side effects

[ohbother69uk]

i take methotraxate monday 15mg and folic acid thursdays 5mg but its saturday and im very nausaus with the shakes and a really bad head , is this a side effect ? i was thinging after thursdays with the folic acid the side effect wouldnt be present ?

[avjh]

I found that nausea was a big problem when i took metho in tablet form.Istill get it sometimes with the injections.I was told to increase the days i took the folic acid.I do sometimes get the shakes as well and only realised recently that this appears to be a side effect.This is only from my experience.Do you have a number to ring for rheumy advice.Hope things settle down for you soon.x

[Beeper]

Hi I don't want to worry you but I had similar side effects the other week after only taking it for two months. I went to see the doc and was taken in hospital with a lung infection. Was in on oxygen for two weeks. I am out now and after a week nearly back to normal just get a bit short of breath like I had run a mile. On the safe side get it looked at please.

[Hidden]

Yes contact rheum team.. I had big problems with nausea and some other gut problems.. I was shaking under a blanket with dose increase last christmas eve.. struggled on for a while with powerful anti nausea tablets, then had some gut problems and came off it.. some people can tolerate it well.. I even tried going down to the original dose but my body could no longer tolerate it.. had to come off it.. ended off work for 6 weeks .. during which time I Had an endoscopy..

Some people can tolerate this drug well even at high doses with good results!

others including myself cannot .

[englishmama0]

I'd talk to your RA team, they may give you more folic acid to help with the nausia, I'm on 10 tablets on Tues and Folic Acid on Wed. Possibly you can split your tablets 1/2 am and 1/2 pm.

Hope this helps. Pam

[Glitterbear]

I've been on Mtx on Mondays (x6 tabs) folic acid on Fridays. I also take cyclizine for the nausea and sickness. It makes me sick as a parrot even days after I have taken it. I'd hoped to come off it but my Rheumy doc is upping the dosage and changing me to injectable Mtx. I'm waiting for the drug

co to deliver my first dose to my house. Not looking forward to it. Last time I had a day off work because of the Mtx I ended up on a disciplinary. Despite supporting letters from Occ Health and my consultant. Nasty stuff. I wish you rhe best of luck with it

[beachbabe in reply to Glitterbear]

I have been off work now for a year after an emotional time at work when trying to deal with the drugs, accepting what i had and feeling i had to go into work - i couldnt bear it anymore so i gave up work.

i felt i gave in to them but really have not lookedback since - still having to try and cope with new anti tnf drugs and Mtx max dose but at least i can deal with it my way and in my time. Can you consider giving up work ?

[LavendarLady in reply to Glitterbear]

Hi Glitterbear, you should not have been subjected to disciplinary proceedings when you were ill. The NRAS have some helpful booklets dealing with RA and work. Would be worth getting one and having a look through it. Do you have union reps? If so, contact them for advice. If not, speak to your local CAB for help.

You'll find the MTX by injection is easier to cope with and doesn't have quite the same side effects as the tablets. You can get some nausea in the early days of injecting but it does wear off. LavendarLady x

[Custard in reply to Glitterbear]

hey Glitterbear,

I work fulltime and because of that my MTX have always been Fridays so any ill effects occurred on the weekend..

Might it be possible to change your MTX day?

Joy

[MaryB]

I was on Meth 20mg tabs they made me so very sick then I was put on injections still 20mg this also causes nausea feeling but nowhere near as bad and only for a couple of days after I take it. I also take folic acid 5mg everyday apart from meth day was told this would help with the side effects. I also take diclofenac, presnisolone, hydroxychloroquine, calcium, co-codamol and have to take omeprazole for my stomach. I am also on etanercept injections. The whole lot make me feel so ill at times on top of the ra pain and stiffness and I was signed off work for over 12 months and have now lost my job not really worried about that apart from financial as I was under a lot of pressure to perform and couldn't due to ra so that pressure has now gone. It all seems to me to be guess work trying to find something that works without too many side effects. It's a nasty mean sneaky disease just when you think you are winning it creeps up again. Sorry I have down days I do have to say I feel much better now than I have for the last 3 years so there is light at the end of the tunnel.

[LavendarLady in reply to MaryB]

So sorry Mary to hear you lost your job as a result of RA. Have you taken that further at all? I am surprised that your company did not consider early retirement on health grounds or perhaps you are too young. Send me a message separately if you need any help. LavendarLady x

[MaryB in reply to LavendarLady]

Hi LavendarLady Thanks for your comments. My employers (Ex) are looking into ill health retirement at the moment don't know what will happen only just starting with it.

[LavendarLady]

I was also switched from the MTX tabs to injections because of the sickness and nausea. I occasionally still get sickness from the injections but at least not every week! I found with the tablets I had to divide them over the day so as I was then on 10 tablets, took 3 x 3 x 4 which seemed to help with the sickness and nausea. Also I was put onto folic acid tablets every day except MTX day which also helps. I also have Enbrel injections on a Thursday.

I take Lansaprazole to keep my stomach happy with all the other tablets I have to take. I sometimes get the shakes but not enough to cause me to haunt my GP (she must get fed up with me at times!).

I agree with MaryB - a sneaky disease which strikes just when you are feeling better. I think we all get down days - it is a part of having RA. LavendarLady z

[Hidden]

Make the most of the good days/ good spells.. it is a sneaky disease. I am hopefully in a bit better spell at the moment.. and I have had long dark spells topped with work problems.. Im now battling for increasing my hours slightly my boss has been obstructive in this area! x

[Custard]

Hi there,

Good News!!

The Nausea does wear off in some cases. I'd feel quite ill a few days after taking MTX for the first month or so. This doesnt happen anymore, at all im not entirely sure when it stopped!! (on 5th month of meds) When my dose was raised the nausea came back but only for short time.

My consultant instructed me to split the dose over the day, im back down to15mg and used to split the dose this way:

x2 morning x2 afternoon x2 in the evening before bed.

but now I take x3 in the afternoon and x3 in the evening before bed

Even though splitting the dose primarily protects the stomach - gently introducing the drug into your body instead of a massive sudden does will hopefully stave off the nausea attacks.

Take care

Joy