Methotrexate side effects

[halsey18]

Hello there, it’s been a year and a half since I started methotrexate but lately I’ve started to feel nauseous and want puke but I don’t lol, so anyone else had felt the same before or is it just me?☹️

[Soundofmusic52]

Been on it 2 yrs now and still feel nausea and gag sometimes do you take folic acid its supposed to help I’ve got used to it now as long as I am in no pain I will put up with it

[halsey18 in reply to Soundofmusic52]

I do take folic acid but it’s not working still feeling nauseous

[summer32A in reply to halsey18]

You can get an anti sickness drug prescribed and folic acid under guidance from you health care professional can with some patients be taken every day except methotrexate day!

[milliewin in reply to Soundofmusic52]

Yes you’re supposed to take folic acid 4 days a week and not same day as methotrexate, it’s supposed to prevent getting mouth ulcers but it doesn’t for me as I get a lot of them

[14bubbles]

I tend to get waves of nausea particularly throughout the day after taking MTX but occasionally later in the week too...like you, I've not been sick, just feel like I'm going to. I've only been taking it a month though so hoping it gets better as time goes on 🤞

[halsey18 in reply to 14bubbles]

Hope it really gets better!

[Sue4983]

Yeah I seem to have more side effects now as I’ve got older . I have the injections that are supposed to help and I take folic acid but I’m finding that if I take it at night on a Tuesday I don’t feel better till the Friday . It’s very difficult because I have a busy day with my Mum on a Friday and then work Saturday to Tuesday so it doesn’t give you anytime off where you actually feel well . Don’t know what the answer is really ?

[halsey18 in reply to Sue4983]

I don’t know either lol

[Garnacha in reply to Sue4983]

I'm the same, have metoject on a Monday night & still feel sick up until the Saturday most weeks 😔

[Sue4983 in reply to Garnacha]

I really sympathise with you I think I’ve been on it for so long as well it becomes a habit and you’re scared to try anything else !

[Garnacha in reply to Sue4983]

I also think consultants don't realise how much it affects your life, I've got a f2f Thursday & going to mention it again but, it does help with the pain, haven't taken it for a week as I've had a really bad cold but have still felt sick, I'm wondering if lefluminode also causes it so having 2 drugs that can make you feel sick is double the sickness 🙄 x

[Claire32]

I have a love hate relationship with this drug. It works for me but the nausea/sickness is awful and I’m not sure how much longer I can tolerate it!

I’ve been on and off it for 10 years now.

I’ve been off it mostly all year as I was getting to the point, I couldn’t inject it as was heaving so bad. My joints aren’t great at the moment and so I’m going to be trying a dose of 7.5mg to see if I can tolerate that and get some relief. 🤞

I’ve tried anti sickness drugs but they don’t work either.

I take other drugs but i always feel better when I’m on the Mtx as well. If I can tolerate it.

Sorry this probably doesn’t help. But wanted to let you know I feel the same!

x

[halsey18 in reply to Claire32]

I was getting 70 units (insulin) of MTX but my rheumatologist raised my dose to 80 units cause my RA went too activeFelt quite good and relieved but still nauseous most of the time tho i take my anti sickness tabs and folic acid regularly

[MJSlide1958 in reply to Claire32]

As you mention, it may be better to try a lower dose to see if the sickness gets better but still keeps the joints pain free??

[AgedCrone]

I don’t know what sort of medical support you get in Egypt..but I would have a word with whoever prescribes your Mtx…maybe it’s time to review your meds.

[RUSTY750]

I am prescribed 3 cyclizine tablets per day to combat the nausea... works well.. see your G.P.

[Hidden]

I was fine on the tablets, switched to injections after 6 months to go to max dose and gradually felt more and more sick as time went on. The injections were far worse for me in terms of side effects than the tabs ever were, and the more I took it, the worse it got. Stuck it out for another 7 months, but it literally wasn’t doing anything anyway, and it reached a point where I was massively nauseous 5 days out of 7, along with headaches and hangover type feelings. At the point I was questioning whether I could bring myself to take it (I always did), I realised something had to change and spoke to my consultant about other options alongside the leflunomide I was also taking.

[halsey18 in reply to Hidden]

I’m on anti sickness tabs and folic acid regularly yet i feel nauseous 24/7

[Garnacha in reply to Hidden]

That's exactly how I've been, totally fed up of it but, I've been off it for a week & joints already painful, due to take it tonight & have that awful dreading feeling knowing I'm not going to feel well for the next 5 - 6 days, I'm also on lefluminode & have still felt sick this last week so guessing that doesn't help on too of mtx 🙄 x

[GolffanaticBob]

I had the same problem but I was then prescribed methotrexate in pre-filled pens. I’m currently on 25mg once a week and have no nauseous symptoms since.

[halsey18 in reply to GolffanaticBob]

I’m in 80 units (insulin) of MTX but still feeling sick and nauseous almost all the time

[Evie3]

Poor you☹️. I have previously read that someone took the tablet in the evening before going to bed which helped. Also they do it in injection form.

[halsey18 in reply to Evie3]

I do take it in the evening since I’ve started MTX injections but the nausea side effect getting worse as time goes on

[Oneta]

Sounds just like me after taking for a few years I started getting nausea, my solution was to take my methotrexate in the evening , rather than the morning, then I sleep through that nausea feeling, worth a try.

[halsey18 in reply to Oneta]

I do take it in the evening since I’ve started MTX injections but the nausea side effect getting worse as time goes on

[Bagpuss2021]

I didn't get on with methotrexate and folic acid made me worse. see if your GP can give you so.e anti sickness tablets

[halsey18 in reply to Bagpuss2021]

I do take anti sickness tabs but it’s not working tho

[Bagpuss2021 in reply to Bagpuss2021]

I am sorry to hear that. Most things make me feel sick also. See what your RA team say about it. Good luck.

[Floralqueens]

I too feel nauseous, and this has happened ever since I was prescribed MTX in June 2018. Moving over to injections was meant to ease the symptoms but that made no real difference. I have to be thankful that MTX is helping my RA and so I just live with it. Sorry I can’t help you more.

[halsey18 in reply to Floralqueens]

Since i was prescribed to take MTX I’m on injections not tablets tho it makes me nauseous and it’s not easing the symptoms

[Green230461]

I developed tiny spots on my hands and was taken off it straight away as it was affecting my liver. Now on baricitinib much better 🤔

[halsey18 in reply to Green230461]

Sorry to hear that hope you get better soon!Actually I didn’t get that symptom

I got some bruises on my leg and both arms but as time went by it faded away from itself I didn’t take any meds for it tho

[MJSlide1958 in reply to Green230461]

Baricitinib on its own or with another drug to help with the RA?

[Green230461 in reply to MJSlide1958]

Started on baricitinib withSulfasalazine and naproxen. Now only have to take baricitinib on its own weaned off others. But put on vitD by GP as last blood test showed low D count. Feeling almost human again 🙋🏻‍♀️

[MJSlide1958 in reply to Green230461]

That is wonderful to know. Good luck

[grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr]

Hi - I'm the same, some weeks I don't feel sick at all, and I can go for months like that and then suddenly I feel sick again. Like you I don't actually puke, just feel rotten. I take folic acid 6 days a week.

[Cazzie52]

On the tablets I had really bad nausea, but on the injections I’m fine. I also take folic acid and milk thistle , which I know helps to detox the liver.

[halsey18 in reply to Cazzie52]

I don’t take it in a tablets form just injections☹️ I also take folic acid and anti sickness tabs but it doesn’t work tho

[Cazzie52 in reply to halsey18]

I feel for u. I nearly came of it when taking the tablets , I was so ill. But changing to injections sorted me out. Hopefully ur Dr can recommend something to help the nausea, u shouldn’t have to suffer😘

[D_aisy]

I get nauseated soon as I open the injection box lol. I have 6 day folic acid. I’ve started a little regime which a friend on MTX recommended. The day before I load up on fluids, lucosade sports, lots of water and I eat as healthy and clean as I can. The day of injection I keep hydrated and only eat small meals then I hit the dry cream crackers after my injection at 8pm. The next morning I get up sink the folic acid a boat load of tea and get back on the lucosade. I then treat myself as if I was 21 with a massive hang over and carb it up all day long. It has started to work and I feel less nauseous as the week goes on. I’ve been on it 2 years now and it’s fits and starts but I have definitely noticed I feel better and much less sick over the last 7 weeks I’ve been trying this. In fact I’ve not felt nauseous so far this week! I think you get to the point where anything is worth a try and slowly find what works for you. X

[00424291]

I get nauseated for a couple of days following g injection of 15 MG of methotrexate weekly, still after 5 years. Some weeks, worse than others. In Canada, we take the 5 MG of Folic Acid daily 24/7. Still trying to figure out why some weeks are better. I do find that drinking lot's of water helps. Also, eating in smaller amounts. I think that I will try the sports drink and carbs, as previously mentioned. Also try to keep less commitments for a couple of days. As previously mentioned, come to think of it, it can last longer than a couple of days. I am also on zeljanz and appear to be in remission, except for a couple of flares following my 3rd and 4th Covid vaccination.

[halsey18 in reply to 00424291]

Hope you feel better soon!

[RAexperiences]

True, I’m in Canada as well and take 5mg folic acid per day with methotrexate as I was losing too much hair. I found fewer side effects by injecting. Fortunately I don’t get any nausea at all. My goodness that sounds miserable! I feel badly for all of you who struggle.

[Gembob888]

I feel sick everyday on methotrexate, I am also on Rinvoq since last month has helped the pain but the side effects and tiredness everyday is hard