Methotrexate questions

I don't have arthritis.  But I have sarcoidosis and type 2 diabetes.  My pulmonary doctor usually prescribes prednisone for sarcoidosis.  Because of the diabetes and my efforts to lose weight, he prescribed the Methotrexate.  He didn't tell me anything about it and I didn't look up any information about it before I took the prescribed dose. I had side effects from it at the prescribed dose of 5 mg.  So I then took 1/4 the dose last week.  Monday I took 1/2 the prescribed dose and I am waiting to see if I have any side effects from it. Could some of you who take this medication or took it in the past please tell me the dose you take of it and whether you have side effects from it?  Did your doctor start you out on the dose he wanted you to take or was the medication introduced gradually? If you had side effects, what were they?  Did they settle down or go away eventually? Please let me know what your experiences are with this medication. Please tell me what you know that I maybe didn't think to ask. Thanks. Loretta "*****y_girl"

I have RA and I take methotrexate, I take 8 - 2.5mg tablets once a week. I took metho about 8 years ago and it gave me unbearable headaches - so my doctor took me off - as my RA got worse I tried the metho again with no side effects. The doctor started me on the dosage he wanted me to have. It is not like prednisone that you have to gradually start then decrease. If you are have side effects please talk to your doctor. Hope this helps Annie 

Annie, Thank you for your response.  It helps to know how others responded to the same medication.  We truly are all unique individuals! Does your doctor require monthly lab work with Methotrexate? I did talk with my doctor.  I had headaches, dizziness, gi problems, and a severe case of the blues (to put it mildly) on the initial dose.  He wanted me to give this medication a chance, so he agreed to me backing down to 1/2 the prescribed dose.  I only agreed to try 1/4 the dose after the initial experience I had.  There were no side effects with the 1/4 dose.  And so far, I have no side effects with 1/2 the dose.  If I do well through Monday, then I will go up to the 3/4 dose on Monday night.  With hope and a few prayers, I will tolerate the full dose the doctor prescribed this time. He hopes I will begin to feel better after 2 months of treatment on this medication.  I look forward to having more energy and easier breathing!   *****y_girl

I was on the pill form of methotrexate then I started the injections and ended up taking the highest dose possible. YES you have to have lab work done -the drug can mess up your kidneys or liver and it is very important that you get yur lab work done.

Melissa, Thank you for your response.   Is MTX an abbreviation for Methotrexate?  How often are the injections done?  Is it weekly? The dose he prescribed did stop progression of the Sarcoidlsis.  But he agreed that it has hindered my quality of life. My doctor just told me to try taking half of a dose for this month.  Then he will do a pulmonary function test and another CT scan.  If it still works at half of the dose, that will be great. If half of the dose of this doesn't work, are there other options with lower side effects I can check on? Loretta

Hey Loretta, I have RA and I take Methotrexate.  I take 15mg a week via pill form.  The pill form of Methotrexate is called Trexall which is what I take.  Anyway it does have some horrible possible side effects, it is a chemotherapy drug; but for that is used in massive doses.  Anyway, I have been on it for about 3 years now.  In the begining it made me very ill.  Headaches, GI issues, hair thinning  etc..... the nausea was terrible.  My doctor told me to take it at night so that I could sleep through the worst of it.  She also perscribes Folic Acid to help with the side effects as well.  I am going back to the injections after my RNY surgery in Oct, it does not have the same effect on me and it bypass your stomach that way.  I have never gotten ill on the injection.  It does surpress your immune system so be careful of that too.  And it is a MUST to get labs done, due to those lovely possible side effects. Good luck to you!   Melissa

Hello, I have psoriatic arthritis. Its like RA, but related to me having psoriasis.  I was at my top dose of MTX which was 5 tablets for a total of 20mg once a week. I hated it. I took folic acid in addition to help my liver. You have to have routine screenings for liver enzymes. The worst thing for me was not being able to be in direct sunlight. I didn't know that and went to a baseball game. The sunburn was 3 times as bad as normal and took weeks to clear up. I nearly passed out on the walk back to my car. It was terrible. MTX is a chemo drug, as mentioned. It stops fast growing cells. That's the problem with psoriasis-your skin regenerates  in 3 days instead of 28; leading to itchy patches of new skin. (super simplistic description!) But since you have an auto immune disease, perhaps this is the rationalization for the treatment. I personally don't like the drug. I hope you have better success.

Hi, I'm new to this board. Just found it -  You might want to ask about the injections for MTX  it seems to cause less complications. Anyway I have had RA for 20 yrs. now. For the last 5 yr. I have been on MTX pills and these last 2 yrs. injections. The injections seem to work better for me and no headaches and gi problems. I was using Enbrel and MTX injections once  a week. I had my surgery for WLS on 7/25 and developed a DVT and can't take my enbrel til I'm off coumadin (6 more months).  The MTX handles most of my difcomfort - but he enbrel really took away all my pain and I was able to swim 6 days a week I can't wait til March 08.

Prior to WLS I was taking 15 mg weekly in the pill form. Now I am starting the injections tonight. I was told I would need labs at the two week mark, and then every 6 weeks after that. I also will have a chest x-ray at 8 weeks just to check my lungs as it does weaken your immune system and can cause pnuemonia-like sypmtoms. When I was on the pill form I was getting headaches and my hair was falling out like crazy. My dr. claims the injections are better for WLS'rs as the pill form cannot be absorbed very well and we will have less gi effects. Hope this helps!