Rheumatoid Arthritis Community

I have been taking Methotrexate for my RA for only 5 months.
I have been having terrible stomach ache's for the whole time.
I didn't realize that it was from the Methotrexate until I just read
all the postings. My worst problem is with my hair. It is just falling out. I went to my family Doctor yesterday and she had
no idea what was going on.
However I am stopping it. My RA doctor told me to hang in ther
as there is a new medication coming out in 6 months,that does
not make you loose your hair.I also have an infusion once a
month called Actemra.

I have been taking mtx for about 13 years now. It did cause some of my hair to fall out, but I found out that folic acid helps with the hair loss so I got a prescription from my RA Dr. It took a little time, but I noticed my hair stopped falling out and it was getting thicker. I have not had any stomach problems, but I only take 3 mtx per week. Some people claim getting it by injection stops the stomach problems. You may want to ask your RA Dr. about that. I just started on Actemra last month. I am in a study. I go for my 2nd infusion on June 27th. My blood work is all messed up and I am wondering if it is from the Actemra. It is the first Biologic drug I have ever taken and it is kind of scary. How long have you been on it, and is this your first biologic drug. It will be interesting to know if it works. I hope this post was some help to you. I will keep checking to see your reply. Pretzelady

I just joined this site while looking for some info. I have been on Methotrexate 2.5mg for RA for just over 3 years. I also have Osteo--Fibromyalgia--Neuropathy--and Coronary Heart Diease. In the last year I went from 6 pills every Saturday to 7 then 8 weeks later 8 then 12 weeks later 9. I am also taking Gabapenten 300mg--Cymbalta 60mg--Folic Acid--2000units of D and also E--I was taking 10mg of Prednizone a day but that is down to 5mg. Any less and I have alot of swelling problems. I get a little dizzy, very tired and have very loose stools 3 or 4 times a day. I do not however feel sick at all. My blood work shows my RA is running wild. I see my Dr. in 3 days and he may be changing me to Humara injectible at home. This does not thrill me at all. I am 61 years old and I can't believe all of this is happening and I must take all of this medicine. I have to say I am however glad to be able to get along as well as I do. I rather have the few side effects that I do than to take the chance of taking something new and having new problems. What does anyone think?

I was afraid to try something new, but I couldn't deal with the pain anymore, and also my hands were starting to turn. My Dr. said I needed something more so I went on a Biologic drug called Actemra.. I started it on May 30th this year. It took about a month for me to notice a difference. My pain is completely gone now. It is the best decision I ever made so far. I am a new woman. I also take 3mtx a week, folic acid, calcium pills,2.5 mg of predisone and vitamins. I don 't need any pain pills. The pain pills I was taking(Meloxacam) really messed my blood up so I was told not to take them. I started RA about 14 years ago. It took a long time to get really bad. My infusion is done in the Drs. office, once a month. I am not having any problems with anything right now. I am living for today as I really feel alive now and like my old self, thanks to the new drug I am taking. You do what you have to do when you have to do it. Good Luck to you. Pretzelady

Hi DO you take the shot daily or once a week?

Here's something to consider with Methotrexate, Prednisone and any other RA meds...DON'T TAKE THEM! and here is why:
my younger sister has had RA for over 30 yrs now. she has taken everything and i mean EVERYTHING including Gold Shots...nothing helped her, nothing! at this moment she is in surgery to remove her gall bladder because of the years of meds she took. if she had to do over again she would not have been a guinea pig for the pharma companies.

the pain of RA is debilitating but the meds are KILLERS.

I do believe that you should have probably brought this up with you RA doctor. I,too, had stomach upsets and vomiting with MDX - I take medication to help with this. It works! You just have to ask. No, I don't think any medication will make the pain "disappear" completely - RA is here to stay. If your RA doctor is worth their weight in gold, they will explain that it goes into remission and will reappear at some other point in time (unknown). We do have to help ourselves - don't dwell on the pain, get on with life and stop "thinking" about how much it HURTS! Yes, it pains to move around but, the more you do, the more it helps to make it more manageable - get interested in something, do something to keep yourself busy. I actually go to WORK every day! Can you believe it?!?!!! It is not easy, lots of days I would just like to stay in bed and not get up. I have a lot of times when I'll get up and fall on the floor because my legs give out! I fall in the shower, I fall up the stairs, I fall down the stairs - I fall walking across the yard! It's frustrating! I'm lucky that I have not broken anything yet! All my joints "creak" and pop and click and crunch! I've had multiple surgeries on my knees. I'm swollen, my hands/fingers hurt. I take 10 MDX weekly and enbrel inj. weekly. My weight went from 110 to130! All in just 2months! I really want to stop all medications also! But,what's the alternative?..... wheelchair? no independance? No thanks. Oh, your hair will come back and in the meantime, there are hair products to thicken it. (I'm a former hairdresser - prior to RA). Keep your head up.... My hair is past my waist and it started falling out too - it's starting to thicken again...

I just started theMethotrexate a few months ago. The first month was not hard until my dose was uped to a theraputic level.The fatigue and nausa are tough. I am not having intestinal problems, but I have a cup of Kefir every morning. Started that regime after fracturing both tibial plateaues last summer. Kept me from getting constipated. Also helps with not having intestines feeling like they're" tied in knotts". This is just another health challange. I have been taking meds to control my epilepsy since I was 17, asthma (the prednisone for the RA tamed those) and Breast Cancer. Recovering and learning to live with these physical challanges have not been easy. I work full time
But what choice do I have? My RA was in remission for close to 15 years and I will do what ever I can to chase it back into remission.

Kelley I am about to start Metho and no one has said anything about hair loss. Can you tell me more...

I've been taking Methotrexate for about a month now, and I am familiar with the side effects that you mentioned -it's like having the flu 3 days out of the week, and only feeling well for the remainder of the week until I take my next dose.

I got onto another discussion board and asked how I could minimize that feeling. One person recommended eating with your medication, and lots of fluids. It has helped me with the stomach issues, at least.

As for the other side effects, I would love some advice if you have any. Hang it there, I know what you're going through

Hi Gram,I am a dancer and a Gramdma with RA for 2 years.Just was given meth and take 3pills a week.My dr. said no side effects. Not so, problem with my bowels,appetite tiredness etc. I was told giving meth by injection is much better. I also have heart problems and had my mitral valve replaced.please let me hear from you.Thanks Marcia

I have had the same problems. I first started taking methotrexate when I was a senior in high school and was on if for about 4 months and had no side effects except for some hair loss. I recently started taking it again and have been having a lot of nausea. It seems like it is worse for me on the 2nd or 3rd day after taking it but it also seems like I am randomly getting episodes of nausea throughout the week. It mostly seems to be in the evening before bed and when I wake up. It feels like the nausea you get afrer you go on a roller coaster. I currently take 6 pills once a week. Good luck, hope you feel better soon.

I have been on Folitrax Methotrexate 20 mgs a week for 2 years now and the first four months were a nightmare. I had all sorts of trouble, loose motions, giddiness, numbness, and felt very weak i use to lie in bed for three days in a row. I had to be administered higher doses as my anti bodies were very high. However i decided to take the medicine at night just after dinner and hit the bed rather than day time as i was having problems, slowly i noticed that from three days i was in bed for 1 day only and thereafter i felt fine i am still on it but move about freely now. I tried the deep breathing exercise for 15 mins a day in three four sittings with a gap of three to four hours and it really helped. I still do the breathing exercise it has a very good effect and pains also subside to a great extent throughout the day. Try it I am sure you will be benefit too. Drink a lot of water to remove toxins from the body it is the main secret to control RA.

I just joined this site. I have not been diagnosed with RA. I have psoriasis and osteoarthritis. The pain is severe and for the past 4 years I have been on strong narcotics. Now my rheumy wants to put me on the methotrexate, there is no blood test for psoriatic arthritis but that is how she wants to handle it in hopes that it will be the answer for me. I have taken test after test med after med and I still live in pain and unable to do the things I enjoy.I am frightened. I have read all the side effects. They sound much worst than what I am dealing with now and I am told I would have to remain on current meds while taking it because I can't suddenly stop the narcotics. I feel like a drug addict. I have already suffered significant hair loss with the psoriasis as well as scarring of the skin. I read about the use of prednisone with the methotrexate. I had a reaction from the prednisone that broke my face out so that I barely recognized myself and has taken over 3 months to heal because the meds prescribed for it by the dermatologist were making the problem worse. Everyone says I should give it a try but as you stated I feel as if the meds are killing.

I know what you mean, I have been on Methotrexate for about 4 weeks now, I was at work when the side effects kicked in, I thought I was dying, it was bad enough for me to go to the e.r, I was scared to take the next dose of 3 pills once a week, but I did, I also informed my doctor about what had happen, they said they had to rule out that it was a stomach bug.....I told them that I had had stomach virus before an that it felt nothing like that, I was dizzy, almost passed out, shortness of breath, nausa out of this world! I just hope that it doesn't return....