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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Brownsfan 09/19/2016

Hello friends....I have a question for anyone who will give me feedback. I was diagnosed Aug 30 with RA and have Methatrexate and Folic acid ready to start. I had to have a small surgery today so can not start it until Oct 3. Flares aren't to bad hands get very sore left index finger looks like a bratwurst but could be worse. Question is when I start taking Methatrexate do I take Folic Acid sometime? Wait a day? Wait hour or 2? No one has really said. I have had so much other stuff going on that question has not been answered very vague. Amy opinions/help would be very helpful!!! Thank you!!!

PW39 09/19/2016

Mtx was my first drug I took for ra a couple years ago. I was on 6 pills mtx and the folic acid I was prescribed was 1mg tablets and I took them twice a day everyday. I'd definitely check with your Dr and see what they recommend. Sometime they will wait and see how your body reacts to the med as far as side effects and stuff goes. Then they may lower your mtx or raise your folic acid to help with the side effects. Welcome to the board and good luck with the new medication. Hope you get some good results.

Brownsfan 09/19/2016

Well thank you yes I take 6 2.5 mg Methatrexate once a week and Folic Acid is 1mg once a day. Just rest to start it but scared/nervous at the same time.

journeythru 09/19/2016

Yes, check with your doctor because my Rheumy tells me when I take the MTX, wait until the next day to take folic acid. Folic acid can make MTX less effective. Also, at first, I was really scared to take MTX, too. But I haven't had any problems. I do the Injections once a week.

Brownsfan 09/19/2016

Thank you for the advice. I will get ahold of Rheumy

Angelpuss 09/20/2016

Hi Brownsfan, generally, the protocol is to take the Folic Acid the day after methotrexate, whether it is injection MTX or oral MTX. I take 10mg of prescription Folic Acid but different Rheumies seem to prescribe differing amounts, so check it out with your doctor. Good luck - I hope you don't have any problems.

californialynn 09/20/2016

I've heard that some people take it 6 days a week. I take it 7 [including the day I take the MTX]. I don't think it makes much of a difference whether you take it 6 or 7 days a week.

Brownsfan 09/20/2016

Ok. Thank you everyone. If I take it same day as MTX do I take it same time or wait couple hours??

MarleneJ 09/20/2016

My doctor had me on 5 mg of folic acid daily, the 9 years I was on mthx. I have a new rheumatologist now, I see him the first week of October. I wonder what his amount and procedure will be?

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