Re: MTX and Blood Tests

[Guest guest]

In response: " I had my blood tested every 8-10 weeks.

How often do any of you who are on MTX have your blood

tested. "

Eight to ten weeks is way too long. My first

rheumatologist monitored my CBC with differential and

platelet count, and my liver function panel (total and

direct bili, SGOT and SGPT) every four weeks. My

current rheumatologist monitors my CBC with

differential and platelet count, C reactive protein,

sed rate, complete chemistry panel to monitor the

kidney function as well as the hepatic due to the

heavy doses of NSAID's, and urinalysis (and culture if

signs of infection are present; also checking for

protein or other casts in the urine as signs of kidney

damage which can occur with autoimmune diseases) every

4 to 6 weeks. Neither doctor would refill the

Methotrexate without those results on file in my

chart, Also both doctors insisted on either a TB test

and/or a chest Xray yearly, and my current

rheumatologist checks my thyroid function (both hyper

and hypothyroid disease is more common in people with

another autoimmune condition) and fasting cholesterol

level twice yearly.

Wanda

[Editor's Note: While this is the sort of thing that doctors often disagree

over, the current protocol is to test very frequently in the beginning (every 4

weeks) of new medication, but to scale that back to every two months once a

patient has shown a sustained period of stability on the medication. Wanda is

absolutely right - other tests are also recommended including urinalysis, xrays,

bone density tests, etc., on an annual basis unless more frequent testing is

deemed necessary. Kathy F.]

[Guest guest]

Hi Wanda just Lynn here. In response to your methotrexate question i get my

blood tested at my local gp,s (doctors) office every four weeks. To me it

sounds as though that was to long to wait for tests.