Methotrexate feeling nauseous even thinking of it

[Smurf808]

Anyone ever experienced this. I was on the injection form and I take it on a Thursday it got to be that even going to the cupboard I kept it in the smell of the cupboard used to turn my stomach and I’d literally start to heave, the smell of the antiseptic wipe, the sight of the injection everything. I have since been put back onto tablet form and now the same thing is happening. Even taking one small tablet seems to get stuck in my throat and my throat just closes over and I gag it’s awful. Anyone else ever experienced this? My doctor isn’t very helpful when it comes to this sort of thing, have mentioned it before

[ruth_p]

I have, when I was originally diagnosed I used to go to see my GP on a Friday for my injection (I was 14 and it was 1995) there was a chip shop next to the doctors and the smell of chips made me feel nauseous. My GP tended to get a bit of BO and I was actually sick in his office a couple of times so my Rheumy changed me to tablets. Eventually I couldn’t even look at the bottle without feeling sick, we even tried me taking a small daily dose rather than a weekly hit but that didn’t help either. I couldn’t take it at all anymore and I was changed to leflunomide in 1999. They didn’t give folic acid to teenagers back then and I used to have an anti nausea tablet the weekend after my injection but this didn’t work in the end. I was put back in mtx as an adult after humira wasn’t working well enough and this time I have been able to have it with little side effects. I would push your rheumatologist to change the mtx as you clearly can’t tolerate it. They can’t force you to take the mtx if you can’t physically do it. Good luck!

[Uzor in reply to ruth_p]

I was very ill taking methotrexate orally. It was then changed to injection form ,with no positive effect. My Rheumatologist tried me on two other drugs, one of which made me very weak and breathing problems.

I have been on Hydrochloride now for many years, and that together with Etoricoxib 90mgs seems to help me the most. I don’t get as many flare ups as before.

Currently,I’m having lots of pain in my thigh,… I’m told that it’s deep tissue inflammation and has been refered for physio and steroid injections.

Hope you find the treatment that works best for you soon

[helixhelix]

But do you actually get any side effects once you can bring yourself to take it? As if not then perhaps asking either GP or Rheumy for some counselling would help you find a way to accept that you need to take this drugs?

I have been through periods where my reluctance mounts, but not to that extent! Poor you.

[Pamelah5]

Hi Smurf808

When I first started taking Methotrexate I only felt sick after injecting with Methotrexate which is a normal side effect but never before taking, certainly never had problems with smells etc. You could ask for anti sickness tablets to which I was prescribed for nausea or better still contact Rheumatology nurse explain what’s been happening they are more likely to change your medication It might not be suitable for you. Meds are meant to help not make you worse to the extent your suffering.

Best wishes

Pamela x

[Mmrr]

As usual we we are not Drs / psychologists ......

But, it sounds as if you may be conditioned to become nauseated and sick at the thought / sights / smells associated with the meds.

(Pavlovs's dogs and classical conditioning , if you are familiar with the story). GPs won't have much knowledge of this, hence the apparent unhelpfulness, so you may need to be persistent with a request for help, counselling may be beneficial to help you break the association between the thoughts/ sights/smells and the meds.

[Brushwork]

I used to live in dread of taking the tablets. For me, the tablets meant 3 days of nausea and brain fog, which eventually led to depression, and I do mean depression rather than just feeling low. I had given up.

I then refused Mtx for many years... but couldn't find anything that worked, biologics left me almost bald and I had allergic reactions to some, other DMARDS either didn't work or caused other problems. When coronavirus entered to arena, and I was struggling I asked if I could try Metoject, with no expectations of success and a bit of fear. However, it has helped my RA some, and the nausea only lasts 12 - 18 hrs, so I take it early evening and by lunch the following day, I feel ok again.

Gosh - sorry, I didn't mean to give you chapter and verse!

We are all different aren't we, and our reactions to drugs and RA itself are different... I hope you find something soon that helps.

PS - I am refusing any steroid treatments at the moment and have since coronavirus.

[ks1966]

Hi there. Please try taking one pill of folic acid a day before you take your Methotrexate dose and one pill the day after.It solved the nausea issue for me. 100%

[AlisonWW]

Hi. YES!!! I switched from tablets to mxt injections in the hope they would cause less nausea. However, the sickness continued and after a while I begun to develop what I can only describe as an anticipation nausea, looking at the box would be enough to start me wretching and I would dread injecting.

I then decided to stop them as I would rather have the pain than this worry and nausea. However, I am now in need of meds again and my rhumy has mentioned that I will need to go back on it. Just thinking about it causes nausea, I can’t go back on it.

It seems that this alone also affects quality of life and I dint know how to get round it.

[LinaM]

Yep! Me too! I think it’s ‘ a thing” . I’m sure there have been a few posts about this actually. I think counselling , if you can get it , would help to deal with it.

[Gnarli]

Yup. Me too. Having an acute sense of smell doesn't help, you know, the smell of the wipes, the cupboard etc. The nausea rises every time I think about it. It's rising even as I type. However, this drug has made me 95% normal and I remind myself of how my existence was without it because I sure as hell wasn't living. It's a small price to pay for feeling this good

[Mall in reply to Gnarli]

You do not need to use the alcohol wipes if you regularly bath and shower. Ditch them if there smell makes you heave. Without them you get less of a sting too.

[medway-lady in reply to Mall]

My sister (a nurse)said if your clean then no need to use the wipes so I don't. I found the syringe so much less painful than the pen too for Benepali.

[RUSTY750]

hi.. i have been injecting MTX [weekly] for 7/8 years and a biologic [monthly] for about 4 years... my nausea is pretty constant but increases during the day before i inject [evening].. I am sure the daily nausea is caused by the combination of drugs i take on a daily basis, but the sickly feeling before injecting is probably psychosomatic [in my head].... whatever the cause .. i am prescribed 50mg CYCLIZINE 3 times a day .. they help a lot ! i am able to generally function on 2 a day so i have spares i can take when i inject... ask your GP... ..I consider myself fortunate that the medical prognosis of 10 years ago [wheelchair/walking stick/limited use of hands] has not come to be ... for which I'll take the drugs and live with the nausea... All the best to you... T.

[cheryls56]

Hi i have been on injection for a few years now but i do have the same problem soon as you said the smell of the wipes i am the same i know it sounds silly but i spray deodorant and hold my breath the dogs the injection lol i hope that things calm down but at least I know im not the only one good luck

[Neonkittie17]

I’m not great swallowing any tablet but I got a bit better at it after several years of Sulphasalazine. (Whoever made those so big needs a serious talking to!!) I wonder if a big swig of something warm like a mug of tea after it (providing this is allowed same time as the tablet?) would help you as that’s what I tend to do. As I recall Mtx is quite small compared to other meds. Still it can be hard to swallow. I take a couple of very small Carbimazole tablets for my thyroid and they are difficult to swallow as they are not coated so tend to start dissolving and make me feel a bit iffy. I ensure I’ve got my mug of tea handy to swish them right along. Not hot in case it dissolves the med too quickly, etc. Even the tiniest of tablets I have to pretend I’m chewing and then move them along to swallow. I have capsules wherever I can for any other meds as they slip down easily for me. I believe there are pill swallowing cups which work for many. Maybe worth a try? Hope you find a way as you do need to be able to swallow certain meds whole. We actually swallow larger pieces of food but of course the pill swallowing thing is psychological indeed. Have you tried the old trick of putting it in a little spoon of apple sauce or other soft food to help it on its way? Good luck.

[Pognose123]

I’m finding this thread a real eye opener because I have started struggling to take my oral MTX each Monday and thought it was just me. I dread Monday mornings now and despite trying to change the routine each week, so that it feels different, I am still sitting with them shuddering as I take them! The last time this happened to me as when I took tablets that in the end I was found to be allergic to, so I’m worried that the same is happening again :/ aren’t humans weird?!

I am so sorry for all you guys having it a lot worse than me - but by being honest and telling your stories, it really does help newbies like me to not feel alone.

[BeeKind]

I can totally sympathise with you, I felt sick before taking it, tablets or injection. Also felt sick afterwards, it meant feeling really poorly for at least 3 days every week. In the end I was taken off methotrexate and put onto another drug. It is highly frustrating as I knew it was ‘in my head’, but I couldn’t break the cycle, it is probably 15 years since I last had it, and the thought of it still makes me feel sick. Take care and hopefully you can find a solution.

[Thingybob]

Yep, yep ,yep, felt nauseous at the thought of the jab, nauseous at the smell of the antiseptic wipe, nauseous at the sight of the chair i sat on to do my jab. I would get very anxious from the lunchtime on the day of my jab.

The rheumy nurse I told was vv understanding. Told me not to use the antiseptic wipe, and said it was normal to react that way to something we know makes us feel bad . A bit like the smell of rotten food making us gag and so telling us not to eat it. Part of the bodys defense mechanism.

I found changing my routine helped, the time n place and distraction , trying to focus on something else while doing it.

Good luck xx

[DandelionDoll]

😯 oh my goodness! I can't believe I came across this post. I was looking up on Google just about a half hour ago to see if anyone else has ever experienced this!

I started experiencing this feeling about 3 weeks ago. I don't even know why but it just all of a sudden after I took my injection I started to get very nauseated and started gagging. Now every time I even think about taking the shot or even the word methotrexate it makes me gag in my throat and get nauseous. But, if I don't think about it or try not to think about it and keep myself busy I'm fine.

I have convinced myself that it's psychosomatic. I honestly have never experienced anything like this and would never wish it on anyone.

Although there are times where if I eat anything like chocolate, or something spicy, my stomach feels very queasy and I feel very sick. So I'm not exactly sure if it's a gastrointestinal problem or if it's psychosomatic. Nonetheless I plan on getting in to see a gastro doctor after the first of the year.

I know it may not sound like any comfort but isn't it good to know that there are others who experience this?

I'm very sorry for writing such a long book but I do hope that you feel much better in the sense of having to take the methotrexate. ☺️

[Aliceeliza]

This has been so interesting. I have been feeling nauseous almost since the first tine I took mtx but it improved on the injections to about 1 day a week. Since August it has been permanent and really drags me down. I have told the rheumy nurse but she wants me to continue, I've been to the GP and seen the gastroenterologist who gave me omeprazole with the proviso of having an endoscopy if the drug does not work. I'm back to the GP next week as I've felt worse over Xmas. The problem is my joints are good, my tendons not so good, blood tests normal and the nausea awful. I don't know what to do first, stop the mtx or have the endoscopy. I'm on folic acid x6 pw, 15 mgs mtx ( but I haven't taken it for 2weeks) Any thoughts please?