methotrexate

[Dexter1414]

does anyone else feel so trierd when taking methotrexate

[helixhelix]

yes, certainly at first. But it improves over time as your body gets used to it.

[Ruth12345]

Yes. Also feel sick and as helixhelix says it does get better. I do find if I'm not feeling great I go back over. However better with than without methotrexate. 🌻

[janmary]

difficult to tell as tiredness is a prominent symptom of the rheumatoid disease itself.

[OSTEOARTHRITISRA]

Yes specially at beginning ,everyone different though Unfortunately Lots also have fatuige long term and med change can be needed for some

[Mostmoses]

Fatigue is a symptom of RA, as others have mentioned. But keep in mind that not everyone does well on methotrexate (I didn't), even though it does work fine for many people. It's basically the first drug to try. Listen to your own body, talk with you doctor, and hopefully you'll find something that works for you. It can take some time.

[HBaaBaa]

yes, for the first 3-4 months of taking it, I always slept for most of the day afterwards. This improved over time though as my body hit used to it. I have just had to have a break for nearly a month due to a nasty virus and am fully expecting that my body will need to get used to taking MTX again and the fatigue will hit tomorrow after my first dose back again tonight.

[PrincessEva]

yes I feel like I’ve been slugged by a brick the next day

[Gramma3]

Yes I am always tired or exhausted especially so, for the first few days. As others have said this can be part of RA as well. Plus I am on Codydramol regularly and Amitriptyline for nerve pain. These all contribute too. I am having my B12 checked in case of pernicious anaemia. If negative, I will just have to live with it. My memory and brain fog is awful too. Very annoying!!

[Hopeful1]

Hi Dexter. Sorry it does tend that way. I drink plenty of water on the dayI take mine and take it last thing at night to sleep off the worst of it.

I expect you have already worked out the best day of the week to take it for you? It is possible to move on 1 day a week till you hit your best (least bad!)day if not already there.

[marie66]

yes, me too but it’s sometimes hard to pinpoint if it’s meds or disease to blame. I definitely find it harder the next day though. I still take an anti sickness med and watch what I eat too. M x

[HeadInASpin]

Pretty much everyone, especially at the beginning. Are you taking folic acid on the six other days of the week? If not then ask for it as it helps a lot.

[grumpygirl]

I was on Methotrexate for many years with varying doses. I really didn't like it. Always felt dreadful the next day and with the higher doses this lasted for a couple of days. I also got very low for a few days. Now on Baricitinib which is brilliant and wish I had made a fuss a lot sooner and got moved off it. Don't suffer in silence - if it doesn't suit you let them know.

[Windsor12]

I started MTX in April 2024. My weekly dosage was 25mg. I did tell my Specialist in July that i was always feeling tired. I was told that my body would get use to it and things would get better. By the time Christmas time came around *8months later) I was so fatigued that I was spending approx 18 hrs a day in bed. The few hours i was up i was so weak, had developed Vertigo and felt like my Quality of Life was nothing. What may be different from most on this site was that I didn't have RA. I had some form af an autoimmune proplem (which was never explained well to me). I have a very aggresive form of Glaucoma and I kept ketting inflammation in my left eye. The eye surgeon had done some blood work on me and the results had been forwarded to the Rheumatologist. So I was taking MTX to stop the eye inflammation. Come January 2025 i went to my GP and told her I was titrating myself off and the Rheumatologist was calling me in two weeks. When I yold him I went off he basically said Okay, we can try you on something else. At that point I said I didn't want to try anything else right now (wantwd to try and live a NORMAL life gor a few months. So he made an appt for me to see him in his office in August. I will go but you can be sure I will be asking a million questions first. My eye Specialist is just havibg me put in one drop of a low dose in that eye daily, do far no inflammation !

[Happy5]

Yes it does effect that way. Was added a biologic recently which at least makes me more mentally alert , feel bit more energetic. On the weeks I have to inject both then I'm very fatigued for a couple of days. I inject my MTX before bedtime sleep off most symptoms that way. As others have said if it works then finding ways to cope is the other option, like not planning much day after taking it, Drinking lots of water helps too.