METHOTREXATE ... been told to stop taking immediately

carola
carola Member Posts: 786
edited 24. May 2011, 13:46 in Living with Arthritis archive
Good Morning Everyone

Hope you all managed a decent sleep.

My Rheumy Nurse has just telephoned me to tell me to stop taking my Methotrexate immediately. I take 20mg weekly.

I do blood tests fortnightly and the last 2 my ALT has been increasing - 112 2 weeks ago and yesterday increased to 135.

I stopped taking the contraceptive pill a month ago and I read somewhere that this can sometimes elevate the ALT reading however when I asked the Rheumy Nurse she said no.

I didn't think you could stop Methotrexate cold turkey but I must be wrong.

Does anyone else have similar experience?

Hope you all have a pain free day today.
Carol

Comments

  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,764
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    No experience with meth v contraceptive pill (Way beyond that when I started with the meth) or with increased ALT levels as I've never had any problems with meth.

    However, I can tell you it's perfectly OK to go 'cold turkey'. I did it once before a THR because at the time it was thought better to come off it for a few weeks beforehand. I'd no problems and, just as it takes a while to work in the first place, it also took a while before the good effect wore off. (However, I was stuck in the wheelchair and doing begger all at the time so not demanding too much of my joints.)
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • Poppyg1rl
    Poppyg1rl Member Posts: 1,245
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Carol,
    You'll be fine to stop methotrexate, I had to stop methotrexate, Sulfasalazine and humira immediately about 3 weeks ago as I suffered from interstitial pneumonitis caused by one of the drugs. I'm off everything bar 25mg prednisolone till 10th June as my lung needs to recover.
    I do hope your ALT level comes down soon and you can re start your methotrexate.
    Thinking of you love and hugs x
    'grá agus solas'
    'Love and Light' translated from Irish. X
  • carola
    carola Member Posts: 786
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Stickywicket - thankyou. I was wanting off the Meth anyway as little voices in my head (!) were telling me it was doing me no good. Keeping my paws crossed that swelling does not return when I am off it as I have always claimed to my Rheumy that the Meth didn't make a difference and that it was the other meds doing the work!
  • carola
    carola Member Posts: 786
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Poppygirl

    Thankyou for your reply - it has given me peace of mind.

    Hoping your lung improves pronto.

    Carol
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,764
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    carola wrote:
    Keeping my paws crossed that swelling does not return when I am off it as I have always claimed to my Rheumy that the Meth didn't make a difference and that it was the other meds doing the work!

    These rash statements we make do have a habit of returning to bite us on the bum.

    I'll keep mine crossed for you too.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I came off everything overnight in early January 2007. My liver figures went from the low twenties to 600plus when the enbrel turned nasty - the term used was 'deranged liver'. You gotta love that. I had three months with nothing (apart from sulph and then oral steroids after six weeks). By the end of April everything was back to normal and the meds were resumed. My liver has been fine ever since, despite my best attempts to cause it some harm.

    This is the point of the monitoring. This is why we so the bloods as often as we do. I felt absolutely fine, I remember the gastroenterologist telling me that my figures were not that unreasonable (in his eyes) that people with liver disease could score in the thousands. :shock:

    I am sure all will be well carola. Keep us updated, please. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Carol,

    No similar experience with the bloods but I also have stopped both sulfa and mtx just like that and it was ok. Went back on the mtx at the same does 3 weeks later.

    Hope you will soon be ok blood wise and nice to see you. Cris x
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,026
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hope the bloods settle very quickly for you Carola dn then maybe you can start back on your MTX slowly?

    Love and hugs

    toni xx
  • carola
    carola Member Posts: 786
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Frogmorton, Skezier, Stickywicket and DD

    Thank you so much for your posts - having heard your thoughts I am now comfortable with the no meth thing.

    Actually, I am really hoping that it makes no difference to my swellings and pain .... as I really do not like the meth ..... am I being a spoilt wee brat asking for too much?!

    .... we shall see! Need to take a heaped spoonful of my own medicine ie think positive!

    Hope you all have a good evening. It is very sunny here in Edinburgh but help ma' boab, it is mighty windy! (And no, it is not the mung beans!)Carol

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