Can Folic acid cause nausea?

barbara01
barbara01 Member Posts: 85
edited 16. Oct 2009, 18:22 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi Lynn
I to suffer with this after taking the folic acid, I also have 7.5mg MTX and 2 days later 10mg of folic acid and for a couple of days have 'more frequent trips to the loo' keep thinking that as time goes on my body will adjust to the meds and that this will settle down along with the extreme tiredness I have for a couple of days after the MTX. Do you think you are seeing any improvement yet from the MTX or is it too early to tell.

Love Barbara

Comments

  • c4thyg
    c4thyg Member Posts: 542
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    When I was on methotrexate the drug itself used to make me nauseous. To get around this I took a folic acid every day except the MTX day. I didn't any side effects (that I noticed) after that. I did however have problems with my blood work so make sure you keep on top of that. So you know it wasn't to do with the medication but I found that I had another undiagnosed condition that was made worse by MTX.
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,397
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Lynn,

    My Mtx day is Tuesday in the morning. When I first started I had a waking headache with vomitting on the Friday - three days later. This happened everytime I increased the dose then settled down again. When I asked my Rheumy he said it was a delayed reaction with the Mtx - which is unusual but does happen.

    I, too, started on 5mg and my body did react like this but I must stress it did settle down till I had to increase the dose again. I take folic acid every day except Mtx day.

    I also felt benefits within the first month of taking Mtx.

    Sounds like you could be 'unusual' like me :wink:

    Hope this helps.

    Luv Legs :D
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,397
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Fellow Oddball :lol::lol:

    Yes, I'm side effect free now and yes I'm on 5mg folic acid per day - I choose not to take it on Mtx day as I've read that it can make the Mtx less effective.

    I had to increase my dose each fortnight and only got the sickness and headache with the initial dose and then only when had to increase the dose. My GP gave me antimetics which I started taking on the Thursday morning as I anticipated being ill on the following day. I took the antimetics 3x/day and when I didn't get the sickness I gradually weaned myself off the antimetics.

    Stick with it if you can, although it's not nice at this stage, because if you're already noticing a difference at night it sounds as they're starting to work for you.

    Hope this helps Lynn.

    Luv Legs who was always a bit strange anyway :wink:
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • barbara01
    barbara01 Member Posts: 85
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Lynn
    I have been on MTX for 5weeks now and do feel much better like you my worst time was in the morning with stiffness and pain but have none at the moment had steroid injection nearly 8 weeks ago but that would normally have worn off by now...rheumy wanted me up to 15mg by now but am staying on 7.5mg as tiredness is overwhelming the day after...so my gp has said stay on 7.5 , sometimes feel a bit giddy but don't know if that's the meds or I've just got a funny head!!! fingers crossed my pain stays away ... Keep you posted ... Hope you are ok on increased dose.... Let me. know ..
    Love Barbara xx
  • c4thyg
    c4thyg Member Posts: 542
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I forgot to say earlier that the reason you shouldn't take folic acid on teh MTX day is because MTX is an anti-folate drug and all you'll do is replace what the MTX is blocking. However, you have to replace it at some point because your body needs it but when and how much depends on the person. It took me a while to tweak it but I was side effect free even with a high dose of MTX. Shame I didn't get much improvement but we;re all different.

    Good luck with it.
  • c4thyg
    c4thyg Member Posts: 542
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thx Lynn,
    It seems like I'm back to tweaking doses again! :roll:
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I dont take my folic acid because it makes me feel sick

    Take care
    Tkachev
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • joyful164
    joyful164 Member Posts: 2,401
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    lindalegs wrote:
    Hi Lynn,

    My Mtx day is Tuesday in the morning. When I first started I had a waking headache with vomitting on the Friday - three days later. This happened everytime I increased the dose then settled down again. When I asked my Rheumy he said it was a delayed reaction with the Mtx - which is unusual but does happen.

    I, too, started on 5mg and my body did react like this but I must stress it did settle down till I had to increase the dose again. I take folic acid every day except Mtx day.

    I also felt benefits within the first month of taking Mtx.

    Sounds like you could be 'unusual' like me :wink:

    Hope this helps.

    Luv Legs :D
    Hi
    have just come on board and again, we seem very similar in our med pattern. I do my injection tues 3 30 p.m. Since starting on 20mg 5 weeks ago, have felt a bit more nauseas, but then I have had a virus aswell for nearly two wks. Just goes to show how diff we all are and that there could be underlying reasons for the diff. reactions.

    joy