Methotrexate and mood

lou1

I have only been on methotrexate 15mg a few days and have noticed that my mood is all over the place. I don't know if it is the methotrexate or just the build up of stress with pain, fatigue and getting diagnosed and eventually starting treatment. I'm prepared to wait it out if it proves worth it though. I have psoriatic arthritis, is there anyone with a similar experience ?

noddingtonpete

Hello @lou1 and welcome to the Online Community. We are a friendly and supportive group and I hope that will be your experience as well.

From what I have seen on here methotrexate takes time to get used to, though if you have any doubts then talk to your GP/Consultant. In the meantime I've put some info below from our website which might be of use.

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

and

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/drugs/methotrexate/

I hope this helps and that you start to feel the benefits soon.

Best wishes

Peter

Clarry11

hi @lou1

Methotrexate can make you feel like you’re in a fog the following day, causing extreme tiredness. It’s not altered my mood ever, but the headaches and fogs a e difficult to navigate through. Are you seeing your consultant soon? If so, mention it to them. When I first started mine, I was seeing him fortnightly. Hope you’re soon feeling better x

lou1

Thanks, I'm feeling a bit better. I think the mood swings were/are coming from the fatigue from PsA compounded with the initial side effects from methotrexate. They seem to easing now though. Don't know if it is the folic acid helping?

stell78

hello I’m new to this , just started taking methotrexate and folic acid , this is only my first week , how long does it take until you know it’s helping , inflammatory arthritis in my hands , sick of waking up in the mornings with numbness and tingling in my joints , and constant ache ,, xx

Arthuritis

@stell78 Most people notice a difference around the 3month mark, and you have to take the folic acid a day after the MTX, as MTX works by competing with folate. Fast replicating cells like T cells which attack your joints need folate and MTX denies them folate. MTX also slows down other functions which results in nausea type side effects.

It takes a long time to take effect because you already have a lot of attacking T cells and it takes time for them to die off, and that combined with the reduction of T cell replication by MTX gradually reduces the total population of attacking T cells.

So you’ll need to be patient.

noddingtonpete

Hello @stell78 and welcome to the Online Community forum. I would suggest having a look at the links in the above posts. From comments on here it takes a few weeks for the methotrexate to settle down and help you, but any doubts go back to your GP/Consultant.

I hope you get some relief soon.

Best wishes

Peter

Arthuritis

@lou1 BTW mood & psychiatric disorders like nausea are a known side effect of MTX, but on taking the folate it should right itself. MTX adversely impacts everything that needs folate.