methotrexate/Breathing issues

[Myfoe]

I am having shortness of breath-heavy chest —low blood oxygen (83-90) headache & dry cough I restarted started methotrexate injections in September after stopping because of Covid now in hind sight I realized the same symptoms were happening prior to getting Covid but since I stopped things improved and I didn’t dig deeper into the cause methotrexate was only recently added this summer has anyone had similar symptoms from methotrexate? Thanks in advance and have a happy new year!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

One of the things MTX can do is affect the lungs. If it were me I'd drop the MTX until I could have a good session with a doctor. If you don't want to go that far again without approval, definitely discuss it with your medical team at the earliest opportunity.

uptodate.com/contents/metho....

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[Myfoe in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you for the reply I have a message into my rheumatologist I suspect it will be after New Years before I hear back Mondays are my injection day I am going to hold off it has gradually gotten a little worse I am at a point I fear I won’t be able to catch my breath putting on my cpap at night helps but by morning it is hard to breathe.. it’s always something!! sad thing is I actually had a couple “good days” just before Xmas which I can only attribute to methotrexate but one needs to be able to breathe… Have a great day PMRpro

[dphu]

Please stop the Methotrexate immediately. I don’t know what dose you are on but my dose was raised from 10mg weekly injections (which I appeared to tolerate OK) to 20mg. Within 2 weeks I had to call 111. Completely debilitated, not only breathing but strength for movement badly affected. It took them 2.5 weeks to determine that my Covid symptoms were NOT Covid, but a reaction to the Methotrexate. 15 months on I am still recovering. Like you, with hindsight I think I was not doing too well on the 10mg dose.

Good luck

[Myfoe in reply to dphu]

Thank you for the heads up dphu! that’s scary the words “maybe your a long hauler” were muttered by pharmacist already when I asked if methotrexate could cause breathing issues seemingly forgetting I mentioned I was having some shortness of breath issues BEFORE Covid. Due to “other” side effects I asked to drop back to 20mg a week at my last rheumatologist appointment I was taking 25mg methotrexate injection it is beginning to help but comes with a lot of baggage! Best of luck and continued healing dphu!!

[KASHMIRI1]

Good morning l was told by a lung consultant earlier in the year that Methotrexate can cause severe lung issues. He said he had only seen in twice in over 30 years but that it can be very severe. I was also told about it by my rheumatologist when he started me on methotrexate and it's detailed in the methotrexate booklet l was given. I will definitely stop taking it if l get the problem you describe until l could get advise. I am currently on 8 mg pred as well.

[Wallysma]

Hi Myfoe....it is the reason I had to stop taking it (on top of 2 infections). I was told it was a side effect. I let it go in the beginning but after a few days I realized that I couldn't....I was huffing all over the place. So we stopped the meth. and used other meds for RA control. I would stop if I were you.