[jhmom]

Hey guys, it's been a while!! :grouphug2: I've missed you all. Life has been really busy for me, my 87 year old grandma moved in about a year ago, then my mom several months later to help with grandma, my oldest moved about 300 miles away from us and I've been in and out of lupus flares. It's been quite a roller coaster ride.

My rheumy started me on MTX (3 tabs a week) 2 weeks ago, I cannot see a difference yet in my joint pain and I wanted to see how long it took to work for some of you.

I seem to tolerate it well, but I feel terrible for a couple of days not so bad that I'm in bed.... just *rappy. How long does this usually last?

Thank you for your time, I hope each of you have a painfree day! :love2:

 

[LolaLola]

I hope this helps. I found the symptoms rather bad for the first day or so after taking it, for about the first three months. I have been on it years now,(6 tabs) and find it very good. It was worth sticking with it.

This may not sound encouraging, but it is a good drug.
I am here if I can be any help.
x Lola

 

[raggedyann1]

JHmom,

Good to see you posting again but I'm sorry to hear your lupus is acting up. Generally it takes about 4 weeks to see a difference with Methotrexate. Your doctor has started you on a fairly standard beginning low dose and may need to increase the dosage for you to notice a difference. My current metho dose is 20mg per week which is 8 tablets.

Did your doctor prescribe folic acid for you take? The folic acid really helps with the side effects from the metho. My doctor has me take 1mg every single day. There are several theories on how much and when the folic acid should be taken, so I suggest just following the doctors orders no matter what else is said here on the boards.

I had a kind of nausea, icky feeling about 36 hours after I took my weekly dose. The first dose it lasted 2-3 weeks and then each rise in dose I would experience again for 1-2 weeks. Other than that I have not had ongoing issues with methotrexate in that area.

Take care,
karen

 

[jhmom]

Thank you Lola and Karen. I will be taking my 3rd dose tomorrow, so maybe I will be seeing an improvement in my joint pain soon.

I have been on Folic acid for a while now, I take 3-1mg tabs a day to help keep mouth sores away and can take up to 5 a day. Right around the time I take my MTX I increase it to 4 tabs.

Thank you again, I really hope this med works for me.

 

[applesauce]

I don't recall methotrexate doing much for my joint pain, but I believe it helped get my bloodwork semi-less-out-of-whack. I had bad side effects though, and was taken off of it, which is the story of my life because one cannot be in school and in side effects at once.

 

[LolaLola]

Good Luck with the next dose.

I found the way through it was to eat minty things, drink plenty of water and lay around with a good book when I felt too bad.
x Lola

I have cut my Painkillers quite a lot since being on metho and even manage one session of Gym each week.

 

[sobo02]

It took me a few weeks or so to see any benefit from my MTX. But now it sure does help with my pain. Makes me feel a wee bit yucky still some weeks. I've been taking it now for about 8 months.

 

[jhmom]

Thanks guys, you give me hope that it will work. I took my 3rd dose Friday and didn't feel as bad as I did the week before, still waiting to see an improvement. I went last week for my 2 week lab check, interested in seeing the results.