Re: Questions about Methotrexate

December 22, 2005

Larry,

feeling yucky for a couple days after taking MTX seems to be the norm. I took

injectable MTX so those stomach and intestinal problems wouldn't be as great...

ask your neuro if this is possible. After 6 weeks on the med, I feel as if the

side effects are not as bad, but are still there. I say stick with it a little

longer and see if things level out for you. Take care and God Bless.

kerri sue

Larry Brown <lbrown85@...> wrote:

Hello everyone. I do not suffer from RA but I have Myasthenia

Gravis. My Neuro has me on Mestinon for double vision and drooping

eyes. I can't find very much about Methotrexate on the Myasthenia

Group so my Neuro told me to monitor this site. I hope you don't mind.

My main question is about the side effects of the medication. I am on

my 4th week and will be taking 6 tablets this Sunday and that will

remain my dose. I felt so bad this past Monday (nausea, diarrhea and

absolute fatigue)on 5 tablets that it makes me wonder if I want to

continue. How long can I expect to have the side effects? Do they

last all week or just the day after the medication? After I'm on this

for a while will the side effects deminish? The nurse at my Neuro's

office is on methotrexate and she told me to stick with it. I've read

the literature but I would like to hear from you real folks that take

the medication.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thank You

Larry

December 22, 2005

I've been on MTX for about a year and I still feel like I'm in a coma

the day after I take it, and a little foggy the second day. After

that, I'm fine. Do you have one day a week that you can afford to

just sit around feeling stoned? For me, it's not an unpleasant

feeling, I just can't do anything.

As far as the gastro side effects, try taking it with a FULL meal --

not just a few bites of food -- with some fat in it. My doc

recommended that and it really helped. If that doesn't work, and the

situation doesn't improve in a few weeks, you can always have it

injected.

It's not the most pleasant drug to be on, but it's not the worst

either. Hang in there.

--- In , " Larry Brown " <lbrown85@a...>

wrote:

>

> Hello everyone. I do not suffer from RA but I have Myasthenia

> Gravis. My Neuro has me on Mestinon for double vision and drooping

> eyes. I can't find very much about Methotrexate on the Myasthenia

> Group so my Neuro told me to monitor this site. I hope you don't

mind.

>

> My main question is about the side effects of the medication. I am

on

> my 4th week and will be taking 6 tablets this Sunday and that will

> remain my dose. I felt so bad this past Monday (nausea, diarrhea

and

> absolute fatigue)on 5 tablets that it makes me wonder if I want to

> continue. How long can I expect to have the side effects? Do they

> last all week or just the day after the medication? After I'm on

this

> for a while will the side effects deminish? The nurse at my

Neuro's

> office is on methotrexate and she told me to stick with it. I've

read

> the literature but I would like to hear from you real folks that

take

> the medication.

>

> Any help will be appreciated.

>

> Thank You

>

> Larry

>

December 22, 2005

Larry,

Try taking it at bed so you can sleep through most of the nasuea.

The fatigue and feeling pretty bad the next day or two is normal. It

is a chemo. Also if your doc did not prescribe folic acid ask him

about it. Most of us use it to minimize the side effects of nausea,

diarrhea, mouth sores and fatigue.

I was on the same dose that you are taking and did horrible..finally

had to quite due to side effects.

But there is another med you can ask about if the side effects get

too severe. Its call Leukovorin...its a stronger form of folic acid.

Good luck

Toni

--- In , " Larry Brown " <lbrown85@a...>

wrote:

>

> Hello everyone. I do not suffer from RA but I have Myasthenia

> Gravis. My Neuro has me on Mestinon for double vision and drooping

> eyes. I can't find very much about Methotrexate on the Myasthenia

> Group so my Neuro told me to monitor this site. I hope you don't

mind.

>

> My main question is about the side effects of the medication. I am

on

> my 4th week and will be taking 6 tablets this Sunday and that will

> remain my dose. I felt so bad this past Monday (nausea, diarrhea

and

> absolute fatigue)on 5 tablets that it makes me wonder if I want to

> continue. How long can I expect to have the side effects? Do they

> last all week or just the day after the medication? After I'm on

this

> for a while will the side effects deminish? The nurse at my

Neuro's

> office is on methotrexate and she told me to stick with it. I've

read

> the literature but I would like to hear from you real folks that

take

> the medication.

>

> Any help will be appreciated.

>

> Thank You

>

> Larry

>

December 22, 2005

HI Larry,

I was started on oral MTX in 1998 experimentally for my asthma. I started on 5

pills. The first few weeks, I thought I was gonna die (not really, but felt

crappy) nausea, the whole bit. After about 2 months, I realized that when I took

it (Monday am) ,I'd feel like crap the next day or two. It did wear off after

about the second day, and after a while on it, I don't really notice any gastric

problems anymore.

The one side effect that has stuck with me (I am now on 8 pills a wk for the

RA) is hair loss. I have long, thick hair, but lose about a handful or 2 a day

when I brush it.

hope this helps,

Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2005 04:33:46 -0000

From: " Larry Brown " <lbrown85@...>

Subject: Questions about Methotrexate