Methotrexate, not as bad as I feared!

[Cheylann]

This is really an update. 4 months ago I started injecting 10mgs mtx. Must say I was terrified because I had read on here about all the awful side affects and it not working.

I suffer from Psa and had extremely inflamed painful elbows all the time. For 4 years I refused MTX as I was terrified of it.

How silly of me. We are different and shouldn't ever allow others horror stories make us so fearful.

Im now on 15mgs and my pain is gone.

So, guess point of this story is "feel the fear and do it anyway"

Hope this helps anyone who is as terrified as I was.

[helixhelix]

Great post! I was (am) the same and methotrexate has been my best friend.

So important to tell people the good things as well as the worrying stuff.

[Cheylann in reply to helixhelix]

Felt obliged to do it as i became terrified from reading the horror stories on here. Took rheumatology 4 years to convince me to try. Feel so ridiculous now as i could have been better all that time.

Anyway, even though I am having very low liver counts and they may have to pause the mtx I would still rather take it than not. Ive forgotten how fantastic it is just to feel normal. No pain at all.

Long may it last.

[helixhelix in reply to Cheylann]

Don’t beat yourself up about it. You did what you did for your own reasons. Forwards to long term remission!!

And by clearly telling people that you now realise that it wasn't’ the best decision you’ve probably helped loads of people!

[Haz58]

Im so pleased you are getting on well with it! ☺️

[Boxerlady]

That's great news 🎉I've made a point of not reading up on possible side effects before starting any medication and have just relied on what the prescribing medic has told me to look out for and haven't had any lasting problems with any of them - apart from skin irritation from a pain relieving gel, strangely enough 🤔

[Cheylann in reply to Boxerlady]

Never read any on the medication. Unfortunately, I saw how ill it made a lot of people on here.So far I have no side effects and now no pain.

[janmary]

Good news

[bpeal1]

That’s great news. Thank you for sharing. This forum is great for supporting each other but the thing to remember is naturally the vast majority of posts are from people who are having problems, people who are doing well are mostly too busy getting on with life to be posting on here. This gives a very skewed picture of RA and medications to treat it.

[KASHMIRI1]

Thank you for the positive message. I am into week two of methotrexate. I was dreading it as l had had a bad experience with Leflunomide. Do far so good.

[Cheylann in reply to KASHMIRI1]

You are the type of person I wrote the post for. I hope it works for u as well as it is for me.

[KASHMIRI1 in reply to Cheylann]

Thank you very much for you time, it's helpful to hear the good stories for a change

[Mall]

I have been on 25mgs for many years without experiencing any major side effects and it transformed my life. I started taking it before the internet and social media replaced books from libraries and charities such as NRAS for information and hence was more balanced. Folk tend to use sites like this one when they are suffering so we hear lots about folk having a rough time and fewer good news stories. Treatment and long term management of severe RA took a major leap forward when Drs started prescribing this drug. There have been lots of advancements in drug therapies subsequently but methotrexate was a game changer.

[Cheylann in reply to Mall]

Still is for me. Hope it lasts.

[Scottishlad]

So good to read a good news story about methotrexate. So many people do well on it.

[stbernhard]

So happy for you. It was a no brainer for me when the consultant explained to me how well MTX works for the vast majority of all patients and what would happen if I didn't take it. Thirteen years later and I still have no problems with it. Long may your pain free continue!!!!!!!

[Angjoplin]

Me too. Never had bad side effects from methotrexate. I have had terrible side effects from other drugs. Just goes to prove how we are all different.

[oldtimer2]

Two good news stories on one day! Wonderful! Thanks for posting positive results and for frankly saying how apprehensive you were.