Bump...am I only person that experienced a bad reaction MTX?

I have been really bad about taking my MTX because it makes me feel awful so I have not been taking it regularly for about a month but have noticed the last week that I have had a bad flare and been very tired so I am wondering if it is an effect of not taking the MTX. The MTX just makes me so tired. I also take Orencia so I am curious to see what others have experienced. I told my self this AM that I was going to start taking my MTX again to see if it helps with the flares. Curious what others have experienced.

I had a lot of fatigue and feeling badly on MTX so my dr stopped it and I felt much better (overall, not joint-specific). We switched to Arava (daily) instead of MTX and I have little problems with that (been on it for over 2 years now). That being said, we're still on the hunt for the right cocktail for me (I've combined Arava with enbrel, humira, remicade and currently we're trying orencia)

I feel better with mtx

ReeDee43 I am on your team! MTX wore me out - Early on I took the pills they tore my stomach up. My RD switched me to the injection. I could not function for 2 or 3 days after the injection.Over time it became worse. I decided to stop it. At this point I am taking Enbrel and doing great. My energy is good. If I was still taking MTX I would not be able to work.

I have a RD appt next week - 2nd opinion. At the end of the month I am scheduled to see my current RD. I will be discussing it with both of them.

BTW, thanks for bumping this since starting to work I don't come to DS everyday.

I had mega energy and no problems with mthx except my liver enzymes creeping up uncontrollably by the 10th year.

I have heard that mthx either gives you energy or saps it totally. Sounds like it was the wrong med for you. I wish about every second day I could go back on it, just for the energy it gave me. Hypomania, in measured quantities would go a long way these days, instead of naps and exhaustion. LOL

I only felt better and better coming off MTX - on it I was sore AND rough, now I am just sore (but less so than on MTX). Consequently I am highly sceptical about trying other dmards.

I feel way better taking MTX (injections) and Folic Acid, along with Plaqunil. The combo works well for me. Isn't it crazy how varied we all are with these meds? What works for one doesn't work for others, etc.

Lam0814 I agree it is very strange how a medication works or doesn't work for each individual I spoke with a RD that said "we do not know the cause of RA treating it is an art form." I appreciated his honesty because doctors have data about us, medications to treat us and sometimes cocktail works, sometimes they don't. There is no one size fits all in RA world.

all i know as a pneumonia regular is that mtx is in your system for a long long time after you stop taking it and that you reap whatever benefits that it gives for weeks/months after. that makes it bad for my lungs, on the other hand the stuff that is gone in a week, enbrel, is good for my lungs, but doesn't seem to be touching my ra.

without that stuff i hate - mtx (yes I do feel like sh** for 48 hours after sticking myself with it) i wouldn't be able to work full time.

i'm amazed that you felt so good so immediately after stopping it since it has a long shelf life in your body good or bad. but happy that you are feeling better.

Ros

Hey Ros,

I understand scientifically, logically, medically, (you pick it), that mthx is in your system for a long time after you stop taking it, but I swear every single week, one or two days before my weekly dosage is due I start to feel the symptoms in my joints worse and it gets better about one day or so after I take the med. So maybe I am just mentally unstable enough that I have convinced myself that the mthx is my magic bullet, but I swear it lessens in its effectiveness for me every week. Every time I have had to stop taking it to go on an antibiotic I am affected by missing it in my system and go into a flare. If it is my mind that has the power to make me believe that this medication is helping me then I sure wish I knew how to use it to better convince my body that it is my miracle pills. LOL! (I hope you see my humor in this comment). I really think my body is low in the amount in my system every week and reacts accordingly.

Ros, I find that interesting that the mthx adversely affected your lung issues. I have had severe asthma and recurrent lung infections for many years. They were much better on mthx. I wasn't sick almost the whole time I was on it. Now I am back to chronic bronchitis all summer this summer and last.

It really is curious how these drugs affect us so differently. Mthx also stopped my eczema, which has also come back since I went off of it. I also found that within a week of going off mthx, even with the biologic, Kineret, I was in agonizing pain. I had to go off mthx twice, - once for surgery and once to give the liver a break. It was the worst time in my life. I had to be off Kineret for a month before starting Rituxan and it was also one week before big flares started. Mind you, that was a daily needle and it cleared very quickly through my kidneys.

I have taken just 2 doses so far and I feel terrible. I took last weeks dose on Sunday night and didn't feel better until Thursday. I feel pretty good right now (considering ...lol). I am taking the methotrexate tonight....If I feel like I have the flu tomorrow with that ran over by a truch feeling I know its the med. Wish me luck. :)

When I started MTX I was told to take it on a day when I didn't have to be anywhere or do anything except relax. I chose Sundays and stayed in my PJs warning my family to either take care of me or leave me a lone, lol.

I ate a good breakfast before I took the med and drank lots of fluids that day per my doc's instructions. It made me tired so laying around watching movies was the perfect way to spend the day, lol. Eventually it didn't tire me anymore so I was able to get more done, but eating first and drinking lots of fluids was always important.

I eventually had to get off of it because of liver enzymes getting too high, and I've missed it. It really helped me a lot, other than my hair thinning out it was a good experience.

My B12 was also incredibly low and had to go on supplements till they went back to normal. It was due to anemia due to blood loss. I still take a supplement but a much lower one than before.

Glad to hear you are doing better, keep us posted on the DMARDs

hugs jilly

Thanks for all of your responses. I have to agree with Hollandgirl on the wipe out. I've been taking mtx for about 3 to 4 months so hopefully it won't be in my system too much longer. This is my second week without it and energy levels feel almost normal. I think some arthritis medications bring the disease to its full course to treat it. At least that what it felt like on mtx. Not to mention my wbc and rbc were off the charts and it depleted my B12 causing me to become anemic as well. Like several of you mentioned-what works for some may not work for others. I feel somewhat normal for the first time since I had this disease. I actually feel like I can go back to work now.