Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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RCross 03/20/2013

I'll be starting mtx next week,,,assuming the clearance tests (labs/x-ray) come back normal. My question is what should I expect? I've read all the side effects, etc....but I'd like to hear the real life stories.

Thanks,

Robbi

deleted_user 03/27/2013

I've only been on it a month--just 3 pills plus my plaquenil; so far, no stomach issues, just extreme fatigue. I wake up tired after a full night's sleep. On the plus side, I am having less pain in some joints, but not all. Guess it take some time to kick in.

Hoping your body adjusts quickly. It sounds rough for you so far.

RCross 03/27/2013

I'm feeling somewhat better this evening. I called the rheumy to give them an update (as requested.) The nurse feels that part of the issue is I didn't have enough folic acid in my system first - started both same day. I took the Folic Acid in the morning and the mtx last night. I'm hoping my next dose will be symptom free! If not though the doctor is willing to switch me to injections. Thankfully!

deleted_user 03/27/2013

I know there are peole who tolerate it fairly well and get benfit from it. I hope you are one of those. For me, I felt like I lost 9 months of my life, without benefit, and still have cognitive and liver problems from it. Definitely take your folic acid! Stock the house with bland, ready-prepared foods, and don't plan to do anything until you see how you'll react. Good luck!

deleted_user 03/29/2013

I am newly diagnosed (October 2012) with RA and i started Methotrexate at the beginning of December. The first couple weeks were rough.. i was exhausted on the days I took it, had no appetite and felt dizzy and had bad headaches. The good news is that after 6 weeks or so the side effects subsided. I'm still not convinced that MTX is my life saver as I'm currently on plaquenil, etodolac and weaning off of prednisone and still feel stiff joints in the mornings, but it is a huge improvement over what it was before.
Best of luck to you!!

ILoveHuskies 03/30/2013

When I took MTX my doctor told me to split up the dose as long as I took all of them the same day. I took 2 pills at breakfast and 2 pils at lunch and 2 at supper. That medicine did not agree with me. Then I was put on Enbrel. No problems with Enbrel so far. I have been on it for about a year and a half. I did go off it for a few issues sometimes.

RCross 03/30/2013

I had nausea/vomiting for about 12 hours, ugh. Headache for 3 days! I'm really hoping that next week's dose goes much smoother!

Thank you all for your well wishes and your mtx stories.

bluedogs2 03/30/2013

Oh My Goodness - I hope you are feeling better - WIshing all a Safe and Happy Easter week-end

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