New PA diagnosis...Question about Methotrexate

[prbypr13]

Hi! I've had psoriasis for a number of years and they just diagnosed PA this past week. In a way, it's a relief to know why I've been hurting so badly and why I'm so exhausted. In fact, I think the doctor was surprised I was still walking around with the level of inflammation in my system. They want me to start methotrexate in two weeks. Can anyone tell me what to expect?
Has it helped you? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks!

Patty

[kaynorth]

Hi Patty

I have been on MTX since May 2004 on 7.5mg a week. I have been really lucky as I haven't had many side effects. It can a while to kick in, I think I was told up to 12 weeks but I was still taking painkillers and anti inflammatories. It can make you feel a bit sick and tired to start with but I take 5mg of folic acid 2 days before taking my dose of MTX which is supposed to help.

I couldn't even butter bread or dress myself when mine first started but now I don't even know I have it and do all the things I used to.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Love Kay

[RichJ]

hi patty,
sorry i can't help much but welcome to the p family. you have meet some of the wonderful people on here and will find alot of great info. welcome and nice to meet you.

try and have a good day all

richard

[patti2957]

I hope mtx brings you relief; it does help with the arthritis. For me, it caused a different kind of fatigue/sick kind of feeling that made me give it up after a year, but my arthritis pain is coming back.
It takes several weeks for the drug to get into your system and start working, and for any side effects to 'balance' so I wonder why they want you to wait 2 weeks? I always slept a lot in the 24 - 36 hours after taking mtx; made sure my calendar accommodated, as I found it very stressful to push through that kind of after effect. I didn't have trouble with nausea, though I didn't have much appetite for a few weeks.
Anyway, there are lots of possibilities; I know what you mean about relief coming with understanding, now I hope you get the rest of the relief you need. Good luck and keep posting!
patti

[NL]

You'll find a lot of people on these boards that have used or are using MTX.

I had severe P, no arthritis though. I took MTX a couple years ago. It did help me clear some, not enough to keep taking it after about six months.

I was lucky when it came to side effects. I think I may have been tired and had a few more headaches, but nothing to make me have to change my schedule or quit the treatment.

Make sure you take Folic Acid and get blood tests regularly.

[cajungirl]

I use MTX and have been for several months. I'm currently taking 15mg per week. I saw a minor difference in the pain with PA and it did nothing at all for my P. After taking it for several months without great results they started me on Remicade along with MTX and an anti-inflammatory. And this combination has worked much better for me. There are still some PA issues, but the P is gone. As far as side effects go, my biggest complaint would be fatigue. It takes me a few days to bounce back after taking the MTX dose.

I hope you find what works for you.

[evergreen]

It seemed like the pa got worse at first, then on my follow-up visit a month later the rheumy put me on humira too. Things are slowly getting better now.

[rosee_posey]

They want me to start methotrexate in two weeks. Can anyone tell me what to expect?
Has it helped you? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks!

Patty
Hi Patty,

I have been on MTX for 6 years now. When I first started taking it, I was thrilled because it stopped my generalized pustular and my erythrodermic flares (and I was just covered in nice, stable plaque.) I now take it along with Remicade. I find that when I don't take MTX my lesions and aches come back a wee bit faster than when I don't take MTX. Since I have no real side effects to speak of, my doctor and I decided to keep it part of my regimen. I know people who have been on MTX for 5, 10, 15 years without major side effects.

With that in mind, there are people who have serious side effects with MTX. Some people, such as my own sister (who also has P), can't take it cause it makes her very nauseous. I have also heard of people who have cognitive dysfunction (they go loopy) when they take it.

In the end, you really have to give it a try yourself. Monitor your side effects when you start MTX, and work with your doctor to get the right dose that works for you. Your doc can also prescribe Folic Acid to help mediate the side effects.

Don't forget to take those regularly scheduled blood tests to make sure that your liver doesn't blow up. It IS chemo, you know, and it should be treated with the same respect the other more stronger chemo drugs do.

Hope this helps,
- rose

[JesseLou]

MTX is used for chemo - at 2600 mg a dose (I learned this from an oncology nurse at NT Presbyterian Hospital), which is 100 times the largest dose my doctors would give for PA.

I've been taking it for about 3 1/2 years, along with palquenil and folgard, which is a folic acid + B vitamin prescription.

My dose started at 12.5 mg, and I've been up as high as 20 mg, and back down to 12.5. Right now I'm taking 17.5 mg.

It took my body about 3 months to get used to the drug, so that I no longer had nausea or lots of fatigue. As I look back now, that was a small price to pay.

I don't drink, except on my birthday, and I am careful about taking over the counter pain meds - ibuprofen once elevated my liver enzymes. Other than that one brief incident, I've been ok.

What you should know is that anti-rheumatic drugs like MTX don't work like, say, antibiotics. The disease doesn't go away, and you will have flares in the joints that bother you now. The point of taing the MTX is to keep the arthritis from moving into new joints, and to make the flares less frequent.

I prefer MTX to the other choices, because it has been around a long time - its side effects and the dosages are well understood. That makes me feel safer than I would with something new.

[Emsmom]

My daughter has been on methotrexate since early 1995. She has not had any side effects for a few years now. Several years back we dealt with elevated liver enzymes but she did not suffer any liver damage at all. We've had to add stronger meds in recent years but methotrexate is what allowed Emily to be a kid again. I give it a big thumbs up!

Liz

[amstein93]

I read your message and felt immediately better. I have had psoriasis for a number of years and thought it could not get worse. But it has. I had foot surgery, which now per my psoriatic arthritis diagnosis, am told should not have occurred. I have had one knee drained a number of times. I never thought I would have so much pain in my life and never understood what was wrong (many doctors, few answers). I finally received the diagnosis and treatment plan - and for once, I am relieved to know I have something, can move forward with knowledge. Taking methetrexate, along with folic acid, seems scary to me. I just started am hoping for the best. I have no idea what to expect - if eating differently will help, will I finally be able to do a little bit of exercising (instead of my knee popping and locking all the time), will I be able to sleep through the night again? I hope you and others will continue to share your experiences. They are very helpful and encouraging. This is all so new to me and I have so many questions. Thanks in advance for asking some of the same things I was thinking - Anissa

[RichJ]

hi anissa,
sorry i can't help much but welcome to the p family. you will met some of the wonderful people on here and will find alot of great info. welcome and nice to meet you

have a good night all

richard