Methatrexate Injections - Scary!

kerrycc

Does anyone else take Methatrexate in this way? I have been taking it orally for over a year now and can no longer cope. I take ten on a Monday an its stripping my tongue and making me feel sick and have an upset tummy - i'm getting quite down about it so am considering asking about injections at my next visit. Trouble is, i'm not sure I could do it!! And do you still get side effects?

robertls

I had big problems with Mtx and asked the same question.......
I took 10mg, and after 5 months still had continious sickness, and nausea....and mouth ulcers.
My Rhummy suggested I split it......5mg Sunday and 5mg Wednesday.....with folic acid Tuesday and Friday.....

Within 2 weeks I was a new person........no sickness, nausea or ulcers....

Been like that now since Christmas.......

Maybe a solution??

Rob x

dorcas

Hi kerryc! welcome to the forum

I've been self injecting Mtx for 2 years now and switched from tablets to injections for the same reason as you.

The Mtx injections are painless and once you get used to doing it not so scary! I also inject Humira which stings like a bee so Mtx is great by comparison.

I do still get some side effects...nausea, hair loss, cramps...but these are pretty well controlled with other drugs. the good thing is that you might be able to reduce the amount of Mtx as it is absorbed more efficiently by injection so you need less to get the same benefit!

You'll be taught how to inject and well monitored too for any side effects.
Good luck! and don't worry too much.

I'm sure there'll be other peeps along soon to share how they get on with the injections too. Iris x

kerrycc

robertls wrote:

I had big problems with Mtx and asked the same question.......
I took 10mg, and after 5 months still had continious sickness, and nausea....and mouth ulcers.
My Rhummy suggested I split it......5mg Sunday and 5mg Wednesday.....with folic acid Tuesday and Friday.....

Within 2 weeks I was a new person........no sickness, nausea or ulcers....

Been like that now since Christmas.......

Maybe a solution??

Rob x

Hmmm... I didn't know you could split it like that! I'm going to have words when i'm back. All I know is that I cannot carry on like this, think i'd rather suffer with the arthritis!! :roll: Maybe not... xx

kerrycc

dorcas wrote:

Hi kerryc! welcome to the forum

I've been self injecting Mtx for 2 years now and switched from tablets to injections for the same reason as you.

The Mtx injections are painless and once you get used to doing it not so scary! I also inject Humira which stings like a bee so Mtx is great by comparison.

I do still get some side effects...nausea, hair loss, cramps...but these are pretty well controlled with other drugs. the good thing is that you might be able to reduce the amount of Mtx as it is absorbed more efficiently by injection so you need less to get the same benefit!

You'll be taught how to inject and well monitored too for any side effects.
Good luck! and don't worry too much.

I'm sure there'll be other peeps along soon to share how they get on with the injections too. Iris x

Thanks Iris. Just don't feel as if i'm feeling much benefit at the mo! I don't even fear the pain with the injections - its actually putting it in my leg! I'm sure i'll pass out or something! lol I suppose its all trial and error xx

psyart

hi - i've been on injections since july last year - had them reduced due to sickness but now am coping really well. i inject into my stomach - lots of fat there!! doesn't sting and is really quick!! you need to talk to the hospital on options?? are you on anti sickness tablets aswell?? these do help and i take them 2 days before injection 2 help get them into my system.

hope this helps.

Louise

ritwren

Hi there, I too take my methotrexate by injection which I do myself. I do it into my tummy and find if I take a good pinch of skin and don't let any of the injection drip then it's grand. I've once or twice removed the needle while there was still a bit of medication on it and it stung but now I've learned to leave the needle in for an extra few seconds and it does'nt happen.
I have far fewer side effects with the injections than I did with the tablets and take anti sickness tablets for about 4-5 out of each 7 days.
I hope you get something sorted soon.
rita

kerrycc

Thankyou all so much. Feel so alone with this and now realise that I'm really not! Just scared to mention it at the hosp, just feel like i'm moaning! Glad I joined up on here now xxx

chile168

Hi Kerry and Welcome to this site.

Im supposed to be starting Methotrexate and have got it but Im very stubborn and refusing 15mg and they say they will try and reduce dose but Im still not wanting it.

Robertis - Im surprised you were told by your rheumy to split it because I can't swallow tablet and that's what I wanted to do and the pharmacists told me clearly not to brake it. She in fact called the manufacturer and they advised that I put it in water but could not crush it or touch it. Apparently is dissolves in water.

Hope you can double check it -

Eve

robertls

chile168 wrote:

Hi Kerry and Welcome to this site.

Im supposed to be starting Methotrexate and have got it but Im very stubborn and refusing 15mg and they say they will try and reduce dose but Im still not wanting it.

Robertis - Im surprised you were told by your rheumy to split it because I can't swallow tablet and that's what I wanted to do and the pharmacists told me clearly not to brake it. She in fact called the manufacturer and they advised that I put it in water but could not crush it or touch it. Apparently is dissolves in water.

Hope you can double check it -

Eve

Ah!!!!....No................I was on 4 x 2.5mg tablets.........so I split the dose........not the tablet....... I now take 2 x 2.5mg twice a week

Rob x

jaspercat

Hi Kerry, I do have MXT by injection, on the whole I find it much better, I still do get some sickness, for which I have tablets, and some diarrhea, as well as slight hair loss, I wouldn't fo back to the tablets at all though.

It does take a bit of getting used to the injections, but I don't have any problems now love Jaspercatxx

page35

Hi Kerry
i too like Rob split my dose i take 3 tabs on sun and 3 tabs on mon i also take folic acid 5mg 4 days a week.
this has improved my side effects soooo much, i think it is worth a try but speak to you rheumy or nurse first.
i have a needle/blood phobia and find it bad enough getting my blood done once a month (i fainted last week at the blood test :roll: :oops: ) so just dont think i could handle having an injection once a week too and no way could i do it myself, so i am very happy that spliting the dose worked well for me and i hope it will for you.
best wishes

jean62

Hi Kerry
I have just started self injections ,i find it much better than being on the tablets,my medication is at present 15mg ,but next week will be going upto 20mg ,i dont have any sickly feelings at the moment ,but see how i progress ,hopefully wont get any ,i also take folic acid 6 days a week , but not the day i inject . ihope it works out ok for you .
jean

kerrycc

Well I went back to the hospital yesterday and had one of the registra's. He was very dismissive of me. Each time I mentioned how the methatrexate is making me ill, he just kept saying 'take more folic acid' he didnt even asked what kind of ill I was feeling! I decided to just tell him what it was doing to me and again he dismissed it saying 'just increase your folic acid'!! I came out feeling rather low. Roll on May when I will see my usual nurse - she will discuss it with me and weigh up all the options. Why are some doctors so bloody unsympathetic?? xx

jean62

Hi Kerry
sorry to here your not getting the help you need from this registra ,they are suppose to be there to help and support you ,i can understand ur frustration ,as for taking more folic acid i my self cant see that helping ,my stomach used to be upset when i was on meth tablets ,it was never said to me about takin more f acid ,i am on (omprozal)at the moment .PS probably spelt it wrong i take one every day ,if i have any probs between visits to my rhumatologist, ihave a good support nurse who i phone and she gets back to me in the next 48 hours , do you have any support like that Kerry ,look forward to your next posting ,take care
Jean

tkachev

robertls wrote:

I had big problems with Mtx and asked the same question.......
I took 10mg, and after 5 months still had continious sickness, and nausea....and mouth ulcers.
My Rhummy suggested I split it......5mg Sunday and 5mg Wednesday.....with folic acid Tuesday and Friday.....

Within 2 weeks I was a new person........no sickness, nausea or ulcers....

Been like that now since Christmas.......

Maybe a solution??

Robertis. Where have you been???????

MTX I tried injections but they didnt help my nausea so back on tablets now(with small children I felt it wasnt worh all the messing around).
I am surprised you take so many tablets. You can get them in 2.5mg and 10mg doses.You can then make up your total amount out of these combinations.They also need to order the injections and show you how to do the injection and keep it away from others etc
Elizabeth