Folic Acid - Fatigue and Methotrexate

[Tia53]

Hi, I've not posted for a long while but do still read the daily email posts.

I've been on Methotrexate 10mg injections since Dec 2018.I started with 5mg Folic Acid once a week. Two year ago that was upped to 2 x 5mg a week.

I suffer from fatigue, which seems to be getting worse as time goes by.

My question is - if I take 5mg Folic Acid 6 days a week would it help with my fatigue? Has anyone else found it helps with fatigue?

My blood tests are always okay. I'm quite active, go to the gym twice a week and try to do my 10,000 steps each day. - I've done this for many years now. But the fatigue is driving me nuts!

[ABwn]

I am on mtx and folic one a day apart from the day i take mtx. The fatigue is with me constantly, unfortunately. Probably not what you wanted to hear! Report it to your Rheum nurse. Take care.

[Chockyuk]

Morning

I take folic acid 6 times a week, makes absolutely no difference to my fatigue, like you, which is getting worse, I can just about manage work 4 days a week, I’m then exhausted the whole weekend. My Rheumatologist recently checked my thyroid and ferritin - my thyroid is now underactive and my ferritin is very low, but not quite at the anaemic level. I’m now on thyroxine and iron tablets, but as of yet, no change I’m still so fatigued 🤷‍♀️

Have you had your thyroid and ferritin tested? Maybe see what your levels are?

Sorry I couldn’t have been of more help, but it seems most of us on here suffer with chronic fatigue 😞

[LinaM]

I think we all react differently to the drugs , but for me, mtx was no good … I slept three days after each dose the fatigue was so bad … and I took folic acid 6 days a week . I do think that fatigue is the worst symptom of RA and yet they don’t seem to treat it! For me, anything that makes it worse isn’t an option. .

[helixhelix]

Since you are onky taking 10mg of MTX I really don’t think this will make any difference.

Have you had your Vit D checked?

[Tia53 in reply to helixhelix]

I take daily vitamin D tablets 😊

[helixhelix in reply to Tia53]

ah well, just a thought. But are your levels checked and this prescription strength vit D? I have to take massive amount daily to maintain levels. The over-the-counter tablets are not enough for me.

[Nana246]

l have been on methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine and 6 days folic acid and had constant fatigue for over 12 months. My new rheumatologist said that the fatigue is due to still having inflammation in the body and I did which resulted in a hip replacement late jan this year. I had a big flare after the op and added Humira to the mix in late May. I have nowhere near the fatigue now. I don’t have an afternoon nap or even a lie down any more and have a lot more energy than I have had since the RA started. Hope you get some relief soon. The fatigue really knocks you around 😊

[QAGS]

sorry not to be of any help, the others have given good advice, see your Rheumy Nurse, and have your bloods checked. I am on 20mgm MXT tabs weekly, and Folic Acid 5 mgm 6 days. I am tired all the time, I hate it...good luck!

[Tia53]

Thank you for all your replies 👍 As I thought it probably won't make any difference to increase the Folic Acid.I'll mention this to my RA consultant when I have my annual review in a couple of months 😊

[Jeff1943]

Does anyone think that taking folic acid every day except the day Methotrexate is taken weakens the beneficial effect of the Methotrexate?

[Tkat10]

I was told to take it when being forced to restart methotrexate as a combined therapy with a biological therapy as the ccg would not find otherwise. This was very different to the original take the day before of 15 year’s previous instruction. I personally got great response with methotrexate but my quality of life was awful hence the forced restart. Speak to your rheumatologist and ra nurse specialist as it is no good having good disease response if it is effecting you so much.

[Vonnie69]

I take 2 tablets of folic acid daily.