Hello! Methotrexate

CreakyBear

Hello

I’ve recently been diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis and am due to meet my consultant this week to discuss my treatment. She has already stated I’ll be on methotrexate which worries me somewhat with it’s bad press and side effects. Does anyone have any advice on how to cope during your first few months taking this? Would injections be better than tablets?

I am currently seeing a private consultant but know I cannot do this long term. Have any of you been in this position whereby you’ll need your drugs on the NHS and when the best time is to see the GP. I’m not going to start this process with them until my medication is underway as I live in daily pain already.

Sorry for the long message but I’m sure you all know how daunting this is.

i look forward to any advice you can give me and wish you all a happy day,

PeterJ

Hello @CreakyBear and welcome to the forum. I hope that you enjoy your time here, we are a friendly and supportive group.

I understand that you have recently been diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis and that you are due to be prescribed Methotrexate. Our website contains a lot of useful information and I would urge you to have a look around and also to try the search function, I've added a couple of useful links below.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/

https://www.versusarthritis.org/search?query=inflammatory+arthritis

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/your-experiences/your-questions-answered/your-questions-on-methotrexate/

Please do keep posting and let us know how you get on and I am sure others will connect with you to share their experiences and support, and some may have been in the Private/GP situation and can offer their advice.

With very best wishes

Peter (moderator)

Kitty

As a long term MTX user(both tablets and injections) I wish you all the best with this very safe and reliable drug. It's true that some people have problems with MTX but you never hear from people like me, who have never had any problems with it. I did have a little mild nausea with the tablets, so changed to injections. Problem solved. I have reduced from 25mg down to 7mg alongside Leflunomide 20mg. This also works well. I only stopped using MTX whilst having chemotherapy for cancer. When my treatment was over, my consultant put me back on MTX 7mg as I developed Rheumatoid Vasculitis on top of RA. Leflunomide is keeping the RA under control and MTX along with Prednisolone is keeping the Vasculitis under control. I can't comment on private treatment as I have always been treated by the NHS. Very best wishes.