Re: Methotrexate via injection

[Guest guest]

>I wouldn't drink anything alcohol with it. Buy some alcohol free

wine Fre has one out or Frey, it's fine, and enjoy virgin pina

coladas, etc. You only get one liver.

> Happy Thanksgiving!

>

> Today was my return visit to my rheumatologist, having been

diagnosed with RA two

> weeks ago and recently completed a two week course of Prednisone.

I told her with four

> days of using Prednisone, the swelling in my hands went down, my

pain was reduced and I

> felt a surge or energy. I relayed that when I tapered the

Prednisone, most of my

> symptoms returned.

>

> We discussed options and she recommended Methotrexate. Nothing

surprising there.

> When we discussed that I have chronic gastritis (from years of

taking NSAIDS), she offered

> me the option of injecting the Methotrexate weekly. Bypassing my

stomach is an

> attractive option so I learned how to give myself a shot today.

>

> I have a couple of questions for those who take this medication.

>

> 1. Within several hours of the injection, I felt an almost

crushing fatigue and pain in my

> joints. Coincidence? Also, I live in the Northeast and we're

having nasty cold and wet

> weather this evening. So...

>

> 2. I don't drink, primarily because I'm generally on pain

medication. I was going to forego

> the pain meds tomorrow to have a glass of wine with Thanksgiving

Dinner. Then I read

> that one should never drink with Methotrexate. Is this a hard

and fast rule? I didn't ask

> my doctor because I didn't put the two together.

>

> 3. My doctor said that the Methotrexate could take up to a month

to work. She gave me a

> script for 5 mg. Prednisone to take daily in the event the pain

gets really bad again. How

> long did it take for your Methotrexate to take effect?

>

> Many thanks!

>

> Paige

>

[Guest guest]

>

> Happy Thanksgiving!

>Hi Paige,

I've been on methotrexate(inject) for 3 years, the first two years

with prednisone, the last 1/1/2 with enbrel (inject) without it

I seem to have more flare ups, but it did take almost a month to see

any improvement. Wine only made me sick to my stomach, but I only

drink once in a while.I have enough problems with my balance without

it LOL...Typing is getting to be a problem I think I need a talk

typist...anybody using one? is it hard to set up?

Hope your Thanksgivings were great!!!!

Jane RA/ Lupus

> Today was my return visit to my rheumatologist, having been

diagnosed with RA two

> weeks ago and recently completed a two week course of Prednisone.

I told her with four

> days of using Prednisone, the swelling in my hands went down, my

pain was reduced and I

> felt a surge or energy. I relayed that when I tapered the

Prednisone, most of my

> symptoms returned.

>

> We discussed options and she recommended Methotrexate. Nothing

surprising there.

> When we discussed that I have chronic gastritis (from years of

taking NSAIDS), she offered

> me the option of injecting the Methotrexate weekly. Bypassing my

stomach is an

> attractive option so I learned how to give myself a shot today.

>

> I have a couple of questions for those who take this medication.

>

> 1. Within several hours of the injection, I felt an almost

crushing fatigue and pain in my

> joints. Coincidence? Also, I live in the Northeast and we're

having nasty cold and wet

> weather this evening. So...

>

> 2. I don't drink, primarily because I'm generally on pain

medication. I was going to forego

> the pain meds tomorrow to have a glass of wine with Thanksgiving

Dinner. Then I read

> that one should never drink with Methotrexate. Is this a hard

and fast rule? I didn't ask

> my doctor because I didn't put the two together.

>

> 3. My doctor said that the Methotrexate could take up to a month

to work. She gave me a

> script for 5 mg. Prednisone to take daily in the event the pain

gets really bad again. How

> long did it take for your Methotrexate to take effect?

>

> Many thanks!

>

> Paige

>

[Guest guest]

Methotrexate _can_ make you very fatigued, although for me, it's not

nearly as bad with the injectable as it was with the pills. Did

your doc start you on folic acid daily to go along with your Mtx?

If not, ask her about it. Folic acid helps avoid side effects and

Mtx toxicity problems. If that's not enough (it wasn't for me) they

can also add Leucovorin (folinic acid) once a week, after your Mtx.

I take it about 12 hours after the Mtx.

I've learned to time my shot so that I get most fatigued right

around bed time on Friday. Then I take my Leucovorin and go to

bed. I'm still kind of draggy and tired the next day, but it's not

TOO bad, and since it's Saturday, I can take it easy. Other people

seem to find that they avoid the worst side effects by taking the

shot right before bed, but for me, the side effects start later.

The good news is that the side effects tend to diminish over time.

The first few times I took it I was miserable. I've been on it

since last Jan. now, and while it's a bit of an annoyance, it's

pretty manageable at this point. The first month was worst.

>

> Happy Thanksgiving!

>

> Today was my return visit to my rheumatologist, having been

diagnosed with RA two

> weeks ago and recently completed a two week course of Prednisone.

I told her with four

> days of using Prednisone, the swelling in my hands went down, my

pain was reduced and I

> felt a surge or energy. I relayed that when I tapered the

Prednisone, most of my

> symptoms returned.

>

> We discussed options and she recommended Methotrexate. Nothing

surprising there.

> When we discussed that I have chronic gastritis (from years of

taking NSAIDS), she offered

> me the option of injecting the Methotrexate weekly. Bypassing my

stomach is an

> attractive option so I learned how to give myself a shot today.

>

> I have a couple of questions for those who take this medication.

>

> 1. Within several hours of the injection, I felt an almost

crushing fatigue and pain in my

> joints. Coincidence? Also, I live in the Northeast and we're

having nasty cold and wet

> weather this evening. So...

>

> 2. I don't drink, primarily because I'm generally on pain

medication. I was going to forego

> the pain meds tomorrow to have a glass of wine with Thanksgiving

Dinner. Then I read

> that one should never drink with Methotrexate. Is this a hard

and fast rule? I didn't ask

> my doctor because I didn't put the two together.

>

> 3. My doctor said that the Methotrexate could take up to a month

to work. She gave me a

> script for 5 mg. Prednisone to take daily in the event the pain

gets really bad again. How

> long did it take for your Methotrexate to take effect?

>

> Many thanks!

>

> Paige

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Paige

I never drink when on mtx but I also take Arava and humira.

I think it took about 4-5 wks for my mtx to take effect but I was taking it by

mouth not

injections.

Good luck!

Joy

Paige <paigec38@...> wrote:

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today was my return visit to my rheumatologist, having been diagnosed with RA

two

weeks ago and recently completed a two week course of Prednisone. I told her

with four

days of using Prednisone, the swelling in my hands went down, my pain was

reduced and I

felt a surge or energy. I relayed that when I tapered the Prednisone, most of my

symptoms returned.

We discussed options and she recommended Methotrexate. Nothing surprising there.

When we discussed that I have chronic gastritis (from years of taking NSAIDS),

she offered

me the option of injecting the Methotrexate weekly. Bypassing my stomach is an

attractive option so I learned how to give myself a shot today.

I have a couple of questions for those who take this medication.

1. Within several hours of the injection, I felt an almost crushing fatigue and

pain in my

joints. Coincidence? Also, I live in the Northeast and we're having nasty cold

and wet

weather this evening. So...

2. I don't drink, primarily because I'm generally on pain medication. I was

going to forego

the pain meds tomorrow to have a glass of wine with Thanksgiving Dinner. Then I

read

that one should never drink with Methotrexate. Is this a hard and fast rule? I

didn't ask

my doctor because I didn't put the two together.

3. My doctor said that the Methotrexate could take up to a month to work. She

gave me a

script for 5 mg. Prednisone to take daily in the event the pain gets really bad

again. How

long did it take for your Methotrexate to take effect?

Many thanks!

Paige

Joy

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