Hi

I've been taking Methotrexate 7.5mg since the 16th of November, but I just wondered if anyone else has found that they have a bit of a upset tummy a few days after taking it? I felt really rough yesterday & ended up coming home from work and staying off today as well. Yesterday, I felt sick, upset tummy and off food which is really unlike me! It was my husbands birthday on monday and we went for a meal with his mum and dad, and I started to feel a bit odd and couldn't it anything and had to keep popping to the loo, how embarrassing!

The only thing I've changed is when i take my folic acid, I was taking 5mg two days before MTX and two days after but when i saw my consultant last Tuesday he told me to take 10mg in one go two days after taking my MTX, as I take this on a Tuesday I was taking folic acid Sunday and Thursday night, so following my appt last week I didn't take folic acid on sunday and was going to take 10mg on Thursday instead.

I was meant to be increasing my dose of MTX last night to 15mg but my GP advised to leave it this week as Im not feeling well but he seemed to think that I could have a bug? He said that upset tummy was not a side effect but on the drug info given to me from the hospital it does say can cause sickness and diarrhoea but my GP said that as my last few blood tests have all been normal he doesn't think this would be causing it?

I did call my rheumy nurse yesterday but she has not come back to me yet so i will call her again today, but just wondered if anyone else has had the same problem?

I have had so much time of work this year with RA, does worry me but my team leader was ok with me yesterday and it was him that said if you get to a point where you feel you need to go home then go, but I really worry about whether they can stop my pay at some point. But they have been really good so far and have changed my chair and keyboard which does help, He seemed Ok just now when i called, we have our works do on friday, really don't wont to be feeling like this, i can see me not going because i will be worrying about it!

Would love to hear from you

love
Lou xx

Thanks Sara, but sorry to hear you are feeling poorly too. Hope you soon feel better. I must admit I don't really feel like my works do, not like me but really don't have much interest in things at the mo!


Well i finally got hold of my Rheumy nurse and she advised that i should really increase MTX by 2.5 each week rather than double the dose in one go, so will try that from next week. But she did say that mtx can cause sickness and diarrhoea sometimes but is a bit odd that i feel like this a good week after taking it so it could be a bug but hard to say. All i can do is see how the rest of the week goes I guess.




Lou xx

hi Louise,

i didn't suffer with any tummy problems taking Methotrexate,

but i did increase it gradually ... i started off at 10mg then for 2 weeks went to 12.5mg and then another fortnight to 15mg.

i'm now on 20mg and again increased it by 2.5mg for a fortnight i.e. 17.5mg to get to the 20mg.

i have always taken 10mg Folic Acid 2 days after taking the Methotrexate.

so would definately recommend you edge up slowly.

hope you're feeling well enough to go to your work do on Friday.

Suzanne x

Hi Lou

I take 15mg Methotrexate on a Thursday and I notice I always feel like I have a slight hangover or like I'm starting with a cold on the Friday. I take it about an hour before I go to bed on the Thursday because otherwise I tend to feel a little bit nauseous. I have noticed I have a lot more stomach pains than before but I suppose that could be down to a number of the drugs I'm on. I take Folic Acid every day apart from Thursdays.

Gem
x

Hello Lou,
Quick update, my lovely GP managed to fit me in this morning and confirmed I have a bit of a temperature and the sore throat and cough is just a slight upper respiratory tract infection, not the dreaded MTX lung! I apologised for being a bit of a paranoid mad woman but he said not to worry and it was always best to get these things checked out. He said that I probably felt so dreadful yesterday as a result of the combination of having a bit of an infection and the MTX 'hangover'. So maybe you're feeling so bad because you've got the bug/MTX combination? I must say that I'm already feeling a bit better, getting my afternoon's worth of being full of beans (well about half full to what I used to be), I know it won't last but I thank my feet for behaving themselves and enjoy it when it happens! Also being reassured by my GP has helped a lot with what's going on in my head. Hope you're feeling better soon as well.
Sara
x

Hi Lou

I started on 10mg mtx in May , increased to 12.5 in July. and apart from a bit of queasiness for the first few weeks, I have had no problems- although I appreciate that everyone is different and I have always understod that it can affect the stomach. It is early days for you, and it's great that your bloods are normal. Since having RA I often feel off my food- when it first started, I had very little appetite, and lost quite a bit of weight (which I needed to -can there really be a positive to RA )I take folic acid 5 days a week- not the day of and after the mtx.

Could it be a bug though? There are some nasty ones around at the moment. I got one at the weekend- so bad that I still wasn't well yesterday, and had been having bad abdominal/ back pains so I saw my gp. For some reason, my RA levels shot up suddenly last month so he sent me for blood tests as well. Having a compromised immune system means that these things can hit us hard and hang around for longer. I hardly ever got any bugs before I started mtx -any I did get were mild and short lived and I used to shake any colds off very quickly.

I've had quite a lot of time off work too, although it tends to be a few days at a time rather than long spells.Re pay- as a teacher, I do get paid. When I was first diagnosed I had an occupational health assessment but this was basically about practical adjustments as initially I had mobility and pain issues. Employers should have policies in place regarding health, sickness etc- it would be worth getting copies of these. The NRAS will be able to advise on work - yours and employers' rights. Sorry to wear my teacher's hat, but please check it all out so you know where you stand on everything, to protect yourself. I don't want to worry you, but my head was always seemingly helpful and nice to me so I though everything was fine. I always took his word on everything, and then, out of the blue I was told he was starting capability procedures against me! I have to add that he is a particularly nasty piece of work who has other agendas -so please don't think I'm suggesting the same thing will happen to you. I got through it all ok- but one thing I have learned is to look after no 1 and make sure I'm clued up on everything. I'm a member of a union who are very helpful. I have also cut my hours- I only do 4 days a week which has helped a lot with the RA .


I hope you are able to go out and enjoy yourself on Friday- I should have gone to a gig last night which was part of my Christmas present from hubby, but I just wasn't well enough. I was so upset as I'd been looking forward to it for months. Oh well- another time maybe.

Take care- rest up, and I hope things settle down for you

Maria x

Hello Lou,

It's really tricky trying to work out what's going on with your body isn't it? I've never been very good anyway, just ignore it, it will go away sort of attitude, so its a whole new learning thing. This forum is great for advice and moaning, so don't apologise for a few moans, you've got every right to be upset. I get frustrated, angry, upset and downright nasty at times! When you feel so unwell and you think its not going to get any better its difficult to focus on what life could be like.

I've always been a firm believer in if I want something badly enough I can make it happen, this is no longer the case, I'm never going to do Strictly when I'm 61 like Pamela Stephenson, I'm never going to get my garden the way I want it under my own steam and I'm not going to be able to carry on with my job long term either. This is tricky stuff and although nothing like wanting to be pregnant and not being so, is the same sort of coming to terms with what RA could mean. I looked at my husband's face the other day and asked him what was wrong, oh I just want you to be well, my snappy reply? Get over that one then, its like you not wanting to be 49 soon! So yes, we can tell ourselves to snap out of it but also are entitled to our emotional moments. In the positive times I can tell myself that the MTX is going to work and things will improve and when it does I've got a list of stuff I want to do whilst I can. I just want some control back and I'm sure you do too.

Giving the works do the elbow seems like a good idea, its a pressure you don't have to deal with now. Good luck Lou, hope you feel better soon. Oh, my little tickly upper respiratory tract infection which I have now shared with my husband means that he's still in bed obviously with man flu whilst I'm managing to get some work done!

Sara
x

HI Lou,

I saw my Rheummy today and I asked about the tummy upset and MTX. She said it can affect you at the start but should settle down. In my case I have been on it for 3 years and I have been taking it far to late, long after tea, she said taking it nearer to teatime may help. Also I hate taking it and the stress could be affecting me too. So as from Saturday I am going to take it early and not fuss about it. Without it I would be in a sorry state. I am going to try to be positive about it again, as I never had any problems before.

You said about having a baby, who told you ,you can't. You are just getting to grips with things give yourself a chance. You will not always be as bad as you are now. You will have a little one too just give yourself time and be positive about the drugs helping you. It does work, I have been as bad as one could be, in fact I actually thought I was dying. I went from being a tough cookie that stopped at nothing to an invalid dependant on anyone to open the multiple tablets I was taking for the pain. I was unable to do this myself, in fact I could do precious little, I needed helped onto my feet to walk, I had lost the use of my right arm and could not turn my head or stand up straight. My hands were decoration they did not bend at all. You can imagine the difficulties I had. But once I was told it was RA apart from being devastated at the start, I made up my mind I could not get any worse. It was a long hard road but 3 years down the line, In fact I have been well for most of it. I CAN do EVERYTHING I did BEFORE only with more care.

I am telling you this to prove to you, it will get easier and YOU WILL be the same person in time again. With a little bundle, of your own, then you will wonder where your time went All good things come to those who wait. Chin up and look forward, don't worry about the future it belongs no no one. We do not know what it holds so be positive about NOW. Take care and Have a Lovely Christmas. Thinking about you Lorna x