Methotrexate side affects.

meanyjarReA

For the last two weeks I have been taking 20mg of methotrexate a week, up from 15mg. For two days after I have been feeling very lethargic, like the fatique wall you get when you have chronic pain. I have been going to bed super early as I can't seem to function at all after 8pm but still feeling very tired the next day even with 10 hours of sleep, albeit broken sleep!

Now, I do have new stresses in my life, my relationship broke up 5 weeks ago and I am coming near to the end of my college courses and have essays and exams to think about plus two children. So it could just be this!

What I am asking is, can this be the methotrexate, has anyone else had fatique like this with methotrexate and how long did it last?

dreamdaisy

One of the oft-mentioned side effects of meth is fatigue, so I reckon that is the majority of your tiredness - the other stresses are probably a factor too. If your body has been coping OK with the meth so far then I hope it will adjust to the increased level and that it starts to be even more effective for the arthritis. I wish you well. DD

barbara12

Hi
And if you are new welcome to the forum, sorry I cant help with your meds, but you poor thing having to got through all this on top of everything.
I just want to wish you well, and I really hope things improve for you very soon.
Love
Barbara x
Sorry I meant to say, that talking to us lot will help to get things off your chest, sometimes its easier then talking to family.

lorica

I take methotrexate, I was on 15mg for months I have now gone to 17.5mg and in a couple of weeks I will be on 20mg. I also suffer a great deal with fatigue. I tend to find I sleep all day on a sunday (my day for taking Metho) I sometimes have a sleepless night that night, or I sleep right through the night. Somedays I can feel ok, but as soon as I sit down to watch tv or to read, I end up fast asleep.

Are you taking folic acid mid week? I was told that folic acid helps to limit the chances of having side affects from the drugs.

To be honest Im still trying to come to terms with the fatigue, and at the moment my rhuemmy is still messing with my medications...!

Mark

ironic

Hi Jean-Mary,
You do have a lot going on at the moment so you would have felt run down anyway. I have noticed that I am more tired since starting the mtx too. Could you freeze a couple of meals for the days you find it worse to cope. I am lucky and can have a ‘nap’ after tea which does help. I do hope when the exams are finished you will start to feel a bit better.

I do hope things improve all round for you soon.
Lv, Ix

tillytop

Hello Jean-Mary

Like many on here I tend to struggle with fatigue anyway (I have RA) but it has got noticeably worse as I have increased my mtx (now at 20mg weekly) and decreased my steroid tabs. To be honest I am still not sure how much of the fatigue is the inflammation and how much is the mtx but much of the time I feel as if I am struggling to walk through treacle. :sad:

You obviously have lots going on in your life as well as the arthritis so that may well be a contributing factor but I just wondered if your doc has checked for anaemia which often goes along with active arthritis. It might be worth mentioning to the doc how you are feeling to rule out other causes.

Really hope that things improve for you soon.

Tillyxxx

Starburst

With methotrexate, I've found that the side effects do wear off a little. I'm also on 20mg and I am basically asleep the whole day after I take it (I take it at night). Fatigue in general is part of RA and unfortunately, the only way of dealing with it is to pace yourself. I know it's easier said than done, especially when you have a lot going on in your life.

Take care and feel free to vent whenever you like. We are all in a similar boat and know it hard it is. x

meanyjarReA

Thank you everyone for your replies.

I am accepting that the fatigue is probably part of taking methotrexate so I did a lot of googling fatigue beating foods today and have decided to try to help the situation by eating oaty breakfasts, lots of curly kale, salmon, spinach, nuts, dates etc! I am going to cut down on carbs too. I may change the day I take meth as I have college on a Tuesday and this was the day I felt the most tired. I will leave it for next week to see if the pattern is still the same then speak to the rheumy nurse about it. I am having lots of blood tests anyway and they check for anaemia anyway.