blood tests how often

deborahjane
deborahjane Member Posts: 120
edited 24. May 2010, 08:12 in Living with Arthritis archive
how often does every one have blood tests when on mtx i have one every month.but i have heard you need go only every 3 months. :?: :?:

Comments

  • scattered
    scattered Member Posts: 326
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    It depends how long you've been on the drug. You rheumatologist should be the one who decides how often you need to have bloods. When I first started I had them every 2 weeks until I was settled on a dose. That took about 6 months. Now I've been told I have them monthly. I expect that as long as everything stays fine and my dose doesn't change I will go to 3 monthly in about 6 months.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I've been bi-monthly now for over five years, due to taking other meds too. I did briefly go to monthly but then things went wrong and I'm back on bi. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • janie68
    janie68 Member Posts: 1,186
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi

    I think it is quite useful to have your bloods done monthly anyway to keep a check on your inflammation levels. I go monthly but have been weekly, fortnightly also before.

    Janie
  • cthornley
    cthornley Member Posts: 627
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    how often does every one have blood tests when on mtx i have one every month.but i have heard you need go only every 3 months. :?: :?:

    as everybody has said it depends how long you've been on MTX
    in my hospital the standard practice is every 2 weeks for the 1st month, then monthly for a year, then 2 monthly thereafter for as long as the treatment continues. If there are any problems then monitoring may be increased to keep a closer eye on things.
    I had to have the 1st year monitoring with the hospital but now can go to community monitoring (at the Gp's ) if I want.

    I'm now every 2 months now yay!
    Chrissie