Hi.
You should at least call your Dr. before you do anything with your meds. Tell them how you are feeling and what you think may be the problem. You may have to leave a message and get a call back later. any Dr. worth their salt will get back to you either personally or through their staff.
I had problems with MTX making me sick to my stomach. I have been on Prednisone for almost a year now. I am down to 2 mg per day it has never caused me stomach issues. So everyone is different. I do think it may be wise to try some maalox after your pills, that is what they gave me in the hospital when I was taking all kinds of meds. to help my stomach handle it.
I would keep track for a few days like on paper ( if you haven't already) so you can tell exactly how long it is before the pain sets in and the duration. Also the relation to exactly which meds. you take when.
I wish you luck.
Hugs,
Jan

I quit twice, once just recently. I'm on orencia and 10 mtx, but I take it by shot. Every time I'm feeling really good, silly me thinks, remission. Mtx is the one I quit taking, and I pay for it. I haven't had a flare in a year since orencia, and I got off mtx for almost 3 weeks, and my Hand/wrist/fingers flared so bad, it lasted a whole month. I finally went in to rhuemy to get a couple of cortisone shots, to calm it down.

I did not tell him what I did, told him it must have been stress, that made me flare. He would have gotten so mad, If he knew I did that. He is so relentless on taking Mtx.

I hate that I do this, you think I would learn. But inside all of us is that
hope for remission. And how would you know if your in remission, taking drugs? Man oh man, that flare lasted forever.

Lin

I also started getting a chronic cough about a year after starting the MTX.

My dr once told me RA is not an emergency illness that needs to be treated immed. but moreso over time. I was going to drop down to 3 weekly, then 2, then 1. By then it will be time to see her.

I agree with you Jenny 100%. I have talked with her about this but will wait until I go in this month. I am also very compliant and she is a very good rheumatologist . I also get my blood work done every 3 months which is what she ordered. I'll just have to see how she feels about this when I go in. I started on 8 tabs weekly, then 6 and started getting frequent UTIs and she cut me down to 4 a week. I also am taking the macro bid nightly to help control the UTIs, so far so good. I'll keep you posted. Thanks for all your responses.

Ask your rheumy about injectable MTX. Mine has told me that we will switch to it in the fall (it is still in short supply here) because it will help with the GI issues.
I am not 100% about its affects on MTX, but avoid Maalox or any antacids with ANY medication or supplement. It coats the stomach and small intestine and impedes absorption . . . so you have just swallowed a really expensive placebo.
As your rheumy about Prilosec, Prevacid or the like. I know I can definitely tell a difference if I forget to take it.

I have opted to spread out my dosings to every other week.

Hoping to reduce some of my side effects and keep some of the benefits. I take 6 at a time. Spreading the dose out didn't do anything for me, but prolong the length of side effects.
It had gotten to the point, for me that the benefits were not out weighing the side effects.

Do you take an PPI's like prilosec to help your stomache? I now take one called Dexilant. This contains a long and a short acting med and has really helped my stomache.

Laura- my question would be- how are you feeling? I went off MTX on advice of my doctor because my liver enzymes had elevated. My RA seemed pretty much controlled- I was not pain free but fully functional. MY enzymes returned to normal and my pain levels did not increase significantly so I have been allowed to stay off.
I LOVE not being on any meds!
In the same breath I believe I am the exception and not the rule- please consult with your doctor.
I wish you all the best!

I had no choice but to quit do to liver enzymes. I decreased dose by half and liver continued to be a problem, so quit the next week and have never gone back.
I was on enbrel at the time and realized that the enbrel did the job for me and I didn't need the methotrexate.
However, I quit all med and and still only take NSaids. I have RA swelling and stiffness in one finger on each hand. So far, taking those at night have pretty much eliminated my RA pain, although I keep a vigilent eye out for damage and deformities.

I think I'm more the exception - but you will know quickly if the pain begins to return. Just do it with your doctor. Or ask to switch to a biologic.

I quit MTX due to horrific side effects that basically left me unable to do anything. My doctor originally told me to lower the dose and see how I did on the lower dose, and that didn't help. When it didn't, he said to just stop it. My advice would be mainly the same as others - do this with your doctor - most doctors, even if they don't necessarily agree, know that they can't force you to take meds, so if you have a coherent reason for not wanting to take a med, will come up with a safe plan for you to stop taking it. If you really don't feel like you can go until you see your doc, then call the office and tell him/her how you feel and that you don't think you can keep taking the medication.

I cant take any of those meds like prilosec, zantac etc.I checked the label and I dont have it in front of me but it said if you are taking...do not take these.
I feel fine actually as for the RA. I have slight pain also but noting severe. I just have to make sure I dont do any strenous work because I will def feel it the next day. Very little swelling in my wrists. Im getting my blood work done next week, so we will see the damage, if any.
Thanks for all your input., Laura

Just wanted to mention another option. If your doc wants you to stay on the MTX but the side effects continue to bug you, you could ask about Imuran instead. It's not a biologic, but like MTX it works by slightly tamping down the whole immune response. I was having terrible mouth sores with MTX, even with daily folic acid, so I switched to Imuran. I also take Orencia, plaquenil and 5 mg of prednisone- I'm on the more severe end of RA. The Imuran is a daily dose, and I don't get any hangover feeling or nausea from it.

Caren

Caren