Methotrexate - bruising - scared they'll take me off it!

pinkteapot

Have booked a GP appointment for this morning. I've been on MTX for around four months and yesterday developed a bruise covering the whole of one finger. And I hadn't done anything to cause it. :shock: I did carry some heavy carrier bags earlier in the day but that's never caused bruising before. I'm hoping that might explain it though because I want to stay on MTX!

About a month back I had a MASSIVE bruise on my leg. I had knocked it against a rock while out on the hills so expected a bruise but it was pretty disproportionate.

Last night I read the bit in the MTX booklet that says to "STOP TREATMENT AND SEEK URGENT MEDICAL ADVICE" if you have unexplained or unusual bruising. :?

I've really settled well on MTX. It's been miraculous for me. I have zero inflamed joints at the moment. When I started it, I'd been taking 1000mg Naproxen daily for a year for bad fingers. It only took the edge off and was starting to upset my stomach. I couldn't write with a pen and had trouble with various other daily tasks. All that's gone. I'm having mild MTX side effects but it's just one day of slight dizziness and sea-sickness a week - far, far better than the bad joints!

I failed on Sulfasalazine last year - taken off it after 4 weeks due to a really bad reaction. I thought MTX was the one. Desperately hoping the GP says it's OK and lets me stay on it! The rollercoaster that comes with chronic illness continues. *sigh*

Just venting and expressing fears really - I'll have an answer in a couple of hours.

stickywicket

No apology needed. These things are upsetting and a little scary.

I do hope you can continue with the meth as it's helping so much but easy bruising can - only can - be a sign that it's affecting our bone marrow you've done exactly the right thing by getting it checked out. I hope it's nothing to worry about and you can keep going with it. If your White Blood cell counts have been withing guidelines on your recent blood tests you should be OK. I hope so. Do let us know how you get on.

pinkteapot

Spot on - what they said.

They took more blood as my last tests were a few weeks ago. I’m to phone tomorrow for the platelet result. They’ll decide based on that if I take my next dose this weekend.

dreamdaisy

I bruised with sulphasalazine, oddly all from the waist down and all over my legs. My blood tests were fine, it didn't hurt so rheumatology advised me to keep on and in due course things settled.

I hope you will be able to carry on with the meth as it has been helping, please let us know how things turn out. DD

Kitty

As far as I know, if your blood test results are good, they would only take you off MTX (or pause it for a while) if your liver results are raised. This happened to me and I only missed one week of ttreatment.

pinkteapot

Good news.

Panic over - latest bloods are still OK so I can continue with the MTX.

I was a little anxious as my platelets have gone from 300 on 10/7 to 271 on 31/7 to 257 yesterday, but the GP said it's still well above the minimum they want to see so not to worry.

Fingers crossed! (Because I can thanks to the MTX )

I did have a split second of disappointment as I wouldn't mind losing the seasick feeling I get on Mondays, but I keep reminding myself it's MUCH better than the way my joints were before.

kathleenT - I knew about the liver risk but apparently it can also trash your bone marrow and unexplained bleeding or bruising are signs of that. They'll check your blood counts and if the platelets have dropped dangerously then you'd be taken off it. The things I've learnt this week!

Jackie47

Strange world isn’t it.....I have had no problem for 14 years on Sulpha yet had to stop Meth due to side effects. Failed on Retux so now looking for something else but me and meds have a history of battles. Good luck.

stickywicket

So far so good. I hope the next bloods are better. It's a strange world we live in :roll: but thankfully so well-monitored.