Hi Lori,
This is my fifth year on MTX with no problems. I never had any side effects.
Is your GP familiar with the monitoring of MTX? Usually it's only prescribed by specialists in rheumatology, dermatology or gastroenterology etc. It's very important to have regular bloodwork while on MTX. I go for bloodwork every 4 weeks, and the first 3-6 months you have to go for bloodwork every 2 weeks.
You usually get a prescription for folic acid to take either all days except for the day you take MTX, or a larger dose to take 1 or 2 days around MTX. I take a larger dose of folic acid 2 days after I've taken MTX.
I was started out at 1 pill, then increased with one pill weekly, and have been on 8-10 pills for most of the time. It can take up to 12 weeks to reach its full effects, but you usally start notice results after 4 weeks or so.
One downside, though, is that MTX is rarely effective in the spinal inflammation of AS, only in the peripheral, like knees, feet etc. I take it along with Humira in order to boost blood levels of Humira, for peripheral arthritis and because of other non-AS-related stuff.
Good luck and keep posted on how you are doing on it,
Nina
