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Rank: Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 2/7/2011
Posts: 15
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Dear All. My name is Jan and I was diagnosed with RA November 2010. I have coeliac and thyroid disease and RA was the icing on the cake  I know my immune system is shot to hell. It took 10 years to get the coeliac diagnosis as it doesn't show in my blood ditto for the RA. I did not tolerate sulphsalazine as it went for my stomach and liver. I took my first MTX last evening and woke during the night with sweats and feeling sick. I was expecting to be sick with the med but only felt sick, thankfully. I would appreciate some advise from other using 7.5 dosage and how best to help tolerate the side effects. I'm prepared to put up with a few side effects if it is for the greater good. I have been using Ibuprofen as an anti-inflammatory and pain management as I have OA in my neck and suffer pain in my neck/shoulders/arms and hands. I generally am in high spirits and try to cope with things as best I can. I cut down my working days to two per week. I would really like to get a small dog but worry about not getting out for walks on bad days. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. It is wonderful to be able to discuss life with chronic pain with others in a similar situation, as not everyone is empathetic. Regards, Jan
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 5/19/2010
Posts: 384
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Hi Jan,
Welcome to the site, my name is Anne 50 years old and was diagnosed last May.
I can remember how scared I was when I took my first dose of MTX, never taken anything stronger than antibiotics in my life I was embarking on a whole new ball game.
I currently take 25mg weekly and apart from tiredness, slight nausea and loss of appetite for 2 days after taking it thats all I get. I eat ginger biscuits and that helps.
I have two small dogs, cairn terriers and if some days I can't walk them they just run in the garden it won't hurt them to go without a walk on the days you can't manage.
Really hope you feel better soon, the MTX kicked in for me about 7 weeks after starting it but I know it varies greatly from person to person.
Look forward to reading your posts.
Anne x
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Rank: Newbie
Groups: Registered
Joined: 7/22/2010
Posts: 1
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Jan, i have been on methotrexate for 3 years now first tablets then injected i am currently on 25mg injected. I found that the sickness wore off after the first few weeks although i did try stem ginger in syrup (yummy) which help or ginger biscuits. If they sickness continues have a word with your rheumy nurse as they can also increase you folic acid which can help.
Tracey
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 3,157 Location: Huddersfield
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Hi Jan,
Welcome to the forum!
I take 15 mg mtx as well as humira and I always feel sick on the night I take it. I like chrystallised ginger for the nausea ,although I am so used to it now I don't always bother with the ginger and just go to bed! I am fine the next day.
Hope the mtx works well for you.
Doreen xx
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 4/20/2010 Posts: 1,749 Location: Somerset
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Hi Jan,
Welcome for the Forum but sorry that you have RA. I am not on mtx now so
cannot comment I am afraid.
Keep posting as you will find lots of friends and useful info and can also
moan if need be.
I am Rose from Somerset aged nearly 57. married with 2 children and 1 grand daughter.
Rose x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 263
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Hello Jan and welcome. I am Kathleen age 66 and i have RA and Coeliac . It took at least 18 YRS to get Coeliac diagnosed . My RA was diagnosed 5yrs ago and 6yrs ago for Coeliac. I take 20MG mtx weekly and take Plaquinel. Most of the time i feel quite well. At first i felt a bit dizzy and sickly when i started MTX but i am ok now. Apart from a sore throat now and again and feeling tired , i cant complain. I hope you are soon feeling better. Takes a while but you will be fine. Kathleen Mc. 
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 263
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Hi Jan ! me again . I meant to say i have a little yorkie called Maisie she is 9 yrs old. Somedays she gets short walks other times a longer one.
An odd time she does'nt get a walk and she's fine cause she runs round the house and garden. She likes to play with her toys, i throw them and she runs for them and thats plenty excercise some days. Also i meant to say i self inject my Mtx. At first i had tablets but the doc said because i have Coeliac my body would absorb the injection better. I improved a lot after that.
Kathleen Mc.
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009
Posts: 1,035
Location: in a house
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Hi I have done very well on MTX from a chair to being moblie Yes can rembember it making me feel odd for a few weeks it soon wore off.Yes felt the same just give it time . and kicked in at 12 weeks that week i could walk further . and slightley more moblie . worth it if you stick to it and can manage don,t give up on it .It started working at 12 weeks and i was fully moblie with no pain 6 months later 9 months later even better . christine The chocolate eating housewife ...The washer woman .....naughty lady
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/25/2010 Posts: 1,289 Location: Buckinghamshire
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hi Jan,
welcome.
i currently take Methotrexate and Hydroxy but unfortunately they haven't worked for me ... so will be moving on soon.
i worked up to 20mg and to be honest i didn't have any effects, now down to 10mg as i will be coming off them soon.
i was terrified starting them and thought i'd never swallow it,
i understand about being in high spirits, but this does knock you down until controlled.
it has taken me since last June to come to terms with it all.
hope you get on well with the Meds,
Suzanne x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/20/2010 Posts: 244 Location: Cornwall
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Hi Jan,
I'm 14 weeks into the MTX, I thought I was going to die when I first started taking it, I exagerate terribly, but it didn't feel good! Never sick but felt like it, ginger good, mint & chamomile tea also good. Also made me feel really tired, headaches, loss of appetite and generally 'hungover'. But now up to 15mg and tolerating it much better, little nausea, little niggly headaches but nothing that a dose of paracetamol won't sort out. The best news is though that it has worked and although I'm not 'back to normal' I'm not limping anymore and the swelling is way down. So stick with it and hopefully your body will start to tolerate it better. It took about 8 weeks for the side effects to reduce vastly and 12 for it to work for me. One week I felt really awful I had a high white blood count so was probably trying to get rid of an infection so it seems if there's anything else in the mix it has more side effects? Don't know, not an old hand at this yet! Good luck, here's hoping it works for you.
Sara
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 1,689 Location: Durham
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Hi Jan, and welcome to the forum, though sorry you have RA to contend with on top of your other problems. I was on MTX for about 12 months after diagnosis a few years ago, and I can`t really add anything to what others have already said. I hope it works for you and you feel some improvement soon. Take care, Kathleen C x
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Rank: Newbie
Groups: Registered
Joined: 2/7/2011
Posts: 4
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Hi Jan
Welcome but sorry to hear that you have had to "join the club". I only started posting a couple of days ago and already I feel some comfort in being able to talk to others who know exactly how you feel. I also have a thyroid problem and it appears that we are more at risk of developing other auto immune diseases (something I would rather have not been told). Anyway, I am on 25mg Methotrexate, 5mg Folic Acid and 400mg Plaquenil. The Plaquenil replaced Sulphasalazine after I had an allergic reaction. I have found that I usually have a headache the day after taking Metho but after a walk I am usually ok, luckily no nausea. I notice some of the other ladies have suggested ginger and this was mentioned at my local support group, so perhaps this may help you.
I send you my wishes for more good days than bad, keep smiling.
Maureen xx
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 2,237 Location: nr Southampton
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also take it before bed and- you can take meds to help with the nausea... colpermin helped me
i found travel sweets helpedhow to be a velvet bulldoser
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 9/5/2010 Posts: 364 Location: mid glamorgan
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Hi Jan
Welcome to the site... In Ceri diagnosed 18 months ago and currently taking 20 mg methotrexate by injection, I feel sicky sometimes but GP prescribed domperidone which helps a lot. Might be worth asking your doctor. Anyway hope the mtx kicks in soon (can take couple of months) take care x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/13/2010 Posts: 118 Location: Shrivenham, Oxfordshire
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I started taking MXT a few weeks before Christmas. It made me feel very sick and grotty so I phoned the Rheumy helpline they suggested increasing FOlic acid to 5mg everyday (except the day you take MXT) this helped quite a lot but still feeling sick for 24 - 48 hours after each dose so having spoken to the Rheumy nurse again I have decided to switch to self injecting as she say this should considerably reduce the side effects. I am waiting for the first lot to arrive so I will let you know how I get on.
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/8/2010 Posts: 914
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Hi Jan, Glad to see you have joined the forum, we are a helpful crowd all have been there and got the tea-shirt I am Lorna, I have had RA for just over 3 years, I was very ill to start with but having been on the triple therapy I am so much better now. It does get easier in time once you get the meds sorted out. Take care and look after yourself. Lorna x
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/5/2009
Posts: 103
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Hi Jan, I've been on MTX for about a year.I started on 15mg but it brought me out in a rash so the dose was halved.Luckily I've had no nausea. I take the MTX on Sat. with a fairly large meal and drink a large glass of water.I also take one Folic Acid On Mon. Tues.Wed. and Thurs.Also take Hydroxy.I have found since being on it I get very tired although that's probably due to the RA. Brenda.x
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