folic acid

[Taichigirl]

Hi I’m taking 15 mg methotrexate & 5mg folic acid the day after . The day after the folic acid I am very bad, spaced out, headaches & dizzy for few days. I put it down to the methotrexate but recently I forgot the folic acid & took it late. I got all the side effects straight after the folic acid so am suspecting the folic acid is the culprit. Anyone have any experiences similar? Thanks!

[RainbowLeopard]

No, sorry. I definitely get those sort of side effects from the mtx but not the folic acid and I take it 6 days per week. Maybe this is something to ask your rheumatology team about. Hope you get it resolved, it's a horrible feeling.

[Sheila_G]

I can't see folic acid causing these symotoms but you need to speak to your rheumy team.

[BoneyC]

Folic Acid or Vitamin B9 is found in lots of everyday foods so, as others say, I wouldn't have thought it would cause your symptoms, but I'm not a doctor.

[Appletree12345]

I’m convinced Folic acid causes a headache/migraine following day, but not every week so could be coincidence.

[Seabug2]

I also feel much worse the day of the folic. I’m extra fatigued, spacey, and my body just feels extra heavy and stiff. I like my hair, so I’m still taking it, but I’ve been on it for a year, and I don’t see much improvement on the day after my methotrexate.

[cyberbarn]

high doses of folic acid can cause stomach upset, nausea, diarrhea, irritability, confusion, behavior changes, skin reactions.

I forgot to stop taking the folic acid when I stopped taking MTX. I had a couple of days of headaches until I remembered to stop the folic acid then they cleared and I haven't had one since.

[Taichigirl in reply to cyberbarn]

Thank you!

[Shyandretiring]

Hi TI was on MTX and Folic Acid for 3 years and apart from the fatigue I did not experience anything like that.

Please speak to your Rhumey team or doctor and short term until you have spoken to either do not take the Folic acid

Best wishes

S&R

[HeadInASpin]

Strange one. In my case it was the folic acid that stopped the ‘hangover’ feeling of MTX. When it was increased to six days a week I felt much better. Hope you feel better soon.

[Claret50]

I think that the replies suggesting talking to your rheumatologist are right. I have been on methotrexate (20mg once a week) for more than 10 years and was advised by both my first and my current rheumatologist to take folic acid four days a week, but not the day before, the day of, or the day after taking the methotrexate. This appears to be different from the advice you have been given, hence it would be a good idea to talk to your rheumatologist. The day after I take the methotrexate, I always tired. The RA that I have means that I rarely feel anything but tired but the methotrexate seems to exacerbate this. Personally, I would love to stop the MTX but although I am now on a biologic as well, and may soon be prescribed a biosimilar to replace it, each time I ask whether I need to continue the MTX, I am told that I do. Hope that this is helpful and wish you luck.

[bpeal1 in reply to Claret50]

Try talking to your rheumatologist and ask if you can switch the methotrexate to a different DMARD. Methotrexate prolongs how long the biologic works as it helps prevent your body making antibodies to the proteins in the biologic. However, I really can’t tolerate methotrexate (extreme fatigue and nausea) so my rheumatologist lets me take leflunomide with the biologic instead as she says it will do a similar job. Some people do take biologics without methotrexate or any other DMARD. Definitely worth a discussion - make sure to tell them why you’d rather not take methotrexate.

[KittyJ in reply to bpeal1]

I agree bpeal I was able to reduce my mtx once on a biologic and got rid of the side effects without compromising my biologic. Always worth asking about it.

[Taichigirl in reply to bpeal1]

Thank you

[Taichigirl in reply to Claret50]

Thank you

[SingingJay]

I have taken folic acid every day except on the day I take Methotrexate for years and usually am fine but I occasionally get those sort of symptoms, possibly when I have also taken something else too. I have never thought about the FA being the culprit though.