Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group MTX {How Much}

I know a lot of us are on Methotrexate, but what I dont know or have any idea of is what is a typical dose.
I take MTX along with Remicade. I take 10mg by mouth once a week. I would assume that is a rather low dose but perhaps one of you more in the know can inform me...

"ASKicking" "WUDCRVR"
WOOD IS LIKE LIFE
WITH WORK
YOU CAN CREATE BEAUTY

Hi Gary,

I'm wondering the same - strange that you should mention mtx. I started taking it yesterday. I'm at 15 mg / week. Seems kind of high to me. I also take phenylbutazone. Remicade lost its effectiveness for me after a year or so.

I know that various people have mentioned mtx recently, though have to confess that I wasn't paying a whole lot of attention then. But now, I'd really like to find out more about the experience of others. For instance, how does one cope with the nausea. Is it best to take it at night ? I felt wretched all day yesterday & am still feeling kind of weird ... well more weird than I usually am ...

So, thanks for posing the question, Gary,
Cat

I believe my dose is 7.5 mg /wk. Problem is, I can't bring myself to take it. The warning's and side effects that I've had to read have just given me the absolute willies. My flare has subsided quite dramatically (I believe reading the literature that came with the mtx did it!), so I'm going to wait and see....

Stay well, Sherree

Sherree, sounds to me like you've discovered a cure for AS!!!

Kat


"I haven't failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that don't work."- Thomas Edison

I'm was on 15mg a week. I'm down to 10mg now. Hopefully soon to be rid of it completely!
Michelle

Discovering who I am...(it only took 21 years, but I'm just getting started).

Sherree,

That's great to hear - I don't blame ya for not wanting to take the mtx. After yesterday, I'm really wondering if it's such a smart move. But ... as always, desperate times call for desperate measures. Will let you know what happens.

So, keep on feeling better. That's the best news I've heard all day !!!

Cat

I'm on 25 mg, which is usually the maximum dose. It doesn't really help my spine, but I take it for my peripheral arthritis, psoriasis and some other autoimmune things and because it boosts blood levels of Humira. Most people I know of (including non-AS:ers) are on 15 mg and upwards.

Nina

Hi, I just wanted to add this, my mom has been on it for RA for over 30 yrs, and she has had absolutely NO side effects on it. She NEVER gets a cold or anything, NEVER gets the flu, never has liver concerns with her bloodwork (which she gets every 6 weeks), only thing is she has gradually upped to dose to 8 tabs a week. I was on the shot, 20mg a week, felt FABULOUS, but my eyes started acting funny, so we stopped it and went to remicade. Which has done nothing for me. So my rhmy put me back on it today, at 12mg/week via shot. Anyhow, there are risks with everything, but I really really really like my rhmy and he says it's safe, so I trust him, and I get bloodwork done every 6 weeks to watch for anything. The difference it made for me was miraculous. Hope you continue to feel better,

Aimee

Scott, Aimee, Hallie, Caitlyn and Gabriel

Efficacy of methotrexate in ankylosing spondylitis: a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial.

Gonzalez-Lopez L, Garcia-Gonzalez A, Vazquez-Del-Mercado M, Munoz-Valle JF, Gamez-Nava JI.

Department of Internal Medicine, Rheumatology, Hospital General Regional 110 del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of methotrexate (MTX) compared with placebo in patients with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS). METHODS: This 24 week, double bind, randomized, placebo controlled trial compared the response between MTX 7.5 mg/week or placebo in patients with active AS. The primary outcome measure was a composite index of improvement in 5 of the following scales: severity of morning stiffness, physical well being, the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), the Health Assessment Questionnaire for Spondyloarthropathies (HAQ-S), and physician and patient global assessment of disease activity. RESULTS: Seventeen patients received MTX and 18 placebo. In the intention-to-treat analysis at 24 weeks, 53% of patients in the MTX group had a treatment response, compared with 17% in the placebo group (p = 0.03). We observed significant improvements with MTX in physical well being (p = 0.009), BASDAI (p = 0.02), BASFI (p = 0.02), physician global assessment (p < 0.001), patient global assessment (p = 0.03), and HAQ-S (p = 0.02). In the adjusted analysis only MTX determined the improvement in the primary outcome. At the end of the trial, one patient with MTX withdrew due to a lack of compliance, and one with placebo due to a lack of efficacy. We did not observe significant differences in rates of side effects between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: MTX is safe and effective for patients with AS. Longterm studies are needed to evaluate the permanence of its benefit.

"ASKicking" "WUDCRVR"
WOOD IS LIKE LIFE
WITH WORK
YOU CAN CREATE BEAUTY

Cat - MTX is also available as injection. My rheumatologist said it can really make a difference for those getting nausea from the pill form. I have never had any nausea or other problems from the pills, and no side effects either during the 4 years I've been on it. No hair loss either.

You might also feel weird since you were started on 15 mg directly. When I started MTX, the starting dose was only 5 mg, which then was increased weekly.

Nina