Methotrexate and folic acid

[Guest guest]

Harv, the methotrexate depletes the folic acid necessary in our body. While

I was on Methotrexate, I took 1mg tablet a day. Some can take up to 5mg. Some

doctors order it a little differently....higher dose on days that you don't

take the Methotrexate and on the day you take the Methotrexate, no folic acid.

If you are taking folic acid now...you might ask your doctor if it is

alright to increase.

Best regards, Connie

[Guest guest]

Lance, I took the folic acid everyday regardless of my methotrexate shot

day...although it was on the smaller dose of 1mg. Some doctors feel that it

makes the methotrexate less effective on the day you get the shot. I was on

Methotexate many years...and had no trouble with mouth ulcers. Maybe if I got

mouth ulcers, my doctor would have changed the way he order folic acid.

Ironically, the last few months I've had trouble with the mouth ulcers...even

though

I've been off Methotrexate and all the other auto-immune suppressants for

over two years. Go figure?

The methotrexate didn't seem to help my Ankylosing Spondylits, nor did it

help with my uveitis. I've been on almost all the different drugs that

encourage lowering the immune system...like methotrexate, Imuran, cyclosporin,

plaquenil, humira, etc. The only drugs that seemed to alter the progression of

the

disease was the plaquenil and humira. We all are very different...our systems

are different. What works for one of us, doesn't seem to help another. It is

hit and miss many times. For many, the methotrexate works well.

About the bone damage. it all depends on the severity of disease. Take for

example, some people with Reiter's never even have neg xrays. Then others will

go on to Ankylosing Spondylitis and have severe damage to bones or a form of

Reiter's that has more inflammation to knee joints, ankle, hands, than

others. Some may have more skin problems, prostatitis, genitourinary tract

inflammations than they do with the joint/ligaments involvement. It's all very

individual and depends on how chronic, how long, and what one does to alter

(DMARD) drugs.

Best wishes, Connie

[Guest guest]

I am also taking folic acid everyday. I get injections once a week.

However, I have never been told not to take the folic acid on

injection day. Well, I am off to get an injection!

Lance

[Guest guest]

Lance,

I would not play around with the folic acid while on methotrexate and

definelty take it as your physican has prescribed. To my understanding,

methotrexate is a folate antagosnist and taking folic acid has an interaction

with

the methotrexate.

Margie