Guest guest Posted January 9, 2010 Report Share Posted January 9, 2010 Hi Cheli, I've been on 20mg.(8 pills) of MTX weekly & 1mg. of Folic Acid daily for about 1 year now. It took about 7-9 months before I saw a really big difference in my symptoms, but I am close to normal now on most days. I have small spurts of breakthrough pain nows, but Tramadol helps with that. Hair loss is minimal, usually when I wash my hair is when I notice it, I'll find some in my fingers while washing or adding product before drying. I have also developed some mouth sores over the last 2-3 months (like ittle blisters) mostly on the roof of my mouth. They aren't painful, just annoying! Bowel movements vary between normal and soft(usually the first 2 days after drug night). I've found that if I take mine on Friday night before I go to bed, I sleep through most of the nausea, but I do wake up the next morning feeling a little hungover (like I was out drinking the night before), but that is taken care of with tylenol. I eat light the next day like fruit and soup and drink LOTS of fluids for the next 24 hours. Alcohol is a no-no. I haven't had a drink of Alcohol in the last year and a half since my RA started. Taking my MTX on Friday night allows me the weekend to recover so I can work Mon-Fri (I'm a secretary in a law firm). Hope this helps. I've learned lots here. Betsy in the Virgin Islands > > The doctor is taking me off the Plaquenil and starting on MTX! I will start Sat night. He is starting me on 4 pills. He wants me to take Folic Acid 1mg Mon-Fri. > > Does anyone want to tell me anything before I take this? Any pointers or things to watch out for? I have heard a lot of bad stuff about this drug. I told my doctor about this and he said remember the people that have problems with it will always tell the bad stuff. I have heard some good stuff but I'm worried about it. I hate feeling sick to my stomach. He also said I could have diarrhea from it. That will not be a good thing for me. I heard about the hair loss. How bad is it really? Will it be that noticeable? > > Ok I think everyone has gotten my thoughts about this so I will end it now. Lol. > > Cheli > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2010 Report Share Posted January 9, 2010 Hi... Try eating something before you take it. I took the oral later in the evening, as my doctor suggested, to sleep off side effects. For me, the injections are much better, less side effects and it seems to more effective. Fatigue is different for everyone, I found staying on a strict routine seems to help. I hate MTX but I cannot deny that it works. Stan Seattle, Cloudy. Â Â Â Re: [ ] Starting MTX How bad is the nausea? I have a family to take care of and not sure how I'm going to take care of them and feel sick to my stomach. How bad is it when you say fatigue? Will I just want to sleep all day? I get very sick (nausea) when I take an adult multi vitamin. When I do take them I have to take a child's flintstone. This is why I worry about feeling sick being on this MTX. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2010 Report Share Posted January 9, 2010 Stan, It's so good to see you posting again! I had been wondering what in the world happened to you. I'm glad you haven't forsaken us. Check in more often, okay? Sue On Jan 9, 2010, at 1:46 PM, stanpfister@... wrote: > Try eating something before you take it. I took the oral later in > the evening, as my doctor suggested, to sleep off side effects. For > me, the injections are much better, less side effects and it seems > to more effective. Fatigue is different for everyone, I found > staying on a strict routine seems to help. I hate MTX but I cannot > deny that it works. > > > > Stan > > Seattle, Cloudy. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2010 Report Share Posted January 9, 2010 Hi Cheli, I have been on mtx for a little over 10 years now, mostly 3 pills a week but there were times when I was bumped up to 4. I have NO problems with the pills except for thinning of my hair on top and that really didn't start until about year 6. I have no diarrhea with it either. I hope this helps. I will say that the first day that I had to take it, I put it in front of me and probably waited an hour before I could swallow them, then I was waiting for some terrible reaction, it never came. in PA [ ] Starting MTX The doctor is taking me off the Plaquenil and starting on MTX! I will start Sat night. He is starting me on 4 pills. He wants me to take Folic Acid 1mg Mon-Fri. Does anyone want to tell me anything before I take this? Any pointers or things to watch out for? I have heard a lot of bad stuff about this drug. I told my doctor about this and he said remember the people that have problems with it will always tell the bad stuff. I have heard some good stuff but I'm worried about it. I hate feeling sick to my stomach. He also said I could have diarrhea from it. That will not be a good thing for me. I heard about the hair loss. How bad is it really? Will it be that noticeable? Ok I think everyone has gotten my thoughts about this so I will end it now. Lol. Cheli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 11, 2010 Report Share Posted January 11, 2010 Cheli, I have been on MTX 6 pills a week and 1000mg Folic Acid for over 3 months and I really don't have any big side effects. What I do have is slight thinning hair loss something I could live with. The first time I took the meds the following day my stomach was upset maybe like a flu bug again something I could live with to avoid the RA pain. I have been lucky and will continue to take these meds to live a possible normal life Mousie in Calif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.