Sorry - me again - MTX Wk 3 Question ?

pols090607

Hello Lovely People,

It's me again, more MTX questions ?!

Started off first two weeks on 7.5mg = slight nausea and fatigue, although bearable.

Week 3 = 15mg - knocked me for six, dizzy and sickness (although not actually sick) - didn't get dressed for two days

Will this wear off in a few weeks, I am dreading taking 15 mg again. Did people find that as the weeks went on the symptoms got easier ?

Thanks xx

tarasmygirl

Hi pols

I just took my first dose of 15mg mtx yesterday - was on 7.5mg for 4 weeks . Felt sickish today but that appears to have eased off. Don't seem to have had such a severe reaction as I have managed to get to work . possibly the move up to higher dose was to soon for you, can you contact your rheumy nurse, of you GP for advice.
Hope you feel better
Cath

Wonkylegs

sorry you have felt so bad this week.

having taken MTX both in tablet form and for many years as injections, I can only say that for me any dose increase usually meant a few weeks of nausea and then my body would get used to this higher dose, until we reached the ultimate dose that my body would tollerate.

I would agree with those who suggest you ring your rheumy nurse to have a chat, and also to see whether they think you might increase the dose more slowly, or in smaller increments until you reach the target dose.

good luck!
WOnky

dreamdaisy

You doubled the dose in one fell swoop - why? Whose advice was that? Whenever mine has been increased it's been done 2.5 at a time. No wonder you felt ill. Seek some advice from someone who knows, your rheumatology department should help. DD

tarasmygirl

Hi DD
Rheumatology Doctor set dose for my MTX and I'm glad I have the clinic this afternoon. yesterday was a bit worse than previous weeks after MTX, but today I'm feeling really sick - had to force myself to eat to take anti inflammatories and tiredness is worse than before - usually get to midday or later before it hits me - just got to office and could go to sleep. Head aches ( bad enough that I had to take tablets ) and I'm, going between cool and superhot.
If clinic wasn't so close to work (and much further from home ) would go home.
Will ask about MTX dosage at clinic
Still moan over - will try and get some work done and will log back on tonight
Cath

dreamdaisy

Hi tara, yes, meth is rough for many people. It is worth persevering with it, so I understand, because it can make a huge difference (and in a good way!) to RA and associated conditions. I sincerely hope that you and pols are two of them. Arthritis is a 'strong' disease as I see it, ie med resistant! It needs something with a bit of wallop to 'treat' it, so it's no wonder that so many feel poorly when taking meth. DD

carola

I steadily increased ,y dose to 20mg and felt sicky until my body got used to it. One week I took 22.5mg by mistake and felt awful so it sounds like your body is just adjusting.

pols090607

hi to everyone and thanks for all the replies,

have just got off the phone to the rheumy nurse and she has advised me to take it back down to 10mg for a few weeks. thank god for that, the thought of another two days of it doesn't bear thinking about.

it's not good having to take it of a weekend so I don't need to take time off work but then the down side is that my two little girls miss out as i'm fit for nothing hopefully this lower dose will have me up and about again

does anyone think the size of your body or weight has anything to do with it also. i am only 5'1 and 8'7lb ?

tarasmygirl, i don't know how you're coping today at work (hugs) - pj's and tv as soon as you get home - that's an order !

xxxxxxxxxxxx

williamlargs

Hi

I suspect body weight may have something to do with it. If I remember I started on MTX about the same time as you. I go up to 17.5mg tonight and then 20mg next week ie started at 7.5mg then a further 2.5mg a week till I get to the 20.

Touching all things wood within a mile of me I have had no probs except being able to drop off at the drop of a hat. This has always been a party trick of mine anyway so don't know if its the meds or not.

Anyway I am 6 feet 2 inches and just short of 15 stones so this may be something to do with it. Having said that I'll probably take the 17.5 mg tonight and head straight for the big white telephone :?

Hope you feel better soon x

dreamdaisy

They calculate your maximum dose according to body weight: reaching it should always be done in smaller steps. Good luck with it - I hope it's OK for you.

Hi William! DD

williamlargs

Hi DD.

Daily diclofenic and paracetomol cocktail still having to be taken so meths haven't kicked in yet. maybe when i hit 20 mg who knows.

Hope your OK and still enjoying your 2 glasses of grape based juice a day?

Had a few within reason at the weekend. Bloods at the end of the month hopefully will be OK. Got a couple of gigs with the band between now and then and have got to keep up the rock'n'roll image to a certain extent!!! :shock:

Kind Regards

tkachev

pols090607 wrote:

Hello Lovely People,

It's me again, more MTX questions ?!

Started off first two weeks on 7.5mg = slight nausea and fatigue, although bearable.

Week 3 = 15mg - knocked me for six, dizzy and sickness (although not actually sick) - didn't get dressed for two days

Will this wear off in a few weeks, I am dreading taking 15 mg again. Did people find that as the weeks went on the symptoms got easier ?

Thanks xx

Variable symptoms in my opinion. 2 weeks ago I had no symptoms, last week spent 3 days wiped out in bed. My dose was lowered to 17.5 mg 3 weeks ago.
Any improvement in pain yet, although it is very early days?
Your dose was increased quite sharply. Usually they increase 2.5 mg at a time in the early days.


Elizabeth x

dreamdaisy

William, despite a cocktail of anti-inflams, oral steroids and anti-tnf plus meth my pain killers have never been kicked into touch. And I suspect they never will be. Ho-hum. That's why I like the grape juice - they make the pain killers work so much better! DD

williamlargs

Must be a drag pal keep the chin up. Maybe some day xx

dreamdaisy

It is and I do and no, it never will get better. There's no point in shirking that fact. When the humira stops working (which it will, they all do) that's it. There's nothing left to try. It doesn't matter. I'm fourteen years in to this, I can handle it! DD

williamlargs

I'm sure you can. You seem like a very strong character to me and also like me have good support behind you.

W

dreamdaisy

Yes, I'm fortunate in having the support of The Husband and people on here. The forums have been both a revelation and a new lease of life! I hope you are having a good-ish day today, William: how long have you been on meth now? About six weeks or is it a little longer than that? DD

williamlargs

Took 7.5mg on July 13th and will take 17.5mg tonight

dreamdaisy

Good luck with that, I humira'd yesterday (40mg) and I have the meth stabbing tomorrow, also at 17.5. Are you treated like a grown up and allowed to do your own or do you have to go and see someone? The policy round here is that you have to go to hospital and they do it for you. It's a right pain in the Harris! DD

tarasmygirl

Hi everyone
Saw Rheumy doctor today at clinic and told him how I was feeling and asked if it was the dosage ( up from 7.5mg to 15mg on Sunday ) He has prescribed an anti sickness tablet - can't remember name will have to wait until I collect tablets tomorrow- and has said to take 15mg again this Sunday along with the anti sickness ones and if that doesn't help then to drop down to 12.5mg for a few weeks, also to split Metho dose throughout the day rather than taking in one lot.
Next appointment with him is mid September - I'm on a TaSER study as a newly diagnosed RA sufferer which means I get to see the same doctor every month for 18 months with some ultrasound scans done as well to monitor the progress.
Still feeling a bit seedy but felt like eating some dinner and walking the dog, so that is an improvement. would love to have a glass of wine but as I am driving at 6.45 weekday mornings will leave it until Friday night. That's one good thing ??? about RA - as I have trouble carrying the shopping OH has to come with me so I don't really drive at the weekends. Well I'm off to empty the washing machine - what an exciting evening

Cath

williamlargs

dreamdaisy wrote:

Good luck with that, I humira'd yesterday (40mg) and I have the meth stabbing tomorrow, also at 17.5. Are you treated like a grown up and allowed to do your own or do you have to go and see someone? The policy round here is that you have to go to hospital and they do it for you. It's a right pain in the Harris! DD

Pill form DD. I have never really had any probs with pill popping. legal ones that is right back to my over actives thyroid days which was approx 11 years ago. This was probably the start of my challenges. Another auto immune issue which suggests my anti bodies have been confused even before my RA reared its ugly head.

W

dreamdaisy

I started on the pill form William, but developed a rash so they took me off them pronto. Gave me three months without, or possibly longer, then started the injections. So far so good - only one small bout of nausea but as far as I can tell it's done very little, if anything, for the arthritis. I feel so much better within myself when I miss it for any reason - so I guess I do have a reaction to it!

Over-active immune systems are the source of many troubles. I had severe eczema and asthma as a child, I guess PA was the next logical step. I hope you have a good week. Chat soon. DD

breane

Hi,It does appear that MTX affects us all so differently.I'm on week 13 of taking MTX and up until last weekend had no probs with this drug but after taking it on Sat. I've had nausea a bad headache and upset tummy. Yesterday was a bad day,I couldn't eat much because of feeling sick and was so tired I could hardly keep awake.I'm only on 7.5mg (plus Hydroxy) although the MTX may be increased when I see the rheumy nurse next month.Has anyone missed a dose of MTX when they've been away on holiday?I don't want the nausea etc. to ruin my holiday. and I'm thinking of missing it while I'm away. Breane.

dreamdaisy

Hi breane, yes I missed two weeks recently and felt fantastic! I don't usually suffer with meth side effects but I do notice the diference when I don't have it (I have to go to the hospital once a week for the jab, I am not allowed to do it myself, despite doing other jabs.) I am on 17.5, not that big a dose. If yours is increased, go gently - no more than 2.5 at a time. DD

whitey44

williamlargs wrote:

Hi

I suspect body weight may have something to do with it. If I remember I started on MTX about the same time as you. I go up to 17.5mg tonight and then 20mg next week ie started at 7.5mg then a further 2.5mg a week till I get to the 20.

Touching all things wood within a mile of me I have had no probs except being able to drop off at the drop of a hat. This has always been a party trick of mine anyway so don't know if its the meds or not.

Anyway I am 6 feet 2 inches and just short of 15 stones so this may be something to do with it. Having said that I'll probably take the 17.5 mg tonight and head straight for the big white telephone :?

Hope you feel better soon x

Thank you Williamlargs, you made me because it appears that not only do we have the same reaction to MTX, dropping off at the drop of a hat; (I started at 10mg then 2.5mg weekly until I got to 20mg; been on this dose for four weeks) we have shared the same party trick for years as well! I too am wondering if it's the meds because the pain seems to be worst all over, i.e never suffered as much with muscle pain, yet, MTX has reduced inflammation in my hands. Hopefully, there will be overall improvement in my wellbeing in four weeks (twelve weeks after starting MTX).

Has anyone with RA ever had pain and swelling in the sternum and lumbar regions :?:

Pure wishes to you all Whitey

dreamdaisy

We can all do that here! These drugs mess with the body big-time. Foul things. It can come . . . upon one qui . . . .te sudden . . . .zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. DD