Side effects of Methotrexate for Autoimmune Diseases.

Hi @sherw, and thanks for sharing your your journey with Connect. I found some information from Mayo Clinic on Methotrexate that also lists its side effects. (http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/methotrexate-injection-route-subcutaneous-route/description/drg-20064776). Have you talked with your doctor about this medication?

I'm also tagging @shooter and @rayrachel, both recently wrote about Methotrexate and their experience with it.

I am on a high dose of methotrexate and along with it comes fatigue and I<br />
can't take my whole dose in one day as it upsets my stomach. It didn't help<br />
with my joint pain but it does help with my autoimmune disorder<br />

I have spondylitis, a reactive arthritis in the spine and sacroiliac joints. It also causes colitis. Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine) helped with the pain but caused a lot of itching in my arms and legs. I have found much relief through my diet and exercise. Pilates, walking and yoga help. A mainly Paleo diet keeps the inflammation down and the fatigue at bay. I recommend getting the book "The Wahls Protocol: A Radical New Way to Treat all Chronic Autoimmune Conditions using Paleo Principles." It's written by a medical doctor who suffers from multiple sclerosis. Basically you heal and nurture your body with food. The results can be life altering! She also has a TED talk. I hope this helps! <br />
<br />

My husband has suffered from joint pain for many years and has found that regular yoga and a whole food plant based diet helps him a lot. He makes juices daily. We also have a high speed blender to make green smoothies with and have found the green smoothies/juices to be very healing. If my husband goes off his diet for a couple of days he does have a lot of pain.

Hi @sherw, as @alysebrunella suggested, talk to your doctor about Methotrexate if you haven't already. They can best guide you on what to expect and if it might be an option for you. Write down all of you current symptoms, questions and concerns, so they are documented and you can bring them up with you doc when you speak.

You might also considering asking things like these questions from the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research. You can even print this out and bring it with you to the appointment!
http://archive.ahrq.gov/patients-consumers/diagnosis-treatment/treatments/safemeds/yourmedques.html

Hi, this is just one experience not a medical suggestion. Because of years
searching for answers for myself and daughter, she has been getting her
degree Intergrated Health Management and Nutrition and Health Coach. (Private message me if you want her email.)
This is her story on Methotrexate . Caused severe
problems for my daughter. She was being treated for chrons. She had an
abscess on her liver that had to be drained , an abscess in her neck lymph
node, at that point they suspected lymphoma and her white blood cell ( I
believe) were severely low so off methotrexate. She has been on prednsone
for quite awhile. It defiantly has some side effects, bone loss seems to be
the worst for her but of everything it seems to have less side effects and
antiviral. For her and me we have battled for so long and I have come to
realize there is no cure. It is about spiritual, mental, physical care.

You may have to take methotrexate and courses of prednisone at first, but if you are lucky, your liver will not be able to handle those dirty drugs and you will be able to escalate to the biologics. In this day and age, you should be offered the biologics, but if not, you should definately advocate for a prescription of this classification of medications so you don't place undue burden on your liver and other vital organs.

Any information on anti TNF (biologicals) and DMARDS especially suflasalazine? I am yet to take medications beyond NSAIDS. I am very concerned about interfering with my immune system and possible side effects. My diagnosis is seronegative spondylarthritis and osteoporosis. I would love to hear any similar experiences.

I am trying a similar thing with diet, basically no sugar, no dairy, no gluten, no grains, night shades, legumes. I have used information from 'The autoimmune solution' book. I am not going to give up but at this stage (26 days) there is no relief. I realise it may be a long road ahead. (my diagnosis is sPa as well).

In my experience, you can count on about 15 good years on the biologics, depending on a lot of other factors.