Re: On folic acid and methotrexate

[Guest guest]

It certainly sounds as though treatments are very dependant in which

country you live in.

I have had R.A. now for 8 years and have never heard of steroids via

I.V.

I used to take 15 mgs of folic acid 3 days after the methatrexate but

that has been cut back to 5 mgs folic acid per week 3 days after the

methatrexate.

We do have liver function test monthly and for 3 months after we increase

the methatrexate I need to have bloods done fortnightly.

I have now been on methatrexate for 7 years and my bloods are still

fine.

My knee is very swollen as are my hands and feet at the moment and all

that happens here is the Rheumy tries to drain fluid out and if he has no

luck then too bad,you just have to suffer in silence.

Cheers,

ette

At 18:42 4/07/03, you wrote:

Hi all,

My sister takes Folic acid 5 days a week and on remaining 2 days, she takes Methotrexate. Folic acid is there to cure side effects of methotrexate and its VERY important for the liver.

Those taking methotrexate should get liver tested each month. They should also get " RA Factor Titer test " (it determines amount of RA Factor in the blood)

My sister took methotrexate for abt 2/3 months and her RA Factor has dropped. Her doctor asked her to keep taking this medicine for atleast 2 more months.

Dear , my sister's doctor also asked her to take Calcium supplements because its necessary for her. Plz do ask your doctor about this. which country do you belong to???

Another suggestion is (sorry for repeating this so many times) " DO consider steroids through IV if you are suffering from joint swelling because swelling is very dangerous thing and can seriously damage a joint "

GOD Bless you all.

Hassan

[Guest guest]

and all,

Ideally speaking, treatment should not depend on your geographical condition because we don't have separate medicine systems for each country. I live in Pakistan and the Rheumatologist my sister consults is qualified from UK and USA. Perhaps I mentioned that my both sisters are doctor. And my sister also said that in case of swelling of a joint, its very important to handle that urgently. (My rheumy also said this and asked my sister to take steroids by IV so that her swelling may be reduced)

Plz do ask your Rhemy or even general physician that should swelling be controlled through steroids or not??? (hope you all know that steroids have side effects like all other medicines)

by the way, about 10 years ago, I also suffered from swelling in my body because of malfunctioning of my kidneys and i had to take steroids for some time.

GOD Bless you all,

Take care

Hassan

Pakistan

*********************************

Date: Fri, 04 Jul 2003 20:21:35 +1200

From: Thurlow <keith.thurlow@...>

Subject: Re: On Folic acid and Methotrexate

It certainly sounds as though treatments are very dependant in which

country you live in.

I have had R.A. now for 8 years and have never heard of steroids via I.V. I used to take 15 mgs of folic acid 3 days after the methatrexate but that

has been cut back to 5 mgs folic acid per week 3 days after the methatrexate. We do have liver function test monthly and for 3 months after we increase

the methatrexate I need to have bloods done fortnightly.

I have now been on methatrexate for 7 years and my bloods are still fine. My knee is very swollen as are my hands and feet at the moment and all that

happens here is the Rheumy tries to drain fluid out and if he has no luck

then too bad,you just have to suffer in silence.

Cheers,

ette

[Guest guest]

Yes, there definitely do appear to be different approaches to the

frequency of medication or rather supplements in this case. My sister

is living in New Caledonia, which is under the French system, but

according to ette, in NZ, where I live, the Rheumatologists also

prescribe folic acid one day a week when on Methotrexate. I have read

that the more folic acid you take the less effective Methotrexate is,

and I have also read that if taking a small amount of Methotrexate,

the amount of folic acid you take will not affect it. So, who to

believe? I also read on another board of a number of people who have

been taking Methotrexate for a few years without taking folic acid.

One has since started having liver problems and been prescribed folic

acid. Those liver problems have now disappeared. It really all comes

down to how the individual reacts (or doesn't) to the different

medications.

I have passed on all this info to my sister so that she can query her

Rheumatologist about it. Hassan,I will also tell her about the

calcium supplements.

I am learning so much about RA from this group, all very beneficial

to my sister. I feel that even though I can't wave a magic wand and

take my sister's pain away, I am doing the next best thing by

educating both of us about this illness.

Take care all.

> Hi all,

>

> My sister takes Folic acid 5 days a week and on remaining 2 days,

she takes

> Methotrexate. Folic acid is there to cure side effects of

methotrexate and

> its VERY important for the liver.

>

> Those taking methotrexate should get liver tested each month. They

should

> also get " RA Factor Titer test " (it determines amount of RA Factor

in the

> blood)

>

> My sister took methotrexate for abt 2/3 months and her RA Factor has

> dropped. Her doctor asked her to keep taking this medicine for

atleast 2

> more months.

>

> Dear , my sister's doctor also asked her to take Calcium

supplements

> because its necessary for her. Plz do ask your doctor about this.

which

> country do you belong to???

>

> Another suggestion is (sorry for repeating this so many times) " DO

consider

> steroids through IV if you are suffering from joint swelling because

> swelling is very dangerous thing and can seriously damage a joint "

>

> GOD Bless you all.

>

> Hassan

[Guest guest]

Just a quick comment on calcium supplements. I think those are for general health rather than specifically for RA. You should take Vitamin D along with them to increase the ability of the body to use them.

----- Original Message -----

From: deuxplustrois

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Friday, July 04, 2003 2:57 PM

Subject: Re: On Folic acid and Methotrexate

Yes, there definitely do appear to be different approaches to the frequency of medication or rather supplements in this case. My sister is living in New Caledonia, which is under the French system, but according to ette, in NZ, where I live, the Rheumatologists also prescribe folic acid one day a week when on Methotrexate. I have read that the more folic acid you take the less effective Methotrexate is, and I have also read that if taking a small amount of Methotrexate, the amount of folic acid you take will not affect it. So, who to believe? I also read on another board of a number of people who have been taking Methotrexate for a few years without taking folic acid. One has since started having liver problems and been prescribed folic acid. Those liver problems have now disappeared. It really all comes down to how the individual reacts (or doesn't) to the different medications.I have passed on all this info to my sister so that she can query her Rheumatologist about it. Hassan,I will also tell her about the calcium supplements.I am learning so much about RA from this group, all very beneficial to my sister. I feel that even though I can't wave a magic wand and take my sister's pain away, I am doing the next best thing by educating both of us about this illness. Take care all.> Hi all,> > My sister takes Folic acid 5 days a week and on remaining 2 days, she takes> Methotrexate. Folic acid is there to cure side effects of methotrexate and> its VERY important for the liver.> > Those taking methotrexate should get liver tested each month. They should> also get "RA Factor Titer test" (it determines amount of RA Factor in the> blood)> > My sister took methotrexate for abt 2/3 months and her RA Factor has> dropped. Her doctor asked her to keep taking this medicine for atleast 2> more months.> > Dear , my sister's doctor also asked her to take Calcium supplements> because its necessary for her. Plz do ask your doctor about this. which> country do you belong to???> > Another suggestion is (sorry for repeating this so many times) "DO consider> steroids through IV if you are suffering from joint swelling because> swelling is very dangerous thing and can seriously damage a joint"> > GOD Bless you all.> > Hassan

[Guest guest]

Your absolutely right Harold. It is imperative that you take Vitamin

D supplements or your body will not absorb the Calcium.

Jay

> > Hi all,

> >

> > My sister takes Folic acid 5 days a week and on remaining 2

days,

> she takes

> > Methotrexate. Folic acid is there to cure side effects of

> methotrexate and

> > its VERY important for the liver.

> >

> > Those taking methotrexate should get liver tested each month.

They

> should

> > also get " RA Factor Titer test " (it determines amount of RA

Factor

> in the

> > blood)

> >

> > My sister took methotrexate for abt 2/3 months and her RA

Factor has

> > dropped. Her doctor asked her to keep taking this medicine for

> atleast 2

> > more months.

> >

> > Dear , my sister's doctor also asked her to take

Calcium

> supplements

> > because its necessary for her. Plz do ask your doctor about

this.

> which

> > country do you belong to???

> >

> > Another suggestion is (sorry for repeating this so many

times) " DO

> consider

> > steroids through IV if you are suffering from joint swelling

because

> > swelling is very dangerous thing and can seriously damage a

joint "

> >

> > GOD Bless you all.

> >

> > Hassan

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

There is a suplement called Oscal plus D 500mg that has enough vitamin D to ensure the maximun calcium absorbtion, we can also get vitamin D from the sun.

[Guest guest]

Asked my doctor this very question and he said that it really

doesn't matter. With such a small dose of folic acid, it will not

have much of an effect of the effectiveness of the Methotrexate.

> Folic acid should NOT be taken on days when you take methotrexate.

I think

> this is what doctors advise

> Hassan