Methotrexate - Week 2 - Did anyone feel benefit early on ?

pols090607
pols090607 Bots Posts: 126
edited 5. Aug 2010, 06:25 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi,

I started Metho last week and seemed to get on ok with it, bit of tiredness and nauseus feelings here and there but generally not too bad - bearable.

Took it Wednesday night of this week, again yesterday has the tiredness, drained and a bit sickly feeling but today I woke up with no pain anywhere :shock: I felt normal getting out of bed.

Has anyone ever experienced the benefit of it earlier than the 12 weeks they say it takes to get into system, or is it just a fluke that I feel ok today and am probably having a good day :?

Pols xx
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Comments

  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    It varies from person to person: the guideline is 2-12 weeks before any benefit may be noted. I've been on injected meth for at least two years and I'm still waiting for any improvement. It's the other meds that I take that have worked but as the received wisdom is that meth supports them I have to take it. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • williamlargs
    williamlargs Member Posts: 143
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I had a similar quick response when I went on sulfasalazine 7 years ago. It worked so well that at my request I was allowed to come off it after 3 years.

    Had a flare again a few months ago and started meths 3 weeks ago. No response yet but to my great fortune no side effects so far touch wood.

    Can't say I have seen any benifit yet as when I decide to drop the daily cocktail of diclofenac and paracetomol to give my system a rest the pain levels shoot back up.

    Hope it has worked for you and your improvement continues.

    Good luck :D
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,398
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Pols,

    Like you, I felt the benefits really early, I kept thinking it must be my imagination..... it wasn't. Because I responded so well my Rheumy dropped my dose to 10mg to reduce the side effects and I've been on that dose eversince.

    Still get the odd bad day but that's all it is.

    Long may it continue for you.

    Luv Legs :D
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • pols090607
    pols090607 Bots Posts: 126
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    DD - Sorry to hear there's no improvement for you :(

    William - Hope yours kicks in soon :)

    Lindalegs and Lynn - so hope I will be lucky like both of you. If I could feel like I do today for most of the week I would be more than happy. It's so encouraging to hear good reports.

    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • marion1952
    marion1952 Member Posts: 963
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Pols - that's great to hear.

    I am a big fan of methotrexate ..

    Please keep posting and let us know how you get on


    Marion
  • caprica
    caprica Member Posts: 195
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    it's good to hear good news :) glad you're feeling better.
  • catlady
    catlady Member Posts: 41
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I took my first dose this week, great to hear it CAN work early. Here's hoping :lol::lol::lol:
  • salamander
    salamander Member Posts: 1,906
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    My consultant said that if one felt the benefit that quickly then it is psychological!! This said to me when I increased my dose 2 weeks before. I hadn't said I felt the benefit so was a bit perplexed as to why he said this. Just thought I would pass it on for what it is worth :)
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,398
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    salamander wrote:
    My consultant said that if one felt the benefit that quickly then it is psychological!! This said to me when I increased my dose 2 weeks before. I hadn't said I felt the benefit so was a bit perplexed as to why he said this. Just thought I would pass it on for what it is worth :)

    I was told I defo wouldn't feel the benefits for 2-3 months so when I couldn't believe it when I felt improvements almost immediately. (That was before I used this forum and didn't know anyone else on Mtx.) Whether it's psychological or not, it's great to feel much better.

    Luv Legs :D
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • wibberley
    wibberley Member Posts: 421
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Pols, I'm glad it's working so well for you.

    William - I too felt the benefits of sulpha almost immediately! Have missed the odd dose and felt okay but not sure if that would last beyond one dose - too cowardly to try it!

    Sal - that's an odd thing for him to say, isn't it? Can't think it was psychological for me - I'd tried a few anti-inflamms before the dmards and they had done nothing, so I was pretty sceptical!

    Lois x
  • williamlargs
    williamlargs Member Posts: 143
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    collywobble wrote:
    Hi Sally

    good to see you - hope you're doing okay?

    It does make you wonder how much is actually known for definite about MTX. I was told around 2-3 months too, but after such a quick improvement, my GP, rheumy nurse and rheumy all said that in some cases, this can happen, and lots of people do well on doses as low as 7.5 mg.

    I just know I went from not being able to do much at all, apart from hobble about, to being able to drive, walk, cook (if you can call it cooking :oops: ) - I did begin to wonder if they'd got the diagnosis wrong (wishful thinking), but as I've said before, I do have to pace myself, otherwise I am reminded how painful RA can be.

    Take care,
    Lynn xx

    I fully understand what you mean about wondering if they have got the diagnosis wrong. When I am on my daily cocktail of anti inflams and pain killers and I am functioning normally I start to think the same. Then I give them a miss for 24 hours or so to give my system a rest and check whether the Meths have kicked in or not and realise they are right!!!
    :shock:

    Hope they kick in soon.

    A point of interest for anyone looking in and regards a glass of red wine or whatever. I know I have only been on the meths for 3 weeks and still at 12.5 mg but first bloods were fine and I have enjoyed a gargle but very much in moderation. Hope this continues to be the case :D
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Mtx worked very quickly for me too , a couple of 10mg doses,but benefits soon wore off and so I kept having my dose upped. I would feel great then effects would wear off and feel worse than ever. Eventually got to 22.5mg and when the pain kicked in yet again so I was given Humira which worked immediately.
    Sulfasalazine was brill for 3 months but then stopped helping. Diclofenic had me walking pain free down the stairs after 5 months of dreadful pain but they wore off too!
    I am still taking sulfa and mtx as well as humira as never been told to stop.

    E x
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • hayleym17
    hayleym17 Member Posts: 4
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    pols090607 wrote:
    Has anyone ever experienced the benefit of it earlier than the 12 weeks they say it takes to get into system, or is it just a fluke that I feel ok today and am probably having a good day :?

    Pols xx

    i wish i felt the benefit early. ive been taking for 4 moths and feel no diff xx
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,398
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    hayleym17 wrote:

    i wish i felt the benefit early. ive been taking for 4 moths and feel no diff xx

    Don't give up hope yet Hayley as we're all different.

    Luv Legs :)
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • stel2777
    stel2777 Member Posts: 2
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    williamlargs wrote:
    I had a similar quick response when I went on sulfasalazine 7 years ago. It worked so well that at my request I was allowed to come off it after 3 years.

    Had a flare again a few months ago and started meths 3 weeks ago. No response yet but to my great fortune no side effects so far touch wood.

    Can't say I have seen any benifit yet as when I decide to drop the daily cocktail of diclofenac and paracetomol to give my system a rest the pain levels shoot back up.

    Hope it has worked for you and your improvement continues.

    Good luck :D
    hi im due to start methotrexate next wk, but i am dreading it. im more worried about any side effects that trigger my lungs because apart fron copd and asthma i have rheumatoid arthritis which the flare ups are painful to me and in my ankle. need some advice will i be ok on the low dose. thanks :roll:
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Everyone varies so much with their response to meth: I have only had one lot of side effects with injected meth, in over two years of having it. It has not affected my lungs (I'm asthmatic but that's subdued by humira) and it's done nothing for my PA. I sincerely hope that it works for you with no/minimum side effects. Dreamdaisy
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,398
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    stel2777 wrote:
    ......... copd and asthma i have rheumatoid arthritis which the flare ups are painful to me and in my ankle. need some advice will i be ok on the low dose. thanks :roll:

    Hi Stel,

    Welcome to the forums. :D

    The only side effects I've suffered from taking Mtx tabs (10mg) are sickness and headaches ....these were only in the beginning and soon settled down. I've been on it for 2 years now.

    You will be monitored closely especially at first.

    Try not to worry.

    Luv Legs :)
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • salamander
    salamander Member Posts: 1,906
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    You are lucky if the mtx is working for you quickly, wish it had for me. I don't think it was particularly an odd thing to say about psychological effects, it is well known that the mind is a powerful tool however, if a drug has a build up time of 10 weeks or so it would be unlikely to work within 2 weeks (thinking back to my medical days and how things work.....) but it could be that that period coincided with a good patch so it just seemed to work more quickly - if you get my meaning.

    Still, who cares if the result is good!

    Hi Lynn, how are you doing? I haven't been posting much as is the summer and am out and about as much as I can be. Going to be taught how to self inject mtx tomorrow in the hope it works better and with less side effects. I'm still struggling with my joints most of the time but am trying to carry on. What about you? xx
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Good luck for tomorrow salamander. It isn't as bad as you might fear - I'll be thinking of you. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • stel2777
    stel2777 Member Posts: 2
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    lindalegs wrote:
    stel2777 wrote:
    ......... copd and asthma i have rheumatoid arthritis which the flare ups are painful to me and in my ankle. need some advice will i be ok on the low dose. thanks :roll:

    Hi Stel,

    Welcome to the forums. :D

    The only side effects I've suffered from taking Mtx tabs (10mg) are sickness and headaches ....these were only in the beginning and soon settled down. I've been on it for 2 years now.

    You will be monitored closely especially at first.
    thanks for your support. i'll have to go on it because i need to cope more with my arthritis on medication. i should have started it yesterday but my pharmacist told me to leave it a week because i have had two teeth out because of an infection and i am on antibiotics until the weekend. is this correct whilst i have an infection i cant take methotrexate? kind regards stel


    Try not to worry.

    Luv Legs :)
    :lol:
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,398
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    stel2777 wrote:
    thanks for your support. i'll have to go on it because i need to cope more with my arthritis on medication. i should have started it yesterday but my pharmacist told me to leave it a week because i have had two teeth out because of an infection and i am on antibiotics until the weekend. is this correct whilst i have an infection i cant take methotrexate? kind regards stel

    You're taken off Mtx and other Dmards during an infection because these group of drugs dampen your body's immune system and so your body is unable to fight the infection and they counteract the antibiotics which boost your immune system...... I think. :?

    Luv Legs
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi salamander, how did the tuition go? Do you feel confident about it now? DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • williamlargs
    williamlargs Member Posts: 143
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    stel2777 wrote:
    williamlargs wrote:
    I had a similar quick response when I went on sulfasalazine 7 years ago. It worked so well that at my request I was allowed to come off it after 3 years.

    Had a flare again a few months ago and started meths 3 weeks ago. No response yet but to my great fortune no side effects so far touch wood.

    Can't say I have seen any benifit yet as when I decide to drop the daily cocktail of diclofenac and paracetomol to give my system a rest the pain levels shoot back up.

    Hope it has worked for you and your improvement continues.

    Good luck :D
    hi im due to start methotrexate next wk, but i am dreading it. im more worried about any side effects that trigger my lungs because apart fron copd and asthma i have rheumatoid arthritis which the flare ups are painful to me and in my ankle. need some advice will i be ok on the low dose. thanks :roll:

    Hello and welcome. I am now on week 4 and up to 15mg MTX. Instructions are to be up to 20mg by week 6. So far so good as far as side effects are concerned but no huge difference to RA but feeling quite good this morning. First monthly bloods were OK too. Now touching all things wood!!!

    Remember that for every poor person that has side effects there is probably lots who don't. I think :?:

    Good luck and keep the chin up. :)
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hey wiliam, that's good news from you - I hope it continues to ease your symptoms. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • williamlargs
    williamlargs Member Posts: 143
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    dreamdaisy wrote:
    Hey wiliam, that's good news from you - I hope it continues to ease your symptoms. DD

    Ta DD. I must confess to a gargle also, very much in moderation I must admit, and liver function hasn't moved! So heres hoping but I will continue to be careful!!

    Can't believe that I have actually enjoyed 'almost total sobriety'! :lol:

    Hope your keeping as well as can be x

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