Methotrexate side effects

Thank you

Same here with Diarrhea the next day. Can’t go anywhere for a couple hours just to make sure it’s safe it does wear me out. It makes me very tired. I think I take two naps the next day after MTX this will be my 13th week and I also take eight tablets once a week with 5 mg of prednisone.

Thank you for your response

Hi, I’m brand new to my PMR diagnosis and took my first MTX and Prednisolone yesterday. What a day today was! Lots of pain, dizzy, nausea and could not go far from a toilet! Thank you all for sharing your experiences, I feel less alone already. 🙂

Just a follow up from me. I tried the methotrexate for months, however I just couldn't take the side effects every week, so now I'm just on 5 mg of Prednisone a day. I have an appointment with my Rheumatologist on Oct. 7 to see how everything is going.
Thank you for all your responses

I have been on Methotrexate 2.5 mg. 6 tablets once a week for two years now and it does not give me any side effects. It helps with the pain. I hope you all have the same experience.

That’s good to know, I am so nervous to start Methotrexate. My rheumatologist wants me to take 10 mg weekly. Are you taking it together with prednisolone ?

When I was put on methotrexate I was clearly told that the injections were much kinder than the tablet form on the stomach. After 12 weeks, I had to come off methotrexate because they did nothing to lower my CRP or take away any pain. Please ask your rheumatologist if you would be better with the injection form rather than the tablet form which will bypass your stomach and your liver. I was also given folic acid. I hope this helps. It is an awful disease. Mine has not responded to steroids or methotrexate. At the moment I am coping with vitamins especially cod liver oil and vitamin D and just painkillers. I find the side-effects from the drugs worse than the disease itself. Wish you all the best.

I am sorry that you had the reaction that you have had. I likewise could not tolerate the drug. I stuck it out for 12 weeks and it was 12 weeks of hell. I could not function I spent most of my time in bed because I could not stand up. I was so nauseous and giddy. I wanted to get relief from this dreadful disease so badly that I braved it out. With hindsight, I should have reported back to the rheumatologist earlier. All these drugs are just trial and error what suits one person and does the job doesn’t always work for another. I have had some relief from changing my diet. Omitting gluten and taking cod liver oil and vitamin D. I don’t think the disease is ever going to go away on its own. It is awful. I am dreading the winter for I am much worse when it is cold or when it is hot. Spring is a welcome time for me. I am one of those people that seems to get horrendous side-effects from all medication. I wish you better luck than I have had. There are alternatives to methotrexate, I advise you to seek help from the professionals. Don’t suffer as long as I did. It took three months out of my life. Just hang in there. My next course of action is to try an infrared heat lamp. I am constantly doing research online. I would also indicate to you that stress is a factor that makes things much worse for me. When I am anxious, I am in more pain. I’ve just had a very relaxing holiday in the Sun and felt great. Then you get home and all the daily stresses change things.

Methotrexate reacts differently with each and every person. I did not have any good experience with methotrexate or any other medication‘s for that matter so I’m not a good example. After taking methotrexate for a while it didn’t make me feel any better and I ended up very dizzy and it did not do anything for me either. Most people have no problems with methotrexate. My suggestion would be to discuss the situation you were having with MTX with your rheumatologist. My very best wishes to you going forward.