Re: new to methotrexate/hair loss

[Guest guest]

I've been on MTX for 1.5 years and have a nice thick head of hair.

There have been a few times (almost always the day after taking MTX

but once when I forgot my folic acid) that I've noticed loss of

several strands of hair--no more than one would lose in a hairbrush.

I too was very worried about hair loss, and am glad to give you this

happy report!

Sierra

> > >Â >

> > > > Hi, I've been following posts on here for a while but

this is

> > my

> > > > first post. I'm 39 and was dx with RA 5 yrs ago.ÂÂ

Initially I

> > took

> > >Â > only NSAIDS (It took 5 different ones before I found

Celebrex

> > >Â > worked. Then fpr the past three years I was on PLaquenil

and did

> > >Â OK.

> > >Â > Some flare ups here and there but a week of prednisone

would calm

> > >Â it

> > > > down. A few months ago I started having pain all day

every day

> > in

> > >Â > my knees,wrists and fingers, My rheumatologist gave me the

> > ususal 1

> > >Â > week of steroids but did not want me to stay on them long

term.

> > Two

> > >Â > days later the pain was back and just kept getting worse

and

> > worse.

> > >Â > I called him twice within this week and he said to come in

that

> > day

> > >Â > because he knows I'm usually not a complainer. When I saw

him

> > >Â > yesterday he said the RA is progressing and he wants me to

start

> > >Â > methotrexate but it would take at least 6 weeks to notice

any

> > > > effect. I begged (and got) prednisone for the meantime

because

> > I

> > >Â > couldn't function. I work in a Hospital and was looking

worse

> > than

> > >Â > half of my patients! My question is, What are the things I

can

> > > > expect with methotrexate? He gave me the obligatory

speech but

> > I

> > >Â > was hoping for some people's first hand experinces. I took

the

> > >Â first

> > > > dose today, 10 mg.Â

> > >Â >

> > >Â > Thanks

> > >Â >

> > >Â >

> > >Â >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

Sierra,

Appreciate your happy report!

I haven't bought the folic acid yet. I went to my rhuemy today. She

agreed that folic acid was good to take and milk thistle (after I

mentioned it too). I'll let everyone know how I do.

Carol

On Dec 12, 2005, at 2:56 PM, snowdrift52003 wrote:

> I've been on MTX for 1.5 years and have a nice thick head of hair.

> There have been a few times (almost always the day after taking MTX

> but once when I forgot my folic acid) that I've noticed loss of

> several strands of hair--no more than one would lose in a hairbrush.

> I too was very worried about hair loss, and am glad to give you this

> happy report!

>

> Sierra

>

>

> > >  >  >

> > >  >  > Hi,  I've been following posts on here for a while but

> this is

> > > my

> > >  >  > first post.  I'm 39 and was dx with RA 5 yrs

ago. 

> Initially I

> > > took

> > >  >  > only NSAIDS (It took 5 different ones before I found

> Celebrex

> > >  >  > worked. Then fpr the past three years I was on PLaquenil

> and did

> > >  >  OK.

> > >  >  > Some flare ups here and there but a week of prednisone

> would calm

> > >  >  it

> > >  >  > down.  A few months ago I started having pain all day

> every day

> > > in

> > >  >  > my knees,wrists and fingers, My rheumatologist gave me the

> > > ususal 1

> > >  >  > week of steroids but did not want me to stay on them long

> term.

> > > Two

> > >  >  > days later the pain was back and just kept getting worse

> and

> > > worse.

> > >  >  > I called him twice within this week and he said to come in

> that

> > > day

> > >  >  > because he knows I'm usually not a complainer. When I saw

> him

> > >  >  > yesterday he said the RA is progressing and he wants me to

> start

> > >  >  > methotrexate but it would take at least 6 weeks to notice

> any

> > >  >  > effect.  I begged (and got) prednisone for the meantime

> because

> > > I

> > >  >  > couldn't function. I work in a Hospital and was looking

> worse

> > > than

> > >  >  > half of my patients! My question is, What are the things I

> can

> > >  >  > expect with methotrexate?  He gave me the obligatory

> speech but

> > > I

> > >  >  > was hoping for some people's first hand experinces. I took

> the

> > >  >  first

> > >  >  > dose today, 10 mg.Â

> > >  >  >

> > >  >  > Thanks

> > >  >  >

> > >  >  >

> > >  >  >

> > >  >

> > >  >

> > >  >

> > >  >

> > >  >

> > >  >

> > >  >

> > >  >

[Guest guest]

I have been on MTX for almost a year and I also feel that I've lost a

little tiny bit of hair; I notice a few strands on my shirt, and I

think my hair looks a little less thick. I honestly think I would

not have even noticed it if I weren't aware of the potential side

effect. From everything I've read, you should NOT end up looking

like a chemo patient. (But take your folic acid anyway -- I DO have

a problem with mouth sores.)

> > > >Â >

> > > > > Hi, I've been following posts on here for a while

but

> this is

> > > my

> > > > > first post. I'm 39 and was dx with RA 5 yrs ago.ÂÂ

> Initially I

> > > took

> > > >Â > only NSAIDS (It took 5 different ones before I found

> Celebrex

> > > >Â > worked. Then fpr the past three years I was on PLaquenil

> and did

> > > >Â OK.

> > > >Â > Some flare ups here and there but a week of prednisone

> would calm

> > > >Â it

> > > > > down. A few months ago I started having pain all day

> every day

> > > in

> > > >Â > my knees,wrists and fingers, My rheumatologist gave me

the

> > > ususal 1

> > > >Â > week of steroids but did not want me to stay on them

long

> term.

> > > Two

> > > >Â > days later the pain was back and just kept getting worse

> and

> > > worse.

> > > >Â > I called him twice within this week and he said to come

in

> that

> > > day

> > > >Â > because he knows I'm usually not a complainer. When I

saw

> him

> > > >Â > yesterday he said the RA is progressing and he wants me

to

> start

> > > >Â > methotrexate but it would take at least 6 weeks to

notice

> any

> > > > > effect. I begged (and got) prednisone for the

meantime

> because

> > > I

> > > >Â > couldn't function. I work in a Hospital and was looking

> worse

> > > than

> > > >Â > half of my patients! My question is, What are the things

I

> can

> > > > > expect with methotrexate? He gave me the obligatory

> speech but

> > > I

> > > >Â > was hoping for some people's first hand experinces. I

took

> the

> > > >Â first

> > > > > dose today, 10 mg.Â

> > > >Â >

> > > >Â > Thanks

> > > >Â >

> > > >Â >

> > > >Â >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

[Guest guest]

I started out taking 1 mg. of folic a day, but now take 2-3 mg. (3 on

the day before, of, and after MTX). It has helped with fatigue.

Sierra

> > > >  >  >

> > > >  >  > Hi,  I've been following posts on here for

a while but

> > this is

> > > > my

> > > >  >  > first post.  I'm 39 and was dx with RA 5

yrs ago. 

> > Initially I

> > > > took

> > > >  >  > only NSAIDS (It took 5 different ones before I

found

> > Celebrex

> > > >  >  > worked. Then fpr the past three years I was on

PLaquenil

> > and did

> > > >  >  OK.

> > > >  >  > Some flare ups here and there but a week of

prednisone

> > would calm

> > > >  >  it

> > > >  >  > down.  A few months ago I started having

pain all day

> > every day

> > > > in

> > > >  >  > my knees,wrists and fingers, My rheumatologist

gave me the

> > > > ususal 1

> > > >  >  > week of steroids but did not want me to stay on

them long

> > term.

> > > > Two

> > > >  >  > days later the pain was back and just kept getting

worse

> > and

> > > > worse.

> > > >  >  > I called him twice within this week and he said to

come in

> > that

> > > > day

> > > >  >  > because he knows I'm usually not a complainer.

When I saw

> > him

> > > >  >  > yesterday he said the RA is progressing and he

wants me to

> > start

> > > >  >  > methotrexate but it would take at least 6 weeks to

notice

> > any

> > > >  >  > effect.  I begged (and got) prednisone for

the meantime

> > because

> > > > I

> > > >  >  > couldn't function. I work in a Hospital and was

looking

> > worse

> > > > than

> > > >  >  > half of my patients! My question is, What are the

things I

> > can

> > > >  >  > expect with methotrexate?  He gave me the

obligatory

> > speech but

> > > > I

> > > >  >  > was hoping for some people's first hand

experinces. I took

> > the

> > > >  >  first

> > > >  >  > dose today, 10 mg.Â

> > > >  >  >

> > > >  >  > Thanks

> > > >  >  >

> > > >  >  >

> > > >  >  >

> > > >  >

> > > >  >

> > > >  >

> > > >  >

> > > >  >

> > > >  >

> > > >  >

> > > >  >