sorry if this is a stupid question

lare73
lare73 Member Posts: 154
edited 18. Oct 2010, 13:32 in My child has arthritis
right, morning all.

i have woke up this morning and feel super anxious.
tom starts mtx on friday 20mg - is mtx chemotherapy?
i know that probably sounds stupid, but the dr's haven't used that term but reading about it its clear its an anti-cancer drug.
anyone lost any hair whilst on it???

sorry for posting, feel stupid for not realising. :(

clare

Comments

  • scattered
    scattered Member Posts: 326
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Technically MTX is chemotherapy. It is used to treat cancer in much higher doses than we take. Tom might lose a bit of hair, but he should have been given folic acid to help with side-effects, which should offset any hair loss. Because we take such a small dose compared to cancer sufferers we don't lose so much hair, if any.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Yes it is a chemo drug, but as scattered has explained we do take it at much lower doses. Some people have reported hair loss - indeed mine falls out, but is that due to age (51) or meth (17.5mg injected weekly) ? Don't fret too much - ask about folic acid and I just hope that meth works for Tom. For some it is very effective and I hope he falls into that camp. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • radders
    radders Member Posts: 42
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    lare73 wrote:
    right, morning all.

    i have woke up this morning and feel super anxious.
    tom starts mtx on friday 20mg - is mtx chemotherapy?
    i know that probably sounds stupid, but the dr's haven't used that term but reading about it its clear its an anti-cancer drug.
    anyone lost any hair whilst on it???

    sorry for posting, feel stupid for not realising. :(

    clare

    Hi Clare

    From my understanding they use a highly diluted form of the drug - so very different side effects to chemotherapy. So far Betty's never had hair loss and she's had a four year stint with mtx, a six month break and is now back on it.

    Don't give yourself a hard time - I think we've got an awful lot of support here and no-one is going to pass judgement on any of our worries or questions.

    Best wishes
    Kath
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    That's a good point radders - perhaps they do dilute it for children, as their constitutions are not as strong as an adults - is constitution the right word? They have smaller bodies, hence possible dilution. That could be a question you could ask, lare, when he starts. It is a labyrinth, the treatment of arthritis. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • marion1952
    marion1952 Member Posts: 963
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Clare

    As others have said, methotrexate is used to treat cancer, but in a much much much much higher dosage than is used for arthritis.

    I am a big fan of methotrexate - it worked for me (I'm an adult RA sufferer). My hair became thinner for a while, but it's as thick as ever now, even though I'm still taking it.

    Hope everything goes OK for Tom.

    Look after yourself too ..

    Marion x
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello lare, I just wanted to pass on my best wishes for Tom (and you) for tomorrow. I shall be thinking of you both. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • andylambs
    andylambs Member Posts: 71
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Clare,

    Everyone else has told you all you need to know about MTX. My daughter (who was on MTX from age 5 to age 6) has awful hair; really thin and it breaks all the time. I blamed MTX while I could, but now she's been on Enbrel for nearly a year and her hair is still terrible.

    Good luck to Tom and you. I hope the MTX works for him.

    Andy
  • maxi90
    maxi90 Member Posts: 11
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    hey clare
    i have been on mxt for the last 7yrs and my highest dose was 17.5mg a week but i never experenced any hair loss an over the past few yrs the dose has been dropping as i have been growing out of it. yes mxt is a chemo drug but it is nothing to worry about as the others have said we take it in such low doses it shouldnt affect us like it does with the cancer paitents aslo tom should e put on folic acid as well normally about 2.5mg weekly to be taken on a seperate day of the week to the mxt.
    hope this helps make things clearer.
    lare73 wrote:
    right, morning all.

    i have woke up this morning and feel super anxious.
    tom starts mtx on friday 20mg - is mtx chemotherapy?
    i know that probably sounds stupid, but the dr's haven't used that term but reading about it its clear its an anti-cancer drug.
    anyone lost any hair whilst on it???

    sorry for posting, feel stupid for not realising. :(

    clare

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