Guest guest Posted January 7, 2008 Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 Hi Jacki, I take MTX and have for several month for RA. I think it does help me but I didn't realize how much until I had to stop it for a while. I also take Enbrel shots weekly. I can count on a day or two of diarrhea and cramping and basically feeling like crap after I take them, but it does help the pain. Guess I just trade one symptom for another. Heidi M On 1/7/08, jakki502 <okal502@...> wrote: > > Hello all! I am currently taking 25mgs of Methotrexate on a weekly > basis. I've been on it for about 6 months now and I would love to talk > to someone who has tried or is trying this type of treatment as well. > I'm new to the group and have never really talked to anyone on this > this type of treatment before. Any and all feedback would be great. > > My story...short and sweet. At age 18 I was diagnosed with Vasculitis, > I did steroid treatments for a year and was fine up until I had my son > in 04, then I got sick all over again, however I am not testing postive > for anything but there is something going on. Between the 6 doctors > I've seen they said/think it's either RA or Lupus so we are trying the > RA treatment now, if it doesn't work we go to the Lupus treatment next. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 7, 2008 Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 Has your Doctor done blood work to check and see if you have the RA factor for sure? Are you seeing a RA Doctor or general family Doctor? See a RA Doctor if you are not. I take MTX along with folic acid, the folic acid I take daily and the MTX once a week. I usually take the MTX on a day when I know I have the next day off from work. It seems to drag me out and feel tired. I have boosted my folic acid for the two days before taking it, seems to help with my energy level. I feel it sucks the energy out of me. I myself call it kryptonite, Can not be in alot of heat or in the sun, it causes me to sweat profusely, the water pours out of me. As far as altering the disease, I'm sure it has helped, but I needed additional meds besides it. jakki502 <okal502@...> wrote: Hello all! I am currently taking 25mgs of Methotrexate on a weekly basis. I've been on it for about 6 months now and I would love to talk to someone who has tried or is trying this type of treatment as well. I'm new to the group and have never really talked to anyone on this this type of treatment before. Any and all feedback would be great. My story...short and sweet. At age 18 I was diagnosed with Vasculitis, I did steroid treatments for a year and was fine up until I had my son in 04, then I got sick all over again, however I am not testing postive for anything but there is something going on. Between the 6 doctors I've seen they said/think it's either RA or Lupus so we are trying the RA treatment now, if it doesn't work we go to the Lupus treatment next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 8, 2008 Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 Hello everyone!! my name is Cheryl and Iam happy to be a member here! alot of super people I see here!! I have had RA all my life....33 yrs that I can remeber..then as years went on i Aquired, as i like to say, FM,OA,Ostioprosis..(bones of a 90 plus year olds woman at the age of 50) and Rhynoids desease plus many bouts od pnemonia, bronchitis, Pleurisy and many other things... One thing i discovered very earily on......all these medications have reprocusions on our bodies..... Prednisone and MTX are great contrubitors to any and all upper respertory problems... sounds funny I know as they GIVE YOU prednisone or inhalers of prednison when you get these problems....BUT when you have been on them for any lenght of time they become the emeny so to speak..they weaking your immune to where it can not fight off these things.... if my grandkids have the snifflies...i can be near them at all...as for me it would turn into full blown pnemonia or worse.... remeber the deseases we are dealing with attack our bodies all by theirselves....so our bodys have no resistances to many things Iam on many high doeses now of many strong medications...my gums have receeded from my teeth so now my teeth are breaking at gum line....not much can be done but to get them all out and get fake ones....>>lack of calcium for years...prednisone taking what little i had left....yes I do take all the meds for bone building but for me is progressed so bad its a waiting game for me to see when my spine starts to go and i will be in wheel chair as lack of calcium is making me have brittle bones now I have taken everything in this world at one time or another ...from Plaqunill to MTX to Prednison to shots ..everything..... but my point to you all is....... do what ever you can to eat as healthy as possible..while your young enough ......keep your vitmin intake high..keep your calicum plus D going in you every day......and take your meds........ I was put out of work 14 months ago as i lost use of my hands....and my legs ...both partly...so Iam now waiting the long wait for SSI..... no income so I used every resource I had been given to be able to get my meds....some even for free.....its papers work but it works!!! you have to try... I was reading Don's postings and saying to him...go to the drug companies directly....use this internet to get their numbers and contact lists..........IT DOES WORK..... I went with out my MTX for 4 weeks and I was sorry I didnt call them sooner as its been the most painful experance in years ......... I will try to help anyone out if I can to help you get address and phone numbers....as nO ONE should go with out meds in this country...especially those of us who have worked so very hard ALL OUR LIVES! ( ok steping down off of soapbox now) but really..I will check back everyday that I can to see how your all doing.. as I so do feel for everyone as we all live the same... different areas and differnt symptoms...but we're all trying to live with RA. gentle hugz to all Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 Hello all! I am currently taking 25mgs of Methotrexate on a weekly > basis. I've been on it for about 6 months now and I would love to talk > to someone who has tried or is trying this type of treatment as well. > I'm new to the group and have never really talked to anyone on this > this type of treatment before. Any and all feedback would be great. > > My story...short and sweet. At age 18 I was diagnosed with Vasculitis, > I did steroid treatments for a year and was fine up until I had my son > in 04, then I got sick all over again, however I am not testing postive > for anything but there is something going on. Between the 6 doctors > I've seen they said/think it's either RA or Lupus so we are trying the > RA treatment now, if it doesn't work we go to the Lupus treatment next. > > > I have been seeing a RA doctor for 3/4 of my life...i was diagnosed at 22 ....and a suggestion by docter told me made such sense...take it at bed time..this way the MTX is not able to make you sick..I am on the highest does as I have had to work my way there....I take the folic acid toprevent the mouth sores ect that MTX can do to you ...but try taking it at bed time..then you sleep right thru the nausa and sweats and all the yuckie stuff that MTX gives ya..... try it...good luck!!! cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 Welcome to the group! You will find many informative, caring, supportive individuals here! And up to date great medical research! You are very lucky your doctor has started treatment so soon! Mine began with joint knee effusions and I was shuffled from Rheumatology, to Sports Med, to the Orthopedic Clinic, then back to Rheumatology. I wasn't testing positive either for the conditions. Yet, my xrays showed bilateral joint effusions. I currently have an elevated SED rate, I have anti ccp, elevated CRP, elevated Westgren, but no RF factor. They began treating me with Plaquenil which I have been on about 2 years, and now the past 9 months Sulfasalazine (which I have to keep stopping all the time because I keep getting infections.) Before the bilateral joint effusions, I used to get the shape of the butterfly rash on my face anytime sun touched me, even if just riding in the car. I've always been extremely sensitive to the sun. I also have Reynauds and livedio reticularius. Yet my Lupus tests are always negative too. One of the rheumatologists I saw told me that its a very strong disease and its very rare with that to test negative too. She did some DNA testing and other tests and still did not find anything. I don't know why I have the livideo, I'm not sure if that even goes with a medical condition. It's really good you are getting treatment with DMARD's right off the bat. I'm being treated as seronegative RA which now seems to be unspecified diffuse connective tissue disease. Ive my fingers crossed that doesn't have to turn into anything else!! My family doctor advised me that seronegative ra can just mean UDCT. which I am hoping as I already have enough diagnoses:) sassyangel4557 <cwolfe8@...> wrote: --- In , Nettleton <pebonejosh@...> wrote: > > Has your Doctor done blood work to check and see if you have the RA factor for sure? Are you seeing a RA Doctor or general family Doctor? See a RA Doctor if you are not. I take MTX along with folic acid, the folic acid I take daily and the MTX once a week. I usually take the MTX on a day when I know I have the next day off from work. It seems to drag me out and feel tired. I have boosted my folic acid for the two days before taking it, seems to help with my energy level. I feel it sucks the energy out of me. I myself call it kryptonite, Can not be in alot of heat or in the sun, it causes me to sweat profusely, the water pours out of me. As far as altering the disease, I'm sure it has helped, but I needed additional meds besides it. > > jakki502 <okal502@...> wrote: Hello all! I am currently taking 25mgs of Methotrexate on a weekly > basis. I've been on it for about 6 months now and I would love to talk > to someone who has tried or is trying this type of treatment as well. > I'm new to the group and have never really talked to anyone on this > this type of treatment before. Any and all feedback would be great. > > My story...short and sweet. At age 18 I was diagnosed with Vasculitis, > I did steroid treatments for a year and was fine up until I had my son > in 04, then I got sick all over again, however I am not testing postive > for anything but there is something going on. Between the 6 doctors > I've seen they said/think it's either RA or Lupus so we are trying the > RA treatment now, if it doesn't work we go to the Lupus treatment next. > > > I have been seeing a RA doctor for 3/4 of my life...i was diagnosed at 22 ....and a suggestion by docter told me made such sense...take it at bed time..this way the MTX is not able to make you sick..I am on the highest does as I have had to work my way there....I take the folic acid toprevent the mouth sores ect that MTX can do to you ...but try taking it at bed time..then you sleep right thru the nausa and sweats and all the yuckie stuff that MTX gives ya..... try it...good luck!!! cheryl __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 In a message dated 9/3/2008 1:27:13 P.M. Central Daylight Time, mjacorn2@... writes: >Has anyone had any severe side effects from the methotrexate? Can you tell if the methotrexate has really helped or not? Thanks Margie> My side effects feel like I have the flu for a day or two after I take it. There's been no change in my overall health. It took more than 3 months for it to really take effect, though. I started on 6 pills a week, but I was still feeling sick 3 and 4 days later, so he changed it to 4 pills and added Arava. dd **************It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here. (http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv00050000000047) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Marge; Welcome to our group hon. Of course your worried about side effects. I think thats a good sign. It seems like osteo and fibro go with RA. Seems like everyone has it. I am sure you will get a lot of info from the group, I sure did. I didnt care about the side effects, I didnt even ask about them. I didnt know all that, was side effects. Actually my quality of life was so bad with pain I didnt even care. Now when I look back I would have waited too. I am so glad I didnt read or was told about the side effects cause I imagine I get them lol. I was alergic to MXT so that didnt matter. I am on prednisone and just found out why there is a love hate relationship with it. I start humira injections when my TB test is done. I can hardly wait. I have heard all the good things about it. It makes the pain go away haaaaaaaa. We have a great group here. I love everyone here. I hope you have pain free days hon Gentle kind hugs everyone Clora > I am new to the group and have RA, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia and > osteoporosis. I am on Plaquenil and just started methotrexate about a > month ago. I am so very worried about the side effects of the > methotrexate. I have not had any side effects from it, but I am worried > about the risk of lymphoma and leukemia and lung disease. I guess I > read too much about it. It took me over a month to decide whether to > take it or not. Has anyone had any severe side effects from the > methotrexate? Can you tell if the methotrexate has really helped or > not? Thanks Margie > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 5, 2008 Report Share Posted September 5, 2008 Hi Heidi - I take one Zantac 150mg (WalMart brand is $4.00) every day and have not had any issues with my stomach and Methotrexate. I had some gastric erosions years ago, so my stomach had a tendency to be " tender " , but as long as I take the Zantac, I'm good.....Doreen --- In , " Heidi Mendelsohn " <hmendelsohn@...> wrote: > > Marge > I stopped my MTX about a month and a half ago. It had gotten to > the point that I had S/E 3-4 days after I took it. I told my Dr and > he said just to stop and we will see. Man I can sure tell the > difference, I am now struggling with the thought of going back on > it. I hurt in every joint and basically feel like crap.I guess > sometimes it just has to be hurt or be nauseous. I hope it works > for you > Heidi M > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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