Anyone in Methotrexate for GCA?

Posted by grams64 @grams64, Mar 23, 2023

I’m starting Methotrexate for GCA tomorrow & 3 months of steroids as well. I had already gained 90 pounds from a year of steroids in 2021 for 2 bouts of covid. I had just started to lose that steroid weight when I began having violent temple and eye socket headaches and have since been diagnosed with GCA &likely PMA though I have Sjogrens and osteoarthritis so difficult to differentiate between them. I guess I have 2 questions. Has anyone had trouble with Methotrexate .And has anyone found an effective diet for steroids weight gain? I normally eat a whole food plant based diet 80% of the time and fish or seafood once a week and cheese or nonfat yogurt occasionally. Considering low carb ( ugh) but dk if that will even help

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) Support Group.

@grams64, welcome. I believe fellow GCA-ers like @tessd @captainkenny @crhp194 @tillysam @oztrax have experience with methotrexate that they can share with you.

You may also be interested in these related discussions:
- PMR and Methotrexate:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/pmr-and-methotrexate/
- Experience with Methotrexate? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/experience-with-methotrexate/
- Medications for Temporal Arteritis/Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA): https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/temperol-arteritis-or-giant-cell-arteritis/

You may also appreciate the support of other members in the support group dedicated to low carb eating here:
- LCHF Living & Intermittent Fasting Support Group https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/lchf-living-intermittent-fasting/

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I have had no trouble with Methotrexate. I have taken it for both GCA and PMR. After 5 years, the dosage of methotrexate was reduced by a third. The PMR returned ..Mayo the increased the methotrexate to the former original dosage. I have taken it for 7 years….no,ltoblems

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@crhp194

I have had no trouble with Methotrexate. I have taken it for both GCA and PMR. After 5 years, the dosage of methotrexate was reduced by a third. The PMR returned ..Mayo the increased the methotrexate to the former original dosage. I have taken it for 7 years….no,ltoblems

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Thankyou 💜. It came in today and will begin tomorrow. I was nervous & appreciate the response

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@colleenyoung

@grams64, welcome. I believe fellow GCA-ers like @tessd @captainkenny @crhp194 @tillysam @oztrax have experience with methotrexate that they can share with you.

You may also be interested in these related discussions:
- PMR and Methotrexate:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/pmr-and-methotrexate/
- Experience with Methotrexate? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/experience-with-methotrexate/
- Medications for Temporal Arteritis/Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA): https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/temperol-arteritis-or-giant-cell-arteritis/

You may also appreciate the support of other members in the support group dedicated to low carb eating here:
- LCHF Living & Intermittent Fasting Support Group https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/lchf-living-intermittent-fasting/

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Thankyou! I’m glad I found this connect. There is so much information it makes my head spin trying to differentiate between good up to date sources and everything else out there. Thank you for the resources and response

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@grams64

Thankyou 💜. It came in today and will begin tomorrow. I was nervous & appreciate the response

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I agree that methotrexate sounds scary. I have been on it for more than a year. I recently reduced the dosage from 20mg/week to 15. I have had no adverse affects taking or reducing the dose.

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