Oh yeah, Probiotics...can't forget that. Gotta have those so I don't get thrush from the prilosec and prednisone. And, have to oil pull with coconut oil, brush my teeth and tongue with baking soda and rinse with peroxide....

Sorry, just don't like this "new" normal !

My Rheumatologist says Folic Acid is a must with MTX.

My rheumatologist automatically put me on folic acid when I was put on methotrexate.

I was put on Folic Acid the same time as MTX.

Likewise on the folic acid. I take biotin and zinc to help my hair grow back thicker fromboth MTX and Plaquenil.

I'm on shots of MTX now but when I took pills, I got diarrhea at 36 hours but got hit by sleep about 3 hours after. So my doc suggested that I take the pills at intervals and not all at once to see if that helped with the side effects. Can't really do that with shots so I do it about 3 hours before bedtime and know I will be clearing out my digestive system 36 hours later. I always weigh myself after that trip to the bathroom(I know TMI). But Dr. Oz says you can hold 7-10 pounds of stool in your small and large intestines so why not do it when their cleaned out?

Jen

i literally cackled when i read your post, jen. way to look at the bright side!

my rheumy gave me folic acid with mtx as well. i've always taken zinc supplements (well, when i remember. more often than not, i remember). i would be almost useless the day after mtx - i was taking it on sunday evenings and would relax all day monday (i was off saturday through monday). i would sleep a lot more than normal and often would experience some nausea - nothing a bit of ginger candy wouldn't help.

Folic acid is not just a must with mthx, but with pretty much anyone who has RA, according to my last rheumatologist.

I also take zinc because it helps me not get infections, and the Biotin stopped my hair from falling out.

I was a bit nauseated the first few weeks on the pills, but I was fatigued anyway from the RA, so I didn't notice a difference. The pills did nothing for me, but mthx was really good IN COMBO with a biologic.

By the time I was on mthx shots and a biologic I had as much energy as before RA and no flares. Sadly despite all the folic acid, my liver enzymes went too high, and that was the end of really good results with RA. Sigh!

Mine prescribes folic acid too.

I started on one pill then 2....the first 2 weeks were horrible. After that no side effects except I zonk out Tuesday night and am zombie like Wed. Thursday I am 100%

Highly unusual that you weren't prescribed folic acid with the meth.

Regarding the folic acid...my rheumy does prescribe it if needed. He says too much folic acid can reduce the effectiveness of the MTX. So he likes to see if a person can tolerate the mtx without the folic acid, then go from there. I'm thinking I may be one that can tolerate the mtx pretty well....will take dose #2 tomorrow night, so we shall see.

I have noticed a few strands of hair flying around...of course that could be the thyroid and not the mtx.....next time I order my probiotic I will be ordering biotin and zinc as well.

I wish the mtx would work faster. I haven't hurt this much since before diagnosis...wondering if the 600mg of plaquenil is not working as well...always a guessing game...

Thanks for the replies....I don't post often but I do read the posts on this forum. So many people that have learned so much in their journey....Thanks for sharing....helps those of us that don't know much and just don't have the patience to figure it out.

I did ask a pharmacist about this, and she did not see a conflict if taken for RA. However..... I take 2 g of folic acid 5 days a week, and take the MTX on the other days. Someone else here posted that a better result for blood work is if mtx is not in the system for a day or two. So, I arrange to have my blood work done on Mondays, take the mtx Monday & Tuesday nights.

My Rheumatologist sent me to a hematologist because my platelet count was so high. I was having shoulder surgery, no MTX for a couple weeks before & after. The Hemotologist saw this, and asked that I stay off MTX for a total of 6 weeks, then get the tests that he wanted done.

Turns out - surprise - RA has raised my platelet count. The Hemologist/Oncologist was very, very thorough. One test was a bone marrow test.

I am skipping my yearly physical this year - had 2 EKGs, a CT scan on my lungs, MRI, bone marrow test, shoulder surgery, and many, many blood tests, and a mammogram. Had a hysterectomy in 1994.I can not imagine why my Primary Care (who did the pre surgical physical) would need to see me.

I take Folic Acid also.

I was started slowly...1 pill, then 2....etc. Was on 6 for 3 weeks now am on 7 since Tuesday. I actually noticed the last few days I been feeling better. No nausea, morning stiffness, no knee pain....feel good. MTX possibly starting to work.

Tonight's the night, gonna be alright.....I hope those words ring true tonight when I take those 5 little pills.

I'm really dreading the "crash" tomorrow night. Reminds me of the extreme fatigue I had before diagnosis.

Glad to hear it worked fairly fast for some. Maybe it will for me. I have seen a few more hairs floating around today...folic acid and zinc are on my list to order.

Did, if possible, try to get a prescription for this. It would be a better choice.

Get the folic!

there's a good suggestion about using ginger to help with nausea, it does work BUT USE JUDICIOUSLY. When I was on 7 MTX, saw RA Dr. for follow up, told him of nausea and he suggested ginger. Naturally I over did it; took ginger tabs, ate ginger snap cookies, drank a 2 liter bottle of ginger ale (an excuse for sugar on those). Oh yeah, no more stomach upset but couldn't pass a stool for three days. I got myself so constipated. To the pharmacy, bottle of "Thunder and Lightning". So be careful with the ginger. As the poster suggested, a little.