Switching to Methetrexate & Steriod injections

DebraKelly
DebraKelly Member Posts: 398
edited 5. Jan 2012, 13:27 in Living with Arthritis archive
Been to see my consultant today, and after the last 3 months of pain, I have to switch to Meth injections and Steriod injections, currently taking meth tablets and co-codomal.

They apparently teach you to do the meth injections yourself, but its something that I am not looking forward to as I don't do needles.

Will see how it goes.

Comments

  • ritwren
    ritwren Member Posts: 928
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hopefully you'll find it's not as bad as you anticipate. I've been injecting for a few years now and am used to it. The needles are small a bit like the ones used for injecting insulin and I've found that me pinching my skin is often worse than the injection itself. I need to go easier lol.
    The steroid injection will be given by a nurse and won't be anything like the methotrexate injections you'll be doing yourself.
    I'm sure there will be lots of help and support fromt he lovely folk on here.
    Good luck. Rita.
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,281
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Debra
    Im glad to hear that things are moving on for you, hopefully you will get lots of relief from the meds...has for the needles..well you and me both, but I have been told that its not that bad and you get used to it very soon....says me..please let us know how you are getting on.xx
    Love
    Barbara
  • sulkycat
    sulkycat Member Posts: 71
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi - I have just stopped injecting methotrexate as it made me too ill. Same as you I dreaded starting it but it wasn't as bad as expected - I certainly didn't enjoy it but it wasn't horrendous.

    If you want detailed info there's a link to my blog in my profile, I did a post on injecting a month or so ago (it comes with piccies be warned!).

    It stings more than hurts, for a minute or two afterwards - advice I had was to let go of the pinched part as soon as the needle goes in, and to rub it gently afterwards to ease the stinging.

    The steroid jabs don't hurt much at all (the ones I had were into my derriere, nice eh) - sadly all they did for me was make me balloon!

    Good luck!
  • silverbirch
    silverbirch Member Posts: 63
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    What meds were you on before the methetrexate sc, I took the meth tablets and thought I was dying, came off them put on Sulfasalazine( wrong spelling ) they made me ill as well, now on quinoric, working fine at the moment, not had to many flare-ups.
  • DebraKelly
    DebraKelly Member Posts: 398
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I am on Meth tablets at the moment and haven't been ill at all with these, so I am hoping that I won't be ill with the injections either.

    Not looking forward to it though. Will post an update once I get started.

    Did the Steriod injections help with the pain at all?
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I've been doing my own meth injections for a year now and after an intial bout of apprehension (simply because I was out of practice, the humira jab is a whole different ball game) it's now done and dusted in a trice, with very little trouble, very little sting (the stomach is a grand area as it has fewer nerves) and it saves me a deal of time: before I was deemed a suitable candidate for self-injecting I had to go to the hospital every week and that was a total bind, a two second process could mean spending up to 90 minutes just waiting for it to be done. :roll: Nor any more! :grin:

    I am lucky in that I am rarely troubled by meth side effects. You will have a smaller dose as the liquid is stronger than the pills and as you by-pass the digestive system ickiness is much less of an issue - amd may even disappear! I hope the steroid helps, I wish you success with the jabs, I am sure you will be fine. I have never found that the steroid helped with pain relief but everyone is different. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • tiggernut
    tiggernut Member Posts: 339
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Debra,

    I've been on MTX injections for a couple of years now. I was on tablets but had tummy problems. My husband has to do the injections as my hands are to deformed I can't hold the needle. He usually does it in my tummy as I find that's better than the leg. At the moment he has to put the needle in the pre filled syringe but when this lot runs out we are getting them ready done which are better the needle is much smaller.
    I have no side effects at all now.
    Having said that I can't have anymore than 10mg as I get chest infections!
    I must admit even if I had the hands to do it myself I don't think I could I'd have to shut my eyes lol!
    Good luck,
    Anita.

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