[pooka93]

RA for 12 years, Humira for 4 years. Methotrexate pills are not working, 20mg per week. Rheu. wants me to start injections. Have read about fatal side effects, etc. Really scared about injections. Can anyone please let me know how they are doing on injections, advice, anything is appreciated.
8)
Thanks!
Belinda

 

[Bullwinkle]

I've been doing the injections weekly for about 8 months now. I find it easy to administer , you just do the jab under the skin , not into a vein or muscle. I put in my front love handles, haha , just in front and above my hip bone. Get the druggist to explain. I Googled .. I think it was ; "Methotrexate self injection" , and read about it and , I think, watched a demo video.
Same as you the pills weren't effective. Not all bodies absorb drugs in the same way. My rheummy said that you are lucky to get about 80% of the mtx using the pill form.
Good luck. It's easy.
The large number of us , and millions of insulin users wouldn't be doing it if the "hoar stories" had an ounce of fact to them.

 

[sarie]

Im also injecting my self weekly with methotrexate, as I was the same the pills were no longer working.
The first time is pretty gross and horrid but after that it gets easier. My boyfriend advised me to think of it as a simple need like "i need to eat, go to the toilet and also I need to inject" and its a lot easier not to get stressed about it.
I just pinch a bit of the flab on my stomach (NO COMMENT lol) and ease the needle in and then start pushing the pump thing and then once thats done ease it out slowely. I find it helps to put the needle in at a slight angle, never straight.
Im not sure about all the fatal side affects but I guess you will be shown how to properly administer the meds.
Good luck and don't stress!

 

[Jesse88]

I've been injecting MTX for several months because the 20 mg. of pills just weren't cutting it. The injections are so much more effective. You really do get more "bang for the buck." I don't enjoy injecting myself, even though it's not horrible, but the funny thing is, when I tried to go off the MTX and went into a nasty flare, I actually looked forward to the following week when I could start the injections again. As I pushed the syringe of medication I thought "Now I know how a junkie feels!"

I know the literature about MTX can be pretty scary, but lupus scares me more. I'm not sure MTX or the other drugs I take will hurt me, but I KNOW lupus is already hurting me and the drugs help to control that.