Methotrexate use

[Stick007]

My wife has R A and fibromyalgia and had drugs methotrexate and folic acid;but reaction very bad ...both taken orally...Anyone had success by injection of methotrexate?and dosage?(this has been suggested as next step)

[PMRpro Ambassador]

This forum is for polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis not RA or fibromyalgia. Methotrexate isn't used much here, corticosteroids are the only really successful medication, and when it is usually low dose orally to try to reduce the steroid dose required. Not the same thing at all - and not that many people to give an opinion I suspect.

Injections of methotrexate do tend to avoid the nausea problem but in terms of other side effects they are no different as far as I know.

You would be far better asking the question on a rheumatoid arthritis forum.

[Linny3]

Hi

Yes I have been on the methotrexate injection for 1 year and 6 Mos. It was suppose to help me get off the prednisone quicker. That didn't happen for me. I am stuck at 9-10mg.

Have been for many months.

Side effects have been:

Hair falling out; a lot

nausea (not bad comes and goes)

headache?, hard to tell cause prednisone gives me a headache

swelling in lower legs and feet

sores in mouth

I stopped the Methotrexate about 3 weeks ago.

I am a bit more achey, I think it was helping with the arthritis in my back

Hair loss has slowed down considerably

Some sores in mouth

still have headache

less swelling in legs and feet (what swelling I have is the prednisone.) But much better

I was tired of taking poison since it wasn't doing the trick

I find 1 aleve a day helps with the arthritis in my back.

Talked with dr's office and they said that was ok to go off it, they agreed wasn't doing what they expected it to do.

Some dr's say to just go off of it. I decided to taper it since I was on it for so long.

Take care and Good Luck

Lin

[Stick007 in reply to Linny3]

Thank you very much for your time and Frank reply.Will tell my wife,she has heard similar tales I believe.

[Telian in reply to Stick007]

My Rheumie doesn't give the Methotrexate for that very reason his opinion is it doesn't do the job!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Telian]

Whereas my rheumy says he has had good results with it! But Prof Dasgupta says he gets much better results with leflunomide - which my rheumy doesn't rate!

TBH - that makes me wonder about their diagnostic heads...

[Telian in reply to PMRpro]

Me too...

[pmrkitty]

Beautiful flowers, they always brighten the day.

[Stick007 in reply to pmrkitty]

Until they droop!?

[pmrkitty]

Yep, I always tend to look at the glass half full.

[JoanJo]

Hello Stick007- My rheumatologist recommended methotrexate for PMR but I refused after reading about possible side effects. It’s a chemo drug. If I had cancer, I may take it if it were the only option, but I’d say that there have to be other healthier options for your wife to take for her 2 conditions.

Im guessing that having her start with basics of reducing/ cutting out inflammatory foods like trans fats and sugars, then reading up on healthy /helpful foods, vits., supplements for fibromyalgia and RA. Probably a lot similar to PMR helps, like cruciferous veggies, dark leafy greens, etc. , and calcium sources to counteract the Pred. (Assuming she’s on Pred) plus much more.

Hopefully you can find a website/blog to help you/her out, as this one has helped me so much in navigating the unfamiliar territory of polymyalgia rheumatica.

Good luck!

JoanJo

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to JoanJo]

The lady in question has a diagnosis of RA not PMR and methotrexate is the first line treatment for RA all over the world, it has been for well over 30 years. It is used in a totally different dose to the chemotherapy dose for RA and is what is called a DMARD - a Disease Modifying AntiRheumatic Drug - which slows and reduces the effect of RA on the joints, preventing the damage done to them which is what used to cause the severe deformations people know about RA.

Otherwise - I agree with you about mtx for PMR.

[Neverending63]

The only side effects that injecting will help is really the nausea and mouth ulcers. She would probably be better trying another med if she has other side effects than these. There are many that could be tried. I was on it for RA and had to stop it due to side effects as it was affecting my liver. Hope this helps. However as PMRPRO says you would be better asking on the RA forum. You are likely to get more people that have experienced the problems. Good luck

[JoanJo]

Thanks for info, PMRpro . I don’t know much about RA or her other diagnosis fibromyalgia

Stick007- Wondering what your wife is prescribed for fibromyalgia, separate from RA? I vaguely recall a family member being on Pred for fibromyalgia. Still trying to sort through my own family health history in relation to PMR, based on heresay and medications taken.

Not sure now if the diagnosis for dad was fibro or poly(??)

JoanJo

[piglette in reply to JoanJo]

Hi Joanjo, pred has absolutely no effect on fibro sadly.

[JoanJo in reply to piglette]

Appreciate your info on that. Thanks.