Increased methotrexate dose how long should i give it to work.

Hi all. I was diagnosed February last year and after been given mxt 15mg and pred 30mg felt great after a few week and started to tapered my steroids down to 5mg. Then at Xmas I started with swelling, stiffness and pain in my hands, fingers and wrists and feet. I saw my rheumy consultant beginning of January and she increased my mxt to 17.5mg. I'm not getting any relief if anything I'm worse, how long should I give the drugs to work before I seek more help. I know they are really busy and phoning my rhuemy nurse is difficult because they don't ring me back so I don't want to be starting a task if I'm not giving my meds chance to work.

[Oshgosh]

Ring the rheumatologist nurse again,if she doesn’t get back to you, then ring the consultants secretary for advice.

That’s what the nurse is there for,to advise you. I really hope this helps

[oldtimer]

But if you don't contact them, they will think that you are fine... better to say how you are. You might need a covering dose of steroids while you wait for the new dose to work?

[Dspooky01]

I was diagnosed January last year and started at 15mg MTX, then up to 20, then 20 injection and I’m now on 25 mg injection. I’m not perfect (will I ever be again?) but I’m in a fairly good place. So I’ve had 4 increases in much the same time as you. I would get back to them and tell them how you are, and ask what can they do.

Best wishes xxx

[charisma]

Definitely need to contact Rheumatology. You need a review of drug therapy. Don’t suffer too long. 🙂

[Dobcross1]

Contact Rheumatology. I waited far too long on 15mg and then 17.5mg for around 10 months. Then, in January this year, a new consultant put me on an increasing dose every 4 weeks. 20, then 22.5 and finally 25mg. He couldn't understand why this hadn't been done before given my RA wasn't controlled.

[Boxerlady]

Definitely ring the rheumy nurse and ask about a dose increase. I did that recently having started on 15mg last May and increasing to 20mg in September (alongside 400mg Hydroxychloroquine daily.) I expected to be told to wait until the next appointment in May but she rang back a few days later to say that the consultant wanted me to start injections as my RA is still active. I only rang because of the encouragement I got on here and am so glad that I did. 🙏