I was thinking about something similar today. I've been feeling short with people, Over chatty but in a second I will be overwhelmed and short. Not sure why I have been shouty and I don't like it I'm normally very easy going. But I asked my husband to move the couch and he said maybe later and I blew up on him! I couldn't believe I did that it caused me to cry because I felt so bad. But I've been doing it with everyone and I have no real reason to. I'm not stressed or anything. I just hurt really bad ( Did a treadmill stress test) and it cause so much pain afterwards I've still got the after effects. I'm wondering if it's the meds I also had my methotrexate yesterday.Something to ask our rheumatologists about. I did read this*** Methotrexate can also cause mood changes. Depression and/or anxiety caused by methotrexate therapy can be serious.*** http://www.arthriticchick.com/medications/medications-for-rheumatoid-arthritis-methotrexate that is the site I found it on.

I was just talking to my hbby about the very same thing ..i feel it is the Methotrexate changing my moods ..my sister looks at me like im off my rocker because she said im am worrying alot more then usual about her kids etc...i just figured it out that the Metho is causing this ..and eh crying as well ..but it is helping with pain ..so what do we do ./ how od we handle that ? weara sandwic board that states "im on methotrexate please ignore my mood ?" ohhh jeese ...so much to figure out at times ..but i dont think its your imagination..i think it can alter some peoples moods ..sending you a hug .

Thanks for your responses ladies! I'm sorry we have to deal with this but glad I am not alone.

I haven't noticed that I am more easily angered just more withdrawn really. I feel so crappy I don't even want to talk to anybody. I just feel like I could cry at any moment and do at the slightest provacation. I am definately more worrisome. I even called my husband last night because it seemed to me it was taking him too long to get home and I needed to make sure everything was okay. Almost did it again this morning when he took our son to work but I stopped myself.

I hope this gets better. I am not even at a therapuetic dose yet. I know my doc wants to increase my dose at least 2 more times as long as my liver tests are good. I REALLY want to stay on this medication since I know it is the best one to treat my RA, I am very fortunate that it was diagnosed early and started treamtent early. It's just so dang hard. I hate having to make myself feel worse to hopefully get better!

Stay strong ..hang in there .....i think we need to give our selves poetic license as they say with some of this and be kind to ourselves as well .

I felt very emotional when I first started my mtx injections. I would cry at the drop of a hat, get mad for almost no reason and just feel strung out. I just thought it was trying to deal with the fact that I have RA, an incurable disease that will most likely just get worse as time goes on. But thinking back, it might have been the MTX.

I've been on MTX about 6 months now, and I'm not near as emotional as I was.

because it made me feel like my head was being held under water i became a tear jerker. mental clarity is important to me. in the absence of it, i cried a lot. this was not good. for work. for the kids. or for anyone around me.

Ros

It could be the drugs, but it could also be the situation. Think about it... chronic pain, a diagnosis of a disease that has no cure, lifestyle changes, uncertainty of the future, hormone fluctuations...

All of these can lead to emotional episodes and insecurity. If you have access to a mental health professional, it might not hurt to talk things out.

I know that all of the above affect me. At 51, I don't know if I'm perimenopausal or just need to develop better coping skills ;).

Dana W.

I just told my doctor about this very thing this morning. I said, you know doc, I'm in a time in my life when I'm suppose to be enjoying life. I'm retired, empty nesters, my wife and I pretty much do what we want but yet I feel like I'm falling to pieces. I don't have the desire to do anything anymore, nor the energy to do it. We talked for some time about different things and he asked me if I wanted to see someone and talk to them. I know what he meant and I said no, I'll deal with it. He did change all my meds because he thought they weren't working and could be one of the causes. Also wants me talk to my PCP about going on Lexapro.

I noticed that a lot of you are pretty young and are faced with this terrible disease. My heart goes out to you because I know at 66 years old, it's taken its toll on me.

I am not on mtx now and haven't been for years. my med regime changed after the rheumatologist and I had a heart to heart.

i have my mental clarity back now like 7 days a week. i don't burst into tears anymore because I can't remember my date of birth or the way to work after driving the same 60 mile round trip route for 8 years. I am very happy that mtx works for so many.

i wished it had worked for me.

i need my brains to do my job and run the house alone. even without my knees, hips, ankles, wrists, hands, as long as I have my mouth and my synapses firing in the frontal lobe I can yell at the kids over the phone. I aint never going back.

Ros

The thing is ..if Methotrexate relieves RA symsptoms and slows down the disease and the rhuemy goves a person no other med options ..its impossible to not stop teh aggression of this disease , crying and feel foggy in the head veruses being disabled and joint destruction ..how does one win ?

the biologic delivers me from losing my job, thus the house and the kids in college. i was not functioning on what was paying my entire system on mtx. i had to take the bull by the horns. RA wise I am better on the biologics than I was on mtx.

i got no bang for my buck with it and i was dangerously close to not being able to work.

that was reversed when the mtx stopped and the biologics started.

i know that i could get an even bigger response with the synergistic affect or whatever they call it tami: the mtx AND the biologic. i have to settle for less of an improvement with the biologic alone. but overall i am better with this course of action.

we are all different. my brains were so messed up on that that I was having my first panic attacks of my life.

that stuff is all gone when the mtx left, so did all of that. i think basically that we should all be able to remember our full name on a daily basis unless we are in the throes of dementia.

i was just paying attention so i could run the whole damn pondersoa here alone. :) good thing too. for me.

but I embrace those for whom it works. i think that is excellent. it is not a black box drug, it is available, and it helps so many

hugs
Ros

i was suppose to go on a biologic and my rheumy changed his mind a teh last minute ..and kept me on MTX even though i have a terrible time with nausea ...im seeing a new rheumy next month ..my disease is moderate climbing to the severe so bioligcs seemd to make sense ..im glad ros they stopped teh MTX for you and your meds are working ..that Ponderosa doesnt run it self rite :) i take my hat off to you for all you do ! :)

I was dx'd 5 years ago and was on mtx early on. I took it for about 2 years and asked to be taken off of it as my wife and I thought maybe we would try for another baby. My mind clarity came back (my wife would say the contrary probably..lol). I have had such bad flares that yesterday I was put back on mtx and I was put on immediate 8 tablets weekly. Needless to say, I'm extremely sick and I have DEFINITELY seen changes in my mood/emotions the past few hours. Right now, my wife could say 'hey baby' to me and I feel like I would snap. I'm normally not one that is easily provoked but I know my limitations at this very moment and can only equate it to the mtx not to mention feeling so sick because of it.

Does anyone know the chemcial makeup of MTX as in what is the actual cause of it affecting the motions so strongly ?? why does it do that ???its hard enough being emotional from a diagnosis of a chronic disease ..i also have develeped a form of dilexia ..something i never had before ...
Sorry RA fight that you had to go back on it :(

Thank you to all of you! Each and every one of you make ver valid points that hit home for me.

I will be 44 later this month. I really need to do all I can to stop the progression of this disease since I have a lot of years for it to do its damage if I don't. I am hoping that things will get better on the MTX. As I understand it, some people do experience lessening of the side effects in time. I have only taken two doses so it may get better.

I am very fortunate that I have an extremely understanding boss and my job does allow for some flexability. As a nurse/case manager I can be called out at all hours on any day and I do take call on a rotating schedule. This allows some built-in flex time. Thank goodness.

However, I am noticing that my lack of mental clairity is an issue at times but not enough to present a danger to anyone but my own ego! I would never risk endagering a patient. That is one of the reasons that I'm having a hard time with the pain. I will not take the Tramadol during the day when I am working. Legally I can but ethically, I won't do it.

I am already taking Lexapro, have for years. I guess I will give it some time and if things don't improve I'll speak to my PCP. I tried counseling once (a long time ago) and it really wasn't for me. This group, I think, has far more to offer!

Thanks to all of you from the bottom of my heart! Lori