headaches and methotrexate.

tkachev

I have had a few nasty headaches lately and have noticed they coincide with when I take MTX. Does anyone else get similar?
IT starts in the night and keeps me well awake and although used to lack of sleep with R.A it is another thing to deal with.

My overall pain has now gone down but my cold has returned and my knees keep giving way and sometimes feel displaced, like I have left my knee cap behind if I try to walk anything other than slow. I couldn't get on with the knee support I'm afraid.

I hope every one is coping wellish...

Elizabeth

constable

Hi Elizabeth,

Sorry to hear that you are having nasty headaches,I wish could I help.
But it is good that the general pain has eased. Keep your chin up, sending you some hugs.

Karen xx

barbara12

Hi Elizebeth
Sorry I cant help, but I do hope the headache goes away soon, and the bones stay less painful, it seem to be get rid of something and replace with something else.
Wishing you well with it
Love
Barbara x

lindalegs

Hi Elizabeth,

I've suffered with waking headaches for a long time now - mine are such that whatever time during the night they start I have to get up take Paracetamol and sit up till they go. I wouldn't say the pain is bad it just won't allow me to lie down.

I take Mtx on Tuesday and I'm usually guaranteed waking headaches on Thursday, Friday and Saturday ........at least! :shock:

My GP and I don't know whether it's Mtx or the Menopause as I used to get these same waking headaches around and during my period.

When I have my op on my knee I'll have to be off Mtx for a few weeks and it'll be interesting to see whether the heads go as well.

Hope this helps.

dreamdaisy

I think that headaches can be a side-effect of meth, I had crippling ones with leflunomide (a similar beast meds wise). Have you recently increased your meth dose? Have you had them before? It's good to hear that your joint pain has reduced - it may be a case of trading one thing off against the other but I hope not. DD

tkachev

lindalegs wrote:

Hi Elizabeth,

I've suffered with waking headaches for a long time now - mine are such that whatever time during the night they start I have to get up take Paracetamol and sit up till they go. I wouldn't say the pain is bad it just won't allow me to lie down.

I take Mtx on Tuesday and I'm usually guaranteed waking headaches on Thursday, Friday and Saturday ........at least! :shock:

My GP and I don't know whether it's Mtx or the Menopause as I used to get these same waking headaches around and during my period.

When I have my op on my knee I'll have to be off Mtx for a few weeks and it'll be interesting to see whether the heads go as well.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Linda, my once-a-week headaches feel bad enough to keep me awake and I usually take 3 lots of paracetemol before it finally goes.I usually get it same day as I take the MTX but I will need to monitor more often to see if they are linked. I usually try to go back to sleep so I will see if sitting up helps next time. At least it is only once a week but as such interferes with the next day so not much can get done. At least my children are old enough to understand now and let me rest.

Good luck Linda with the up coming knee op.Hope you will want to let us know when it is so we can give you our best wishes,

Elizabeth

tkachev

dreamdaisy wrote:

I think that headaches can be a side-effect of meth, I had crippling ones with leflunomide (a similar beast meds wise). Have you recently increased your meth dose? Have you had them before? It's good to hear that your joint pain has reduced - it may be a case of trading one thing off against the other but I hope not. DD

I have been on the same MTX dose for ages but have increased my sulfasalazine recently to 2x2. I have had headaches for ages but only the last 2 started during the night whereas previously they were during a stressful time, but have only just noticed a link with MTX.

E x

lindalegs

I've been monitoring mine for over a year now Elizabeth, I know it's sad, and I'm still unsure if it's linked ....but it is interesting.

Hope the sitting up helps, I usually just doze on a chair and then when I'm sure it's gone and if it's still before 7:00 a.m. I go back to bed. I'm glad your children understand, it does help.

I've just phoned the hospital regards my op and they're ringing me back tomorrow with a date :shock:

tkachev

Thank you Karen and Barbara for your good wishes.Karen my chin is up just would like to know if it is common to get headaches with MTX. At least headaches go after a while and I have never suffered from migraines.


E x

tkachev

lindalegs wrote:

I've been monitoring mine for over a year now Elizabeth, I know it's sad, and I'm still unsure if it's linked ....but it is interesting.

Hope the sitting up helps, I usually just doze on a chair and then when I'm sure it's gone and if it's still before 7:00 a.m. I go back to bed. I'm glad your children understand, it does help.

I've just phoned the hospital regards my op and they're ringing me back tomorrow with a date :shock:

No it is good to monitor because then you can be prepared and control it a bit.
I know you have a lot to deal with yourself at the moment so thank you for taking the time to come on here and advise.

I know my 'loose' stomach is mtx related from when I was off them and back on them. It is a good chance to monitor symptoms.

E x

dreamdaisy

It could be the increase in the sulph that is causing the headaches then, it is one of the listed side-effects of it. It is a bother sometimes, trying to track which is the culprit med. DD

tkachev

I wonder if it is the sulfa? I upped it because of the increase in pain, they didn't really want me to cut it down in the fist place but I was doing well a few months back.
See my Rhuemmy nurse on Thursday so will ask about it then.

Elizabeth

dreamdaisy

Good luck for today's appointment, tkachev, I hope the nurse can shed some light on what is behind the headaches - if it is the sulph do you think you will battle on with it and see if they ease? Sometimes they do. It is so hard to know what the best course of action is sometimes, isn't it? DD

skezier

Hi Elizabeth,

I am sorry your getting a weekly headache and think it is likely to be drug related cus its only weekly. I had headaches with both the sulfa and the mtx at what ever dose high or low. I don;t seem to the jabs but I do have headaches anyway at times and have tablets to help stop them from happening.

The drug ones can still do it cus they are for a different reason.

Hope it will ease off and leaving you a (((( )))) and a hope xx

Legs just leaving you a ((((( )))))) and hope you will find it will stop for you what ever is causing it. xx

lindalegs

skezier wrote:

Hi Elizabeth,
.........................Legs just leaving you a ((((( )))))) and hope you will find it will stop for you what ever is causing it. xx

Thanks Cris - a hug is always a comfort for whatever reason it's given ((( ))) for you too