So, it has been awhile since I have come on here and posted (I read others posts occasionally). I saw a Rheumy last August that I really really liked. He told me he was pretty positive I had lupus although my bloodwork came back negative. He started me on Plaquenil and scheduled for me to see him a few months later. Well, he passed away. I was very frustrated because I had been to countless doctors who had told me "it's in your head," or "we can't find anything wrong with you." My symptoms had come and gone over the years and were vague. I continued to take the Plaquenil (he had given me a year's worth). This summer, I got really really bad. Severe joint pain, sleeping 16+ hours per day and still exhausted, facial rash, mouth sores, hair loss...and I was still holding down my job and under a tremendous amount of stress. I finally made an appointment with another Rheumy. While awaiting my appointment (took 2 months), I ended up in the ER with pleurisy and continued to get sicker and sicker. I was so scared to go to another Dr. She was awesome! She said I definitely had lupus. She put me on prednisone and reran bloodwork. Well, I had my follow up appointment with her today. My bloodwork is now positive. She is putting me on methatrexate (sp?) and has given me some more prednisone for flares as needed. She also is having me continue on plaquenil. I have developed a sinus infection, so she put me on antbiotics and told me to start the methatrexate when finished. I am so relieved! I was so scared I would have to start at square one again.

Has anyone taken methatrexate? What side effects should I expect?

Sheila