Methotrexate side effects

I thought folic acid was prescribed along with mtx to help with side effects?

I requested the injection form of Mx for those very reasons. Though I dread poking myself each week, I've had zero side effects. It's been a worthwhile trade-off for me.
Side note: after two years of not being able to taper below 9mg pred, even after adding Mx, I started Tyenne (biologic similar for Actmera) very recently. It's too soon to really tell, but signs are very positive so far. I asked the rheumy about stopping Mx and she said she wants me to focus on dropping steroids first since they have much worse effects than Mx.

Even though I had no side effects, my rheumatologist switched me to the injectable form because it is better absorbed and therefore more effective. I inject with a really tiny needle and I’ve become used to it. I would ask if it’s a possibility for you.

There is a good chance the injection would avoid the GI side effects.
You should be taking folate daily as well.

MX will only have less worse effects than steroids if you don't get any of the bad side effects of MX. There are lots. It can severely impact on your bone marrow and that leads to all sorts of bad issues, with severe disruptions to blood cells, inflammation in spleen and pancreas, and escalating temperatures. Admittedly this type of toxicity which I experienced after two years is rare, but if the Mx is no longer helping reduce the steroids, there seems to be no point in taking that risk. Been off it for 8 weeks after an emergency stay in hospital and feeling so much better.

I took folic acid 1mg daily as prescribed and still had side effects.

I took MX for about 1 year. Had very few side effects, until I developed pneumonia and ended up in VA hospital for 12 days. The doctors had a difficult time determining what caused my pneumonia. Unfortunately, the doctors don't consult with each other, as my rheumatologist would have told them it was from the MX. Inflammation of the lungs is one of the side effects.

I had a similar experience recently. I was on MX for 18 months with tiredness 1 day a week as the only side effect. Since Jan this year, I ended up in hospital on several occasions with fever, increase in muscle pain, inflammation in spleen and pancreas and eventually severe anemia. All possible side effects of MX but not identified at the time of hospital admissions. No infection and all other possibilities ruled out, so MX was stopped. That was 10 weeks ago, and after a recovery period things have improved significantly. Although still taking too many steroids, bloods and inflammation are back to being normal for someone with PMR.