Folic acid doseage

[Chris_O]

Hi

I’ve just had a RA review with my specialist and mentioned that other people on the NRAS site are taking folic acid tablets six days a week, whereas I am prescribed only on two days a week. I asked what’s the difference, and his reply was ‘there is no difference, it’s the specialists opinion that is split’. Does any one have any views on this?

Chris_O

[Boxerlady]

I started on one tablet a week and it was increased to six a week when I had some problematic side effects - and it helped 😊Are you having issues?

[Chris_O in reply to Boxerlady]

Hi Thanks for your reply. No I’m not having any problems, although my Hb and WBC are nearly always on the low side. It was just that I couldn’t get a satisfactory answer from the RA specialist.

Chris_O

[helixhelix]

My first rheumy said she starts patients on same amount of folic as MTX, so if say 15mg MTX she suggests 5mg folic acid three times a week. And then adjusts up or down according to symptoms. Current rheumy does it the other way and start on one, and increases if need.

I have to say although I am pretty scrupulous with everything else, this is the drug I often forget! And it seems to make little difference to me, so I think it is not massively critical for most of us if we are eating our greens. Maybe if someone had a poor diet it would be more noticieable?

[Chris_O in reply to helixhelix]

Hi

Thanks for the reply. Your explanation is much more informative than my RA specialist! After reading that MTX blocks some of the action of folic acid I was slightly concerned as my Hb and WBC counts always seem to be on the low side, but I don’t suffer from lack of energy that’s usual with anaemia.

Another thing that I noticed is that my total dose per week is 10mg ( 2 x 5mg ) and most people on six tablets per are on 6mg ( 6 x 1mg ), it’s just the delivery rate is different?

Chris_O

[Boxerlady in reply to Chris_O]

I'm on six 5mg tablets a week...

[Chris_O in reply to Boxerlady]

Hi

Thanks for the reply. Looks like RA specialists all have different opinions!

A reply from Helixhelix suggested that her RA specialist recommended the same doseage of folic acid to MTX ( ie if your on 15mg MTX then 3 x 5mg folic acid ) However as RA treatment is not an exact science I’m not surprised, still I’ve got some explanation for the difference now.

Chris_O

[AgedCrone in reply to Chris_O]

Are you in the UK? I don’t know anybody here who is taking 1 mg tablets everybody I know takes 5 mg.

[Chris_O in reply to AgedCrone]

Hi

Yes I’m in the UK. Sorry if I confused you, I am taking 5 mg folic acid tablets.

Chris_O

[Soundofmusic52]

I’m on 3 per week and all is good 🤞

[helixhelix]

In the US it is usually 1mg tablets, often 7 times a week. Here it is 5mg tablets...

[Moomin8]

Hi, I was told that I have to leave a gap of 3 days. So MTX Monday, start 5mg Folic Acid tablets Thursday and take one each day including Sunday. None on MTX Monday.

[wilbertjellyfish]

I only take one. It's only to help with vomiting after mtx so depends on how sick it makes you is my understanding

[Hidden]

I take one 5mg tablet per week, 3 days after the MTX. I thought that was the usual regime unless people had problems from the MTX.