Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Injected Methetrexate anyone ?

Hiya,

getting a bit too ill for my liking and was wondering how much better injected methetrexate is to oral.

Dave

Hi Davo,

Wondering what kind of symptoms you are experiencing? I started on methotrexate 3 weeks ago after suffering wicked gastro symptoms on sulfasalazine. I was told that there is an injectable form of MTX that will help with the stomach issues if the tablet form caused the same symptoms as the sulfasalazine. So far I feel very nauseous, crampy, constant headaches but then again I just chalked that up to a strong med. Hope you find the right answer and feel better!

Jen

Hiya Jen,

are you taking the folate ?

I do n't think it is anyone's favourite med, it's heavy, but as I recently found out,
I dropped my MTX for a week to see what would happen, any ideas that MTX was n't working dismissed very quickly. I'd forgotten it was THAT BAD and THAT QUICK, strewth bruce!!!

My issue is that whilst mtx helps is n't not enough to do anything but the very basics ie on a good week I can look after myself. Good weeks do n;t happen that often.

I've been on the oral for 4 years, at 20mg, lots of ER trips, and alot of the Dr have suggested injected MTX and I forgot to ask for it last week when I saw the new rheummie.

The good side it it slows things down enough so you can move etc and esp the peripheral arthritis. The older rheummies tell me it does n't work as well on the spine and the further up the less effective it is. My neck is by far the worst thing so I've lucked out there.

The side effects for me, skin issues, so lots of salt baths etc. Mouth sores ( mouth wash day before and day of taking it). I wash all my clothes in napisan etc...

As for headaches etc, it's a comon side effect, but your PCP may be able to prescribe something that helps.

You have to watch out for infections. Keep away from the sick with flu colds etc....you get ill it's off to the Dr quickly blood test anti-biotics etc.

Best time to take....I've found early morning, eat nothing, drink a litre of so of water take, wait a few hours and then have a meal. If I eat prior then I'm gastric challenged again. Later in the day I'm in flare and it's effect next week is lessoned.

I had similar issues with salazapyrine, mtx is alot better 4 me.

Dave

Hey Dave,
I took the oral metho for about a year. It would work for a little while and then stop and it was getting frustrating so doc decided to start me on injections. I can honestly say that it was like day and night. It was life I got my life back and was living like a normal person again.
All was well for about 2 years, but then I had to stop it because it damaged my liver. If I would have listened to my doc and followed her directions, my liver probably wouldn't have gotten as bad as it did.
I took for granted the fact that my blood work was coming out normal every month, so I skipped a month. Unfortunately, that's when it decided to bother my liver. I now have fibrosis of the liver and cannot take any of the DMARD's or new meds.
I'm sure you're doing routine monthly blood work already if you are on the oral so just keep it up and don't ever miss a month even if they are always coming out fine. You never know when something like this can happen and it's not worth taking a chance.

Good luck with it if you start it!
Hugs,
Lisa

Lisa,

thanks, I find with the oral it's good for day or 2 then you go down hill until the next dose pretty quickly. I've asked about 2 X weekly doses etc and get told off again.

I just want a bit more as I'm not very active or useful and I do n;t think it would take much more to achieve that.

Dave

Hi Dave,

Yes, I am taking folic acid daily and only on 10mg MTX once a week to start with plans to increase in a month or so if needed. I have noticed a slight improvement in the periphreal arthritis, especially my feet, but my back and neck are still greatly bothersome but I need to give MTX time to work.
I forgot to mention that I am also on prednisone so some of the relief I feel is definitely from that.
As far as the good weeks coming few and far between I can so relate to that and then when energy does find its way to me I tend to overdo and then pay for it later, what a fussy disease!
I do take my dose in the early morning on an empty stomach on the advice of my rheumy and it seems to be okay but I agree that for that day and the next my body flares horrible and then some relief hits for the remainder of the week. Being all new to this diagnosis and treatment I can only remain open and hopeful that a solution, any solution, will help me create a functional and high quality life.
Thanks for the advice and let us know how you turn out on the injected, if that is what you choose. I would be interested to know if it helps with the annoying side effects of the tablet form.

Jen

Hi Dave,

I've been injecting MTX (.7 ml = 17.5 mgs) for about 4 years now. The multitude of pills was killing my intestinal system and the side effects were worse. I switched to injections, upped my folic acid from 1 mg to 2 mg and that's what I've been doing since. The injections also worked better to relieve my RA and helped with the biologic(s) that I've been on. Best thing I did was switch - it has really made a big difference.

Hope this helps.

S.

Dave,

Hope you find the help you are looking for to compared the difference. Have never taken it myself so have little info other than what affects the tabs have on my mothers. I think she takes eight tabs once a week.

Brent

Hi Dave,
I inject the methotrexate ( 1 ml. weekly). I used to take the oral form until my dose became large enough to make it impractical(about a year and a half ago). My rheumy also told me that the injected form works better. I haven't had any since early March though because of a surgery I had in April. I should be going back on it sometime in early July.

MTX has always upset my stomach and given me headaches, mouth sores, etc. Usually though when he raises the dose for me, my body will get used to it after a few weeks and the nausea/headaches won't be so often or bad.
I take 2 mg of folic acid daily and I also take something called Leucovorin 8-12 hours after I inject the mtx. It 's supposed to help with the bad side effects also.
I do dread Tuesday evenings though(that's when I do mine), I just can't get over that. And I'm still very careful about what I eat that day and the next.

I hope you get some relief soon. I'd give that rheumy a call back and talk to him about it.

Take care, Wanda

Thanks for the reply and glad you've improved I know you've had your battles

Dave