Methotrexate injection

[Maggie69]

Hi hope everyone keeping well. I went to see my rheumatologist yesterday and explained that I felt really sick after I took my weekly dose of methotrexate so I’m goin for my first injection in morning any advice please 😘😘

[Hidden]

I so much prefer the injections. Quick easy and pain free. First time is daunting but I just don’t think about it now. Good luck x

[Downtime]

Hi Maggie, the injections are easy and painless and avoid stomach problems. You’ll be fine .

[smilelines]

They told me to hold it like a dart and pop it in the tummy my closer than two inched around the belly button. It was so easy and only once a week. Was sad when I had to go off because of stomach cramps. I think you will like not having to take pills everyday!!

[Maggie69 in reply to smilelines]

Oohh I feel the same as have stomach cramps all Nite and feel sick so wot do you take now x

[smilelines in reply to Maggie69]

I take leflunimide. No stomach cramps. I was up all night, too, with the methotrexate. Maybe you will need to change. Do you think the methotrexate is working?

[JEM95]

It’s really painless and so much better - less yukky side effects.

I have MXT and Benepali injections every week. They are so easy to do you can’t go wrong!

You’ll be fine x

[RheumST in reply to JEM95]

I'm 75yrs old and have no problem with MTX injections.

Here's how I was instructed to do it:

Pinch the skin to the left or right of the belly button (I alternate from week to week) and then inject at right angle into the ridge of skin (and fat formed with your fingers. I only feel a tiny very minor prickle of pain at the injection site. With the injection needle prescribed which is very thin and has short length you can push it in all the way. You can pull it out quite fast and should not feel anything on the way out. I've been doing this for more than a year.

It took me awhile to come off the daily Prednisone (steroid) tablets, since the MTX takes a month or two to become fully effective. Fortunately it is working really well and I have no joint pain at this point at all.

There is no discoloration or any sign of where I inject. If you palpitate the injection area you will almost certainly feel a bit of a lump where all of the fluid has collected which will go away as the tissue absorbs it all.

Good luck and Best wishes !

[Knip in reply to RheumST]

Like Rickochet, I have always put mine in the front of my thigh. I used to have syringes with needles years ago and did the same for that. The pens are so much easier and I think it is the 'thought' of doing it rather than the actual 'doing of it', that makes patients a bit wary.

[RheumST in reply to Knip]

I am guessing pens are more costly than the syringes, no ? As for the injection location injection into fatty area may have slightly different diffusion than into muscle which I assume is where your thigh injection goes. Of course what works best for you is the way to go.

[rickochet]

Hi, I have been injecting for 5 years and no problems, it really is pain free. I inject in my thigh and don't feel a thing, go for it!

[BoneyC]

Distract yourself, put some music on, and just do it! That's what the nurse told me.

[Boxerlady]

Another fan here. 👌

I had to have two appointments with the nurse to learn how to do it but it would have been fine if they'd just given me a leaflet - I find the lateral flow test much more complicated!

She gave me the choice of tummy or thighs and I chose thighs; I didn't fancy tummy for some reason and I think that it was the right decision for me as I have more fat on my thighs! 😂

[RheumST in reply to Boxerlady]

Hm, I don't have fat in my thighs, but enough around my tummy : )

[cathie]

I can’t help with injections but when I took mtx pills I was advised to take them on a Friday night so if I felt nauseous I could rest - including the next day. Do you still get advised to take folic acid to stabilise your reaction to mtxate too?

[Maggie69 in reply to cathie]

Hi yes you still have to take the folic acid xx

[skinnycappuccino]

Heya Maggie69 😊

I much prefer injections to tablets! When I first learned to self-inject 9 years ago, I was really worried at first. But you get used to it quite quickly and if I can do it anyone can (I used to not even be able to watch the nurses, I'd nearly faint!)😅

Good luck and let us know how it went!

Best,

Christine