Methotrexate - side effects

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AJO2019
AJO2019 Member Posts: 5
edited 28. Nov 2023, 14:04 in Living with arthritis
Hello
I was diagnosed with Diabetes type 2 about 2yrs ago and have recently read that it could have been due to the side effects of Methotrexate tablets - taking 7.5mg, once a week for rheumatoid arthritis. If I stop taking the Methotrexate, will my Diabetes improve? Does anyone have any experience of this?

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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 3,635
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi AJ Welcome to the forum, that's a question and a half, I personally have never heard of methotrexate causing Diabetes type 2, but here on the forum your question may be answered we are understanding and encouraging people who will understand what you are going through and will try and help in any way to make you feel part of the forum the most popular forums are Living with Arthritis and Chit Chat.
    All the best Christine
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,712
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    I, too, have never heard of this and I've used these forums regularly for years. Personally, I've taken methotrexate for nearly 20 years – at my worst it was 22.5mg per week – and never had a problem with routine diabetes tests such as when I've been in hospital for other things.

    This is what Diabetes UK says about causes. http://tinyurl.com/y6nanlge

    The good news is, though, that they are finding that Type 2 diabetes can be reversed through diet http://tinyurl.com/yyphdowy . Please don't try this without consulting you GP though. And don't consider stopping the methotrexate without your rheumatologist's blessing.

    In the extremely unlikely event of methotrexate being a contributory factor in your diabetes, what would be the point of stopping it and giving the RA full rein?

    Why not have a chat with your GP and rheumatology helpline if this is still bothering you?
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • AJO2019
    AJO2019 Member Posts: 5
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Yes I did manage to reverse my diabetes, when first diagnosed but it is steadily becoming worse again and I have had to add more tablets to control it. The RA is very well controlled and so could probably stop the Methotrexate at this point in time.
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,712
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Do liaise with your rheumatologist about this. I thought so, too, of my RA and, with the say-so from my rheumatologist, got my dose slowly down to 7.5mgs from 10mgs. I'd have gone further but, at that point, I had to have a twisted bowel operated on and my surgeon wanted me to cut out the meth until I saw him again almost three months later. That was when I realised how much good that small dose of meth was doing. I've stuck to 7.5mgs since then.
    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
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    I was told that diabetes would result after years of using a steroid inhaler to control my asthma. It hasn't, not yet, and I don't see why it should.

    I think one of the pitfalls of an auto-immune arthritis is the temptation to blame any other occurring trouble on that or its meds. Dross will happen regardless of the presence of RA, PsA, AS or any other kind of auto-immune inflammatory conditions. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
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