some of the posts that is a minefield of discovering what is the best treatment for any one person.

[Brushwork in reply to RosieA]

It really is... I recently began a Biosimilar med - Amgevita, felt over the moon that within a few days I felt amazingly well and virtually pain free, and that continued for 4 weeks. Then I was back to normal, it simply stopped working and the side effects that were very mild worsened and my hair started to fall out dramatically, profusely, shedding like a dog! (lets face it we are all used to some extra hair loss at times).

I phoned the specialist nurse - her response was to stop the Amgevita straight away! I kind of felt cheated - the gift of wellbeing snatched away as quickly as it was given. Hey ho.

Life with RA is an education and a journey.

[RosieA in reply to Brushwork]

I am so very sorry. What an enormous disappointment, Let's hope that you find something that works. Best wishes.

[Brushwork in reply to RosieA]

Thanks RosieA, and best wishes to you too

[Lyneal in reply to Brushwork]

Hi, are you taking a folic acid tablet daily to help the side effects of the injections, I found this helpful.

[RosieA]

I have only ever had the injections, as I pass out when I am going to be sick (have done since I was a child) and the hospital were anxious to prevent this. I started injecting about 7 weeks ago. It couldn't be simpler, using the pre-filled pens I inject in my tummy area as I don't have enough fat on my legs. Painless, quick and easy. There are some good videos on youtube to show you how to use the pens. This will give you an idea before your course, so your a little prepared for what's going to happen. The nurse will probably give you a 'dummy' one to practise with until you feel comfortable. I loose a day, with MTX 'fogginess' and tiredness after my injection but have never experienced any nausea. Please don't worry too much and I hope the injections work better for you.

[nomoreheels]

Hiya Buckybri. It’s an oddity to say you go on a course to learn how to inject MTX, it's quite normal just to be simply shown how to do it, sometimes with a dummy pen, & then the nurse oversees you injecting yourself. That's all there is to it really. It really is quite simple though I can understand why some find it daunting initially. Just flick the pen, pull off the cover & inject. I inject into my tum, just pinch a bit, inject & that's that, alternate sides, one week the left then the next the right. When I receive my injections I write L or R on the box to save me trying to remember which side I did the week before. I found that the antiseptic wipe made the injection sting a bit but as I do it straight after I’ve dried off after my shower my skin is clean.

This might be of help metoject.co.uk/healthcare-p...

There's no saying how different you'll find it symptom wise but generally people have fewer issues by injecting. I've been on MTX 10 years, 9 of them by injection. Recently I’ve had to had a dose reduction due to nausea returning, early days yet as it's only been a fortnight & still taking an antiemetic, a new one has been prescribed so hopeful it will get better. Not missing the 2.5mg yet either.

Have you had an increase in folic acid to help ease side effects? That & sometimes we can go down a dose from the one on we were on when taking tablets.

I hope this means you'll have all the benefits without side effects.

[sarahm9200]

I use Otrexup injections and they’re great! To avoid nausea I inject right before bed (on my mid thigh) and sometimes with a snack. I sleep through any immediate nausea and the next day I don’t feel well, but then I get 5-6 days of feeling better. The injection itself doesn’t hurt much going in (I take other really painful ones), but I get some stinging in the area for a few minutes after. I try to just breathe through it and go to sleep. Much better than the pills IMO. Good luck!

[Buckybri in reply to sarahm9200]

Thank you , it can’t b any worse than tablet form , and my dose will do down as I’m on 8 tablets every Sunday I think it’s 20 mg , but because of the way I feel for three days after they have dropped it down to 6 and folic acid 6 days a week .

[Hidden]

Hi Buckybri

Do you mean the metoject injections that are injected once a week? I take them and have been going for a number of years now. they taught me how to use it and it’s so simple and yes it definitely makes a difference. Is this the same injection you’re talking about?

[JJBean]

I too was on MTX pills and I felt quite sick for 3, sometimes even 4 days after. I was nauseous, extremely tired (I could sleep literally through the whole day after my MTX), dizzy, headaches etc. I switched to the injections, not the pre filled pens as I was going to be increasing my dose (because on pills I could only handle the lowest dose, but needed a higher one), and as well, the pens were more costly. I 100% find the injection better, for me, now I'm down to feeling the side effects for the next day, and not the whole day... I do my injection around 11pm (I prefer to sleep through the first part of side effects), and the next day by around 2-3pm I'm usually feeling back to normal. That being said, my rheumatologist also has me on the prescription leucovorin (FOLINIC acid I believe) , which is different than the FOLIC acid from the drug store. I take it 8-12 hours after my MTX. If you don't know about this, it might be worth asking your doctor about.

As for the injections, i have no problem at all, very easy and quick to do. The hardest part for me was sticking myself with a needle the first time, after getting over that, I find no issues.

My rheumatologist told me to read this and watch the video. If you watch it, it'll give you a clear idea of what injections entail... Hope this helps

rheuminfo.com/living-with-a...

[Buckybri in reply to JJBean]

Thanks

[JJBean in reply to Buckybri]

Good luck, hope the info helps...

[Llanberisman]

After a year on mtx tablets, I asked to go on to injections, as I'd heard that they are more effective. A nurse at the arthritis clinic showed me how to inject using a dummy pen...took about ten minutes. First time alone was a bit nerve-wracking, but I couldn't believe how easy and painless it was. I expected to feel the injection, but nothing...and thought I had done it wrong. But no, it's is painless and simple.

Never had the nausea with mtx, so can't comment on that, sorry. Good luck...

[4201 in reply to Llanberisman]

My doctor has suggested I go on the injection after 9 months on the MTX pills. I was hesitant because of the needle, but have decided to start in the coming week. Thanks for your input. Still a little apprehensive, but if it stops the nausea and the brain fog I get from the pills, it is worth it.

[Moirab]

Hi,

I inject weekly it's just a prefilled pen and all you do is grab a bit of your thigh push the end of the pen on quite firmly and press the top leave pressure on for 10 seconds and bingo job done!