|
|
Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 9/3/2011 Posts: 717 Location: Torbay
|
I took my first dose of oral methotrexate on Friday evening and I still feel nauseous 3 days later. It's not easy when trying to go to work and carry on normal life. I just want to lie in bed but dare not take more time off as I am already under sickness absence review for having 7 weeks off earlier this year. I haven't actually been sick but just feel sick, and wiped out/dizzy too. I know it's early days and the nurse said if I did feel nauseous it would wear off after a few doses but this is just horrid on top of all the other RA symptoms I'm coping with. I want to eat healthily but just can't face eating. Do other people think 3 days of nausea is a normal side effect and will it improve as I get used to the drug. I'm only on 10mg but this is supposed to increase to 20mg over the next few weeks. I'm trying not to make a fuss and really want to give this drug a good shot. Any advice would be gratefully received.
best wishes to you all from Naomi.
P.S just realised I probably should have posted this on the drugs forum but I can't remove it now. Sorry for that......I'm still learning.
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 714
|
Naomi
Sorry you are feeling so rough after your first Methotrexate. Unfortunately it can hit you hard the first few times and you have to find a way of lessening the after effects for you.
I try and have a good day on a Saturday and then take it on the Saturday evening with a main meal, this helps a lot. I then sleep for a good twelve hours lessening the time I am awake to feel the after effects. I then spend Sunday feeling "not quite right" but can still able to carry on with my life. By the Monday I am feeling a little better and then on the Monday evening I take the folic acid and then everything is o.k. I also drink lots of water. Yes my appetite definitely decreases on the Sunday/Monday. These side effects do become less as time goes on.
If you find after a time that you really can't tolerate the Methotrexate orally then you can speak to your rheumy department and they can consider you taking it by self-injection. Believe me I was petrified when I had to do this but I could not believe how fine the needle is and how easy it is to inject.
Finally, you are not making a fuss. This forum is for learning and sharing and no question is too trivial or time wasting.
Jackie
xx
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 2/14/2011 Posts: 301 Location: South Hampshire
|
Hi Naomi Would your GP give you some anti-sickness tablets (eg Stemitil) to try? I've used these for a day or so and they have helped enormously. Travel sickness tablets would probably give the same effect.. which you could try (and buy over the counter!) Hope it gets a bit better for you soon. Anne 
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 3,157 Location: Huddersfield
|
Hi Naomi,
Sorry to hear how you are suffering with the mtx.
Jackie has given you good advice, and so has Anne with the antisickness tablets, either see or ring your GP and ask for some.
The effect usually does wear off once you get used to the drug, I just get a couple of hours before bedtime on a Monday night after taking mine when I feel sick. I get chrystallised ginger and find it really helps with the nausea, in fact anything ginger, even biscuits help.
One thing about increasing the mtx, do it slowly if it helps.I did it by one tablet (2.5mg) every 3 months and my rheumy nurse was happy for me to do this. You probably won't need to take it as slow as that but they will let you go at your own pace.
Hope the nausea wears off soon.
Love Doreen xx
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/13/2010 Posts: 118 Location: Shrivenham, Oxfordshire
|
I felt very sick on mxt. I know it has been discussed on here many times but how much folic acid have you been prescribed? Initially I was prescribed 10mg 48 hrs after mxt. My rheumy nurse suggested upping it to 5mg every day except mxt day that helped a lot. I then tried switching to injections. Again it did improve it a lot but in the end we decided that the benefits I was getting from 15 mg wasn't enough and I was still fringe very sick for 24 - 36 hours so I have now changed to luflunomide and have very few side effects.
I would phone your rheumy nurse and talk it through with them. It is still early days if doesn't get better after a few doses try increasing folic acid and / or switching to injections. If it is still not any better don't panic there are other options.
Becky
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 3,006 Location: Timperley
|
The folic acid question is a thorny one! Larger doses of folic acid can reduce the efficacy of mtx so it's something to be checked out with your Rheummy.xx
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 714
|
I agree with Jean on the folic acid. I was told it was the antidote to Methotrexate. In other words it stops it working so well. I only take 5mgs once per week but I know there are many different combinations and doses which people are taking on this site.
Definitely speak to your rheumy team.
Jackie
xx
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 9/3/2011 Posts: 717 Location: Torbay
|
Thanks for your replies everyone. I'm still feeling sick but perhaps not as bad as at the weekend. I ate a few mouthfuls of marrow and ginger jam (the only ginger in my larder) so maybe that helped. I will get some stem ginger next time I'm out. I spoke to the rheumatology nurse today and she said things should get easier after a few doses and to stick with it.
I am on 5mg folic acid 6 days per week. The thing is I took the methotrexate in the first day of treatment and then began the folic acid on subsequent days. I was concerned that I should have done it the other way round but the pharmacist assured me it would make no difference.
Best wishes to you all and bless you for all the support and advice.
From Naomi.
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/4/2009 Posts: 856
|
Naomi
Only just read this. Sorry to hear you are feeling rough. I did at first but it did get better- although it did take a few weeks to settle. I started on 12.5 ,then it was increased to 15 about a year later. I've been quite good on it.
Re folic acid. I take 5mg doses on 5 dys a wee. I was told not to take it the same day as the mtx or the day after.
I hope it does settle down for you, and you can enjoy the benefits.
Best wishes
Maria
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/4/2009 Posts: 856
|
oops- that should be 5 days a week!!!!!
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 838 Location: Nottinghamshire
|
Hello Naomi
I take MTX but I was very fortunate and didn't have any side effects at all so I can't give any advice. I do know from reading on here and other forums that a few people have a few problems at first until their body gets use to it, so hang on in there girl!!!!
From what I have read MTX is the drug that most people with RA are put on, so it is tried and tested and does give good results.
Hope you are feeling better soon.
Love Paula xx
|
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 5/19/2010
Posts: 384
|
Hi Naomi,
When I started on MTX in May 2010 I did feel some sickness after the first few doses, it was suggested on this site that I nibble on ginger biscuits, it certainly helped. I now get no sickness at all. I started on 17.5mg and am now taking 25mg weekly.
Hope it settles down soon.
Anne x
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 9/3/2011 Posts: 717 Location: Torbay
|
Thanks all for the advice. I took my second dose about 5 minutes ago so let's see how this one goes. I will persevere for now and see if the sickness settles as my body gets used to it. I am surprised to learn that the folic acid could hinder the beneficial effects of the methotrexate. I will check with my nurse if perhaps I should only take the folic acid on 5 days per week rather then 6. I take the methotrexate on Friday evening after work so maybe I should miss the FA on the Saturday as well as the Friday. I wonder why some people only take one dose of FA per week and others take 6. My mind is a whirlwind of questions as this is all new to me.
Best wishes to you all from Naomi.
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/28/2011 Posts: 956 Location: North Preston
|
Hi Naomi
Good luck with your second dose of mxt. This one should be much better as your body has already had a taste of it. As for folic acid, I believe it is this reason. Some people have a lot of side effects to their drugs and folic acid helps with these. If you can tolerate your meds then less folic acid is needed. Unfortunately folic acid does decrease the efficacy of mxt so the less folic acid you need the better. I hope this helps you.
Sheila x
|
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009
Posts: 74
|
Hi Naomi,
Hope your second dose goes well. I am on 25mg of Methotrexate, have been for nearly three years, and find that nausea affects me from time to time, and can be variable. Some weeks I can't even tell I have taken it, other weeks, I feel sick and have gastro - intestinal disturbance. As others have advised, I found ginger good, and also after taking it, sucking a boiled sweet, called cough candy (I find Asda's the best for these, for some reason), seems to work and I take them to work that week to counter any sickness I feel. Have been offered to have methotrexate by injection, if things become too much, so this may be an option that they offer you.
Hope this week is a better one for you
Candy
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 3,006 Location: Timperley
|
Hi Naomi
If your rheumatology department have put you on MTX 6 days a week, there will be a very good reason for that, and you must check it out before you start changing the dose - I know you will anyway - but it's one of those things which come up quite a lot.
Love Jeanxxxx
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 9/3/2011 Posts: 717 Location: Torbay
|
I'm on folic acid 6 days per week...not methotrexate 6 days per week. Don't think I could cope with the latter. Just took my 2nd dose 2 days ago and I have got the same nausea again. It's not nice but I have faith that it will either resolve in time or there will be a solution of some sort. I will persevere for now. If others have had a similar reaction please could you tell me how many weeks it took to resolve. Thanks everyone for your support during this time.
Naomi x
|
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 2/7/2011
Posts: 66
Location: London
|
Hi Naomi, fingers crossed that it will be better for you this week. When I started on MTX I had horrible side-effects - nausea, pounding headaches, cotton wool brain, etc. They went on for quite a long time, slowly getting a little bit better every week but it was well over 2 months before I could take it and still function the next day, Now I'm up to 17.5mg, with just one folic acid a week, and I rarely have any problem at all. I think everyone is very different in what their body can tolerate, and how it protests about being dosed with strong chemicals. The chances are that it won't last that long as it seems that lots of people adapt much more quickly than I did, and others swop over to injections which they find easier. So good luck that it improves quickly - with no side effects & positive effect on controlling your RA. Polly (But please, please don't get the bottles muddled up & take MTX six times a week instead of folic acid! It can only be taken once a week as so toxic.)
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 7/6/2011 Posts: 65
|
Hi,
I'm afraid nausea is one of the side affects of MTX.
Check the FA as it seems many people here are told different advice regarding intake/amount- someone wasn't even given it at all!
I took it for four days...
Also, the injections decrease the sickness very much- this may be worth looking into?
Feeling nauseous is SO terrible! I was SO upset when this happened to me as I am constantly sick ALL the way through pregnancies and the thought of feeling liek this all the time was disheartening...But it may very well stop or something can be done about it.
Amanda
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/20/2010 Posts: 244 Location: Cornwall
|
Hello Naomi,
How's it going? Just catching up, I've been suffering from a PC virus this last week! I've been on MTX since November and felt really sick, headaches and like I had a dreadful hangover the next day for about 6 weeks. I don't get that so much any more but found about April time a change from diclofenac to naproxen helped a lot with the nausea. Trouble is with such cocktails you can't always tell what's doing what.
Sara
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
