Remicade and Methotraxiate

I am schedule for RYN WLS next Thursday and am also due for a remicade treatment for RA.  My last Remicade infusion was the end of December and I try to hold it out to 10 weeks.  I am also on 3-7.5MG of Methotraxiate once a week.  My question is how soon after surgery can you have a Remicade infusion treatment?  I don't want to go into a flare in addition to healing from surgery.  Any advise?  Also, do you recommend going to the Methotraxiate injections instead of taking 3 pills once a week?  Has any studies been done on Methotraxiate tablets and our new pouches?

Thanks for any help!

Cindy

I had to be off of both drugs 6 weeks before and after RNY.  Due to blood work showing I might have Lupus I ended up getting a Lap-Band.  I had to be off both drugs for 3 weeks after banding.  I ended up going to inject-able Methotraxiate because I developed erosion in the stomach lining.

I was diagnosed with RA 3 months after RNY gastric bypass surgery. I have had RA for years but it was mis-diagnosed as gout and regular arthritis because of my weight. I take methotrexate (6 pills or 15mg) once a week and 2 plaquenil pills daily. After months of the medication the RA has gotten much better. My rheumatologist has me taking two pills an hour for three hours (methotrexate) instead of all pills at one time because of my pouch. I know this may not answer you r questions; however, I really just wanted to share my experience with RA and weight loss surgery.

my suggestion would be to talk to your doc....my wls doc had my ra doc change my meds...i was taking 8 methotraxiate pills once a week ..now i take 1 imuran every day. The doc did this so that there wouldn't be any problems with my new tummy and the harshness of the methotraxiate.  hope this helps!

I inject methotexate.  The pills were very hard on my stomach even before WLS so I started injections.  I don't know about any studies, but from my own experience, the pills were very harsh.  I still have some nausea after I inject, but  no pain or "acid' feeling in my stomach  The injection once a week is easy to do...