Fatigue and/or depression after MTX

[docmks]

Several of us have experienced fatigue or depression after we take our weekly dose of MTX, so as suggested by Patti (see her earlier thread), I thought we could set up a poll. If you once took MTX, but no longer do, go ahead and vote if you can recall how it made you feel with respect to these symptoms.

Thanks for playing!

MK

[patti2957]

My vote is in and so is yours!! You go!
thanks,
patti

[lpagano]

I no longer take it. However I took it for p for 16 years and never had a problem with fatigue.

[grannyfranny]

I was only taking 3 MTX pills and I never got use to the fatigue. I was on it for 7 months and had a hard time just getting out of bed. I slept 9-10 hours at night and took a 2-3 hour nap during the day. People told me you get over it, but I never did. This made me more depressed.

I had to stop taking it on Aug. 5th and I feel much better now.

[mdgirl]

I am taking 1 shot, 25mg a week. I'm not having any fatigue. I have been using MTX for about 6 months.

Diane

[patti2957]

I wonder if a shot makes any difference... did you try pills? Also, if guys have different side effects?

[jdgarwood]

I take 15mg per week (6 pills). Both the fatique and depression seem to be gradually getting worse each week. I've been taking MTX for almost 5 months now. I'll be starting Enbrel in the coming weeks and hope that I can begin to reduce the MTX. We'll see.

[patti2957]

let me know how your enbrel experience goes... I take 6 pills (sometimes 5) every week and I'm dragging. I've read a lot of posts about enbrel and I'm interested in the experience of someone whose been on mtx a short time. are you new to the boards? when were you diagnosed, and do you have p and pa or just pa?
thanks for sharing,
patti

[grannyfranny]

I take 15mg per week (6 pills). Both the fatique and depression seem to be gradually getting worse each week. I've been taking MTX for almost 5 months now. I'll be starting Enbrel in the coming weeks and hope that I can begin to reduce the MTX. We'll see.

Be careful stacking treatments. I did that and it lowered my resistance so much I got a bad staph infecton. I was only taking 3 pills and did 1 25mg injection of E. I was in the hospital for 4 days,had surgery and am still not out of the woods. Had to come home with a pick line so we could continue the antibiotic at home. I have been on this since the 5th of Aug. My doc still thinks he might have to do more surgery.

I know that I will never do two of those meds at the same time.

[jdgarwood]

let me know how your enbrel experience goes... I take 6 pills (sometimes 5) every week and I'm dragging. I've read a lot of posts about enbrel and I'm interested in the experience of someone whose been on mtx a short time. are you new to the boards? when were you diagnosed, and do you have p and pa or just pa?
thanks for sharing,
patti

I've had P for 20 years and was dx'd with PA less than 2 years ago. I'll be sure to let you know how I handle the Enbrel and MTX. I just started posting a few days ago, but I've been reading and learning for several weeks. This is a great resource.

Joel

[misales]

in the event it is really becoming an issue in your life I strongly recommend that you talk to your family doc about it seriously. There are treatments for this and at a minimum a discussion with the doc about it may help or shed some light on the subject. In addition, a lot of insurances have coverage for mental health so why not check it out.

I've never taken MTX, but I've had the fatigue and depression from just severe plaque. Might be worth figuring out why it is happening and what one can do to prevent it.

[patti2957]

Most people here bleed blue too but because of some kind of team over at the University (of Kentucky).
The depression, I have realized has been part of the acceptance process, the time of grieving for losses before coming back into the light to create a new life with this disease.
The fatigue is a huge problem though, and thanks to comments like the one from my doc (see post about post-mtx blues) it's hard not to feel isolated and sometimes downright lonely. I may look to Enbrel in the future.
But, I am coming out of it, and I talked to a psychologist who has primary lateral sclerosis and kids so he can relate. But, he is a born-again Pagan (his words) and while I certainly don't judge or dislike him, I need the faith angle. I'm not overtly religious but very spiritual and am beginning to explore those issues on a deeper level.
Thanks Michigan,
Patti

[OhComeNow]

I voted no because while I did have fatigue, it was only for the first four weeks of treatment or whenever my dose gets adjusted. I've been on 15 mg pills and then discontinued that and went to a 15 mg shot. I prefer the shot. With the pills I had trouble with stomach pain a day or two after taking them after I combined MTX with Enbrel (I didn't have the pain when it was just mtx alone). I switched to the mtx shot along with Enbrel and the pain stopped.

Best wishes.
Carol

[meghan_72]

When I was doing shots, I don't remember being as fatigued. Since the injectible form w/preservative has been unavailable, I've had to take the pills (10 pills a week). I do feel conked out the next day.

[JodyGK]

When I was doing shots, I don't remember being as fatigued. Since the injectible form w/preservative has been unavailable, I've had to take the pills (10 pills a week). I do feel conked out the next day.

Hey Meghan, I'm getting my injectible mtx compounded without preservative at Santa Clara Drug. My insurance covers it, and the pharmacy will UPS it to you if you can't pick it up. The charge for having it UPSed is $8.00 on top of co-pay. Since you and I go to the same rheum, you should have no problem getting her to rx it if you want to switch to injecting. Without preservative, you get the MTX in one-use vials that you keep refrigerated. See you at tomorrow night's meeting!

Jody

[patti2957]

Diane: did you take pills before using injection form? If so, did you have fatigue then? I'm trying to decide whether to switch to injections, add Enbrel and/or start Provigil, which is supposed to ease fatigue.
Patti

I am taking 1 shot, 25mg a week. I'm not having any fatigue. I have been using MTX for about 6 months.

Diane

[misales]

Most people here bleed blue too but because of some kind of team over at the University (of Kentucky).
The depression, I have realized has been part of the acceptance process, the time of grieving for losses before coming back into the light to create a new life with this disease.
The fatigue is a huge problem though, and thanks to comments like the one from my doc (see post about post-mtx blues) it's hard not to feel isolated and sometimes downright lonely. I may look to Enbrel in the future.
But, I am coming out of it, and I talked to a psychologist who has primary lateral sclerosis and kids so he can relate. But, he is a born-again Pagan (his words) and while I certainly don't judge or dislike him, I need the faith angle. I'm not overtly religious but very spiritual and am beginning to explore those issues on a deeper level.
Thanks Michigan,
Patti

Your welcome Kentucky, let me tell you I was bleeding blue this weekend to the sound of twenty big ones that hopefully found it's way into the coffers of the Catholic Charities compliments of Nortre Dame.

I don't know, I've seen the shrink too and I think it is good exercise. I think a lot of people could be better if they just made the step. And....psychology, however and whereever you get it, also depends on the provider. You might find some very helpful ministers or shrinks and then you might find some that you don't work with so well.

I grew up religious and have kept the faith. I don't practice as much as when I was a child, however, practicing is subjective itself. Maybe you can help your pagan shrink to see the other side, bring a bible with you and see what he does.

Well anyways, we all need to get a hold of ourselves at some point in our lives. The skin condition doesn't help at all either. Glad to see that you are making some progress. Just don't give up.