methotrexate nausea

Kittkat
Kittkat Member Posts: 309
edited 16. May 2014, 16:45 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi all
I started meth on 7.5mg, then 10mg
Now I am on 12.5 and have been experiencing horrible nausea for days after.Has anyone else had this problem?Is it possible this nausea would wear off?
Thanks
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?

Comments

  • Boomer13
    Boomer13 Member Posts: 1,931
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Kittkat;

    I have nausea too with mtx too. Mine did improve with time :D Not fun though. I used to drink ginger pop for mine. Helped a little. I take injectable now but still have some nausea. If it is really bad I take ginger capsules, they help.

    Take care,
    Anna
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    This is a common complaint. I find that coke helps any nausea I experience whereas ginger makes it worse. Peppermint is OK but coke is my favourite. Your body may well adjust in time but in the meanwhile contact your rheumatology unit to ask about increasing your folic acid and to see if they have any other suggestions such as an anti-emetic med. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • DebraKelly
    DebraKelly Member Posts: 398
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I am suffering a bit from sickness again with Meth, I have been on it since I was diagnosed 5 years ago.

    It will come and go, but it should die down within a few weeks.

    Try a mint or diet coke the next day after your Meth, I always take the Meth at night just before I go to bed as I always feel shattered the next day if I don't.

    Do you take folic acid the next day? this should help too.
  • ritwren
    ritwren Member Posts: 928
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    As DD has already said, nausea is very common with Methotrexate. However, your GP can prescribe an anti sickness tablet to take for the couple of days around treatment. That's what I do and it does help.
  • marrianne
    marrianne Member Posts: 1,161
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Kitkat,Yes the sickness is very bad for about 3 days n my case only on 10 mg s lots of poorly both ends to hate the stuff yes folic acid something for replacing body salts anti sickness pills on presc ...crystallised ginger eating little and often. Wheat crackers and Edam cheese ,I did hear that injected method helps. Oh and oatmeal before the dose :mrgreen: good luck xx
  • marrianne
    marrianne Member Posts: 1,161
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Oh nearly forgot sea sickness bands they do work but they are very tight to apply pressure to the. Point inner wrist so wear with caution if you have arthritic wrists did find some adjustable ones on a. Son
  • trepolpen
    trepolpen Member Posts: 504
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    how much folic acid you take a week , alot of consultants only give one 5mg tablet a week & with six tablets a week it helps with the side effects of methotrexate & now take 25mg with no side effects & been on the drug for 16 years , talk to your rheumy nurse
  • dibdab
    dibdab Member Posts: 1,498
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi,
    I struggled with nausea and upset tummy on meth tablets, but am much better on injected meth.....the rheumy nurse suggested the change when I asked about nausea. I drank peppermint tea and ate copious quantities of mint to help with the nausea, they helped a little.

    Hope you get some help with it soon.

    Deb x
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Not what you wanted with a new job :roll:

    I think my first stop would be the rheumatology helpline. They'll probably increase your folic acid but it does have to be their decision, not yours. Meth by injection is another route which works well for a lot of people but I think they'd want you on a higher dose before trying that. You could also try the natural route, especially for the day(s) immediately after you take your meth - leafy greens, beans and pulses, seeds and nuts, avocados, celery, carrots and squashes (the veg) are all high in folic acid. Good luck, Kittkat.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • As5567
    As5567 Member Posts: 665
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I hope this settles down for you very soon, I can see others have given great advice already I just wanted to wish you luck.

    I did get horrible nausea and vomiting when I first started meth, but it just stopped one day when I woke up and never really returned. It does still give me an upset stomach if I take it too early in the evening so I try to take it literally as I'm about to fall asleep so I can sleep through that stage, occasionally I will wake up the next morning with a hang over type feeling which usually clears up with some paracetamol and a bottle of water
  • tjt6768
    tjt6768 Member Posts: 12,170
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Some good advice.
    I'm now on the injections as the nausea with tablets just wouldn't settle. I had to give them a real good go though. Hopefully it will settle with time. If not there are some good comments above. The main one I think is the folic acid. I assume they have you on that? You should be taking it every day apart from the day you take the Methotrexate.
    I must admit the injections are much easier on my system and i have only suffered a couple of episodes of nausea.

    Best of luck with everything.

    :D
    e050.gifMe-Tony
    n035.gifRa-1996 -2013 RIP...
    k040.gif
    Cleo - 1996 to 2011. RIP
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    tjt6768 wrote:
    The main one I think is the folic acid. I assume they have you on that? You should be taking it every day apart from the day you take the Methotrexate.

    Some do take it daily but that's for your rheumatology team to decide, Kittkat.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • tjt6768
    tjt6768 Member Posts: 12,170
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Of course madam stickyness :wink::lol:
    e050.gifMe-Tony
    n035.gifRa-1996 -2013 RIP...
    k040.gif
    Cleo - 1996 to 2011. RIP
  • Mat48
    Mat48 Member Posts: 1,075
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    My GP said that 5mg folic acid was enough and although I took Methotrexate for 18 months both by pill and injection I always felt nauseous and I did end up taking more folic acid but it didn't seem to make much difference. You have to be a bit careful about how much Folic to take because it can interfere with the effectiveness of the Methotrexate apparently. I started it again recently after 8 months off it and am again finding nausea an issue but only the next day. I have only been prescribed 5mg folic 92 hours after injecting this time and queried this but my GP said he couldn't see why more folic would help much although it wouldn't harm either. The rheumies all seem to think slightly differently about how much people on MTX should take. Mat x
    If you get lemons, make lemonade
  • tjt6768
    tjt6768 Member Posts: 12,170
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    My folic acid is just the 5mg. Six days a week.
    Having been on the injections a few months now and injecting for about two months I'm quite lucky as the nausea has really settled down.
    Hope the same happens for you kitkat.
    :D
    e050.gifMe-Tony
    n035.gifRa-1996 -2013 RIP...
    k040.gif
    Cleo - 1996 to 2011. RIP
  • Kittkat
    Kittkat Member Posts: 309
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thank you all for your helpful tips/advice :)
    How am I gonna be an optimist about this?