Re: Taking Methotrexate?Are the side effects worth it? Does it work?

[Guest guest]

,

Welcome! My name is Kami and I have RA. My 15 year old daughter has Psoriatic

Arthritis and has been on MTX for 16 weeks. I can honestly say that this

medication has turned her life around. Seriously: 180 degrees. She injects the

medication once a week and has had minimal side effects. The main side effect

she has had is fatigue.

You will find many people here who take MTX or have in the past. In all I can

only tell you that in my case, it altered my mood so badly I had to stop it

however it has given my daughter her life back.

Just curious: Do you have any nail involvement with your PsA?

*~ Kami ~*

[ ] Taking Methotrexate?Are the side effects worth it? Does

it work?

Hello all,

I'm new to this group. I was just diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis,I'm 38.

From my research so far I've come to the conclusion that it's Distal

interphalangeal predominant. I guess it can get pretty bad. I am in pain from

the arthritis, and my dr wants to prescribe Methotrexate. After my research on

the drug Methotrexate, I am wondering if the pain is better than the side

effects. Bloody urine or no urinating at all? Mouth sores and chronic

coughing,shortness of breath,Hair loss..... It seems the side effects suck worse

than the actual disease and pain itself. Can someone please tell me if you think

the drug works well or not, and if the side effects are very bad. Thanks for

your time.

C.

[Guest guest]

,

I have taken mtx for 10 years now with the ONLY side effect for me being slight

loss of my hair on top of my head. For what it gave me back, i.e. my life, I'll

take the hair loss. I have never experienced any of the items you listed.

I hope this helps.

in PA

[ ] Taking Methotrexate?Are the side effects worth it? Does

it work?

Hello all,

I'm new to this group. I was just diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis,I'm 38.

From my research so far I've come to the conclusion that it's Distal

interphalangeal predominant. I guess it can get pretty bad. I am in pain from

the arthritis, and my dr wants to prescribe Methotrexate. After my research on

the drug Methotrexate, I am wondering if the pain is better than the side

effects. Bloody urine or no urinating at all? Mouth sores and chronic

coughing,shortness of breath,Hair loss..... It seems the side effects suck worse

than the actual disease and pain itself. Can someone please tell me if you think

the drug works well or not, and if the side effects are very bad. Thanks for

your time.

C.

[Guest guest]

Greetings,

I am on Methotrexate at a relatively low-dose (four tablets,once a week). I

haven't had blood in the urine or bloody urine. I have had a few canker sores

but I got those in the past before taking this medication. I do have a cough

now and again that seems to be unrelated to anything specific but I do not have

shortness of breath or other nasty side effects. Oh, yeah I did lose some hair.

Not like huge amounts but areas that were thinning out before got more ... thin

and it seemed like I was shedding a lot of hair when washing/brushing it. But

not enough that it looked like I was " losing " hair.

I can't take steroids so Methotrexate is a god sent in terms of treating my RA

and easing the symptoms of pain and fatigue.

Truthfully, every person is different and how an individual reacts to a

medication is varied. You could try it out and if you find the side effects to

be too much than you can stop it. Also, the issues with hair loss will resolve

once the medication is stopped (i.e. the hair will grow back, etc.).

Personally, I would rather take a pill than have to do injections or IV

treatments. Better to start small and if those treatments stop working, to have

a next level to go up to.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

~ Graves

[ ] Taking Methotrexate?Are the side effects worth it? Does it

work?

Hello all,

I'm new to this group. I was just diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis,I'm 38.

From my research so far I've come to the conclusion that it's Distal

interphalangeal predominant. I guess it can get pretty bad. I am in pain from

the arthritis, and my dr wants to prescribe Methotrexate. After my research on

the drug Methotrexate, I am wondering if the pain is better than the side

effects. Bloody urine or no urinating at all? Mouth sores and chronic

coughing,shortness of breath,Hair loss..... It seems the side effects suck worse

than the actual disease and pain itself. Can someone please tell me if you think

the drug works well or not, and if the side effects are very bad. Thanks for

your time.

C.

[Guest guest]

Hi :

 

Welcome to our group.  I have had RA for almost 7 years, and I have been on MTX

since day one.  I inject each Thurs. as the pills made me deathly sick to my

stomach, and I could not stand that.  I also take Sulfasalazine, Placquenil,

and Pred.  They are my " miracle drugs " and I have been on them for a long

time.  My hair is baby fine to begin with, but not too bad now.

 

I have been in a medicine induced remission for over a year now.  No pain,

swelling, or flares.  It is truly wonderful.  For me these drugs have given me

my life back.  I am the type of persone who will take whatever I have to to

feel better.  Believe me, I was almost in a wheel chair, is so much pain, I

could hardly endure it.  My feet and ankles were hit the hardest.  I have used

a cane and a walker when needed.  I have a wonderful Rheumy who takes such

great care of me.  She was a God send.

 

I hope my information helps you.  Do what ever you want to feel better.  It is

so worth it to me.  I do rest a lot as I tire easily.  My fatigue does me in.

 

I hope your meds. work for you and that you will be pain free soon.

 

Hugs,

 

Barbara

From: www.dontkillthemood.com <avenueofthesun@...>

Subject: [ ] Taking Methotrexate?Are the side effects worth it? Does it

work?

Date: Friday, December 4, 2009, 1:07 PM

 

Hello all,

I'm new to this group. I was just diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis,I' m 38.

From my research so far I've come to the conclusion that it's Distal

interphalangeal predominant. I guess it can get pretty bad. I am in pain from

the arthritis, and my dr wants to prescribe Methotrexate. After my research on

the drug Methotrexate, I am wondering if the pain is better than the side

effects. Bloody urine or no urinating at all? Mouth sores and chronic

coughing,shortness of breath,Hair loss..... It seems the side effects suck worse

than the actual disease and pain itself. Can someone please tell me if you think

the drug works well or not, and if the side effects are very bad. Thanks for

your time.

C.

[Guest guest]

Welcome to the group, . I inject 0.8ml of Methotrexate weekly and have

been doing so for well over a year now. I took the pills prior to the injections

and I personally prefer the shots to the pills - the side effects don't last as

long (exhaustion) and my body seems to absorb it better with better results than

the pills.

I have some hair loss, but nothing major - its normal to lose 80-100 hairs per

day anyway, so I don't think its much more than that. I take 1mg of Folic Acid

every day except the day of injection and have not had any problems with mouth

sores. I've had no problems with my urine. I do have shortness of breath, but I

honestly think it has more to do with my weight rather than the MTX.

One thing to keep in mind is the drug manufacturers are required to list every

single side effect of any medication - even if only one person developed purple

and pink polka-dots from medicine ABC. So, basically, just because a side effect

is listed doesn't mean that all of us will experience it.

Keep current with your bloodwork as instructed by your Rheumy - that's the best

way to determine the effectiveness of your meds as well as keeping an eye on any

potentially negative side effects. I wish you well - keep us posted..... Doreen

Hello all,

I'm new to this group. I was just diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis,I'm 38.

From my research so far I've come to the conclusion that it's Distal

interphalangeal predominant. I guess it can get pretty bad. I am in pain from

the arthritis, and my dr wants to prescribe Methotrexate. After my research on

the drug Methotrexate, I am wondering if the pain is better than the side

effects. Bloody urine or no urinating at all? Mouth sores and chronic

coughing,shortness of breath,Hair loss..... It seems the side effects suck worse

than the actual disease and pain itself. Can someone please tell me if you think

the drug works well or not, and if the side effects are very bad. Thanks for

your time.

C.

[Guest guest]

I dont reply often, but wanted to get in on the mtx thread, I at first was

taking up to 6 pills a day which was way too much for me to keep up with,

and it wasn't doing a darn thing for me, so we switched to the inj. which

was a Godsend UNTIL it started messing with my liver enzymes, this went on

for months until the Dr said, enough was enough and my enzymes were thru the

roof. I had no other side effects other than that and as i said before, it

was a total Godsend, now im on 3rd wk of enbrel and im still waiting to see

some results ... GOOD LUCK

michele

[Guest guest]

I started MTX 5 weeks ago- 3 pills once a week- so far I feel 80% better as far

as pain, stiffness etc- the day i take the pills i feell nauseous, and

'hungover' just ooky & off - then it fades over the next few days-

so far nothing serious and blood levels are ok- so i say yeah its worth it :)but

everyone is different

Beth

>

> Welcome to the group, . I inject 0.8ml of Methotrexate weekly and have

been doing so for well over a year now. I took the pills prior to the injections

and I personally prefer the shots to the pills - the side effects don't last as

long (exhaustion) and my body seems to absorb it better with better results than

the pills.

>

> I have some hair loss, but nothing major - its normal to lose 80-100 hairs per

day anyway, so I don't think its much more than that. I take 1mg of Folic Acid

every day except the day of injection and have not had any problems with mouth

sores. I've had no problems with my urine. I do have shortness of breath, but I

honestly think it has more to do with my weight rather than the MTX.

>

> One thing to keep in mind is the drug manufacturers are required to list every

single side effect of any medication - even if only one person developed purple

and pink polka-dots from medicine ABC. So, basically, just because a side effect

is listed doesn't mean that all of us will experience it.

>

> Keep current with your bloodwork as instructed by your Rheumy - that's the

best way to determine the effectiveness of your meds as well as keeping an eye

on any potentially negative side effects. I wish you well - keep us posted.....

Doreen

>

[Guest guest]

You have to keep in mind that everyone is different, and we all experience

different side effects. I am lucky in that it works for me, I adjusted to it

quickly with few minor side effects, and my blood levels are fine. I have never

experienced most of the things you mention. At first I got extremely tired the

day after, so I have a running agreement with my boss to have all sundays off

work so I can take my dose sat night. But after the first few months, even that

is probably not necessary anymore. At first I had mild headaches but they went

away quickly as I adjusted to the meds. I brew my own kombucha and find I cannot

drink it for a few hours before to a good 24 hours after my methotrexate or I

get severe headaches, but otherwise I don't experience any side effects anymore.

Some claim kombucha rids the body of toxins, so the headaches may have been the

meds going through my system too fast, I don't know, but I am now ok. I did

start seeing my fingernails thinning out badly, so I take 2 mg of folic acid

daily and that is mostly gone. I have been on methotrexate for over a year and

it has done wonders in largely controlling my RA. I feel blessed to have this

miracle drug available to me!

>

> Hello all,

> I'm new to this group. I was just diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis,I'm 38.

From my research so far I've come to the conclusion that it's Distal

interphalangeal predominant. I guess it can get pretty bad. I am in pain from

the arthritis, and my dr wants to prescribe Methotrexate. After my research on

the drug Methotrexate, I am wondering if the pain is better than the side

effects. Bloody urine or no urinating at all? Mouth sores and chronic

coughing,shortness of breath,Hair loss..... It seems the side effects suck worse

than the actual disease and pain itself. Can someone please tell me if you think

the drug works well or not, and if the side effects are very bad. Thanks for

your time.

>

> C.

>

[Guest guest]

Michele,

I hope you meant 6 pills a WEEK

oops, did i say a day, yes, i meant a week, thanks for the correction

my brain has been in a fog lately, gotta luv RA

Michele