Guest guest Posted October 28, 2004 Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 What is MTX? I was on vioxx and enbrel. Now just enbrel need something to help the enbrel Thanks ny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 28, 2004 Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 MTX is our shorthand for Methotrexate. It is a DMARD (Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drug) that is often used to help slow or stop the permanent damage from RA or related illnesses. It is probably the most commonly used treatment for RA and some people find that it works well in combination with Enbrel or other RA drugs. God bless. ----- Original Message ----- From: ny Rheumatoid Arthritis Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2004 6:20 AM Subject: Re: Re: Embrel and hair loss? What is MTX? I was on vioxx and enbrel. Now just enbrel need something to help the enbrelThanks ny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 28, 2004 Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 Hi, Rie! I work in a high school - I'm the attendance lady! so, like you, I have kids sneezing all over my counter...but I am out till Feb. due to hip surgery, so I hope to find a flu shot before I go back to work. Now, I have been on enbrel for 1 1/2 years; my hair is not any different since I started the shots. I no longer take mtx., as my monthly labs showed a problem with my liver. gentle hugs, Marcia --- Rie <ravencache@...> wrote: > Have any of you taking Embrel noticed an > increase in > hair loss? I can't believe it--I noticed my > hair > falling out when I am having a " flare " , felt > like the > MTX helped my hair to NOT fall out (which > surprised my > dr. who said most people feel the opposite), > but now > it's doing it again but I'm not in a flare. In > fact, > I feel pretty good. I'm new to the Embrel > thing, so > just curious. > Thanks again for all your help. > Rie > > > > __________________________________ > Do you ? > - Helps protect you from nasty > viruses. > http://promotions./new_mail > __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 28, 2004 Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 > What is MTX? MTX is Methotrexate. It was originally developed as a cancer chemotherapy drug more than 25 years ago. They discovered that cancer patients who also had RA often had their RA symptoms go into remission when they took MTX so they put it into testing as an RA drug. It can have many of the same side effects of other chemotherapy drugs...nausea, vomiting, hair loss... but because it is usually taken in smaller doses for RA than for cancer, the side effects are milder and often controlled by folic acid. It is a folic acid inhibitor, so you must increase your folic acid intake when taking the drug or can have folate deficiency symptoms, (mouth sores, etc.). In cancer it inhibits cells from dividing, (and is sometimes used to terminate pregnancy when the egg has implanted in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus because it prevents the cells from dividing.) That is why they tell you not to use it if you might become pregnant (not that that is an issue with you <g>. They really don't know how it helps RA, just that it can prevent joint damage and deformity. Now you know more about MTX than you ever wanted to know. Comes with being a teacher for so many years <G> Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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