Methotrexate side effects

[Smegs]

Hi everyone 
Wonder if anyone can offer any advice ?
I started with methotrexate 2 weeks ago for psoriasis ( 5mg a week followed by 2 folic acid the day after , I have no idea why my derm started with such a low dose but hey Ho ) 
I'm getting a few side effects and just wonder if they are normal such as constant heartburn and the feeling my food isn't going down after eating . I used to get this quite a while ago but since starting methotrexate it is constant ! I also got quite bad upper stomach pain yesterday which did ease off but am just wondering if all this is normal ?
I'm feeling a little nausea , headaches , aching and just generally feeling worn out but have read these are normal ?
Thanks in advance ?

[Fred]

Sounds like the classic side effects of methotrexate. The heartburn and feeling of your food not going down along with constant nausea were the worst for me, the there where headaches and zombie feeling. Some manage it but my stomach just could handle it.

That is the reason they start you on the low dose to see how your body handles it, you may get used to it but I'm thinking if you feel like that already it's going to get worse. I never found anything that made it any easier to take and I'm actually feeling sick talking about it to you now.

As much as I hate methotrexate and don't think it should be prescribed for psoriasis, I would suggest you stick with it for a while longer. Then when they go to up your dose be honest with them and tell them you don't feel you could handle it, they then quickly try you on something else.

Welcome to Psoriasis Club by the way.

*I have closed and archived your other thread as it had the same content.

Regards.

Fred.

[jiml]

Hi Smegs and welcome to the forum I'm sure you will find answers here as several members are on methotrexate
Good luck
Jim

[Smegs]

Hi Fred and thank you for your reply ??
It's kinda good to know it's normal so that's something ?
I am curious to know why you hate methotrexate so much ? I am a long time lurker and have gone through so many threads and have seen this comment from you many times and have always wondered why ?
I was on acitretin a year or so back but couldn't handle that any longer so came off and have suffered with psoriasis ever since ?
I have had a few goes at light therapy and it works every time but I suffer with bad prickly heat after about session 5 so eventually have to stop ! 

Right now my scalp is the worst .. I can kinda cope with the bits on my body but my scalp is about 70% covered and is driving me crazy ?

[jiml]

I can't answer for Fred but I was on it and it worked really well but it made me so sick and I felt so unwell on it .  in the end I got to dreading taking the pills and decided that the disease was better than the treatment so I stopped
But it doesn't have that effect on everyone some on here have been on it a while and have little or no side effects
I think you just have to try it and see

[Smegs]

Hi jiml and thank you for your reply ?
I am going to stick it out a little longer and see how I go ? Was wondering if the side effects I am getting are normal .. Searching the internet I couldn't find any info . 
Thank you again 
Regards 
Elly

[Fred]

Hi Fred and thank you for your reply ??
It's kinda good to know it's normal so that's something ?
I am curious to know why you hate methotrexate so much ? I am a long time lurker and have gone through so many threads and have seen this comment from you many times and have always wondered why ?
I was on acitretin a year or so back but couldn't handle that any longer so came off and have suffered with psoriasis ever since ?
I have had a few goes at light therapy and it works every time but I suffer with bad prickly heat after about session 5 so eventually have to stop ! 

Right now my scalp is the worst .. I can kinda cope with the bits on my body but my scalp is about 70% covered and is driving me crazy ?

Well I'm glad you're no longer lurking.  

For me methotrexate is a poison. It's used to treat cancer and abortions, it's an old treatment and not very well tolerated by a lot of people. It can also cause liver problems and in my opinion there are plenty of other treatments for psoriasis without having to go through all the side effects that methotrexate cause.

When I first went on it after getting diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis 30 year sago. I was not monitored properly and every time I complained of a bad stomach I was just given more pills to calm my stomach, it never worked and I ended up feeling like a zombie and would retch like hell on pill day. I had enough and decided the pain of psoriatic arthritis was better than the feeling from methotrexate.

I did reluctantly try the injection form last year but got the same feelings so again I stopped and have vowed never to take it again. I should point out I don't like taking any pills, but methotrexate made my stomach feel so awful. I wouldn't tough it again even if they told me I was dying, I hate the stuff and there are plenty of other things today.

But you shouldn't let my opinion put you off, It's a personal thing and I wouldn't want to take something that kills cancer cells and a foetus.

Some do well on it and can handle it, you have to remember we are all different.

If you have failed on Acitretin, Light, and are now trying methotrexate it may be worth asking about a bio treatment. (Now them I do like as they gave me my life back)

[D Foster]

Hi Smegs welcome to the forum , you will find that we are a friendly bunch of barmpots but quite safe .
I was on MTX for over 9 years , 6 years by tablets at 25mg  and 3 years + by injection at 25mg then 20mg .
I always took the folic acid before the MTX not after mind you when I first started on it I took folic every day except on the MTX day , the side effects that you are having are fairly normal ,it sounds like that you are having indigestion from the MTX . Try taking the folic acid the day before you take the MTX to see if that improves it a little.
MTX can cause all sort of side effects and everyone can handle it differently but you may get it settling down over a period of time so persevere just be careful what you eat/drink. Alcohol should not be drunk while on MTX and I found that stimulants like caffeine could also be a problem , it will lower your resistance to all sort of things including your gut to bugs, I was always careful regarding anything that could contain bugs such as cream/dairy products .
I think that MTX is quite a safe drug though some on here will disagree and it can work reasonably well especially if you have PsA as well but just experiment with what you eat to see if that will improve it.
I was on the tablets for 6 years and the side effect got to much so I went on to injections which improved the side effects but they slowly came back over the next 3+ years and so I am now on Stelara which is fantastic in fact in the very long time I have had P it is the only thing that has cleared me or 99.9% clearance.  MTX does have a reputation for side effects but then again all the other treatments also have their share of side effects .

Dave

[Krissie_Wright]

Heya!

Nice to meet you. I've been on MtX since 2012 for psoriatic arthritis and started at 10mg per week (I'm now on 12.5mg) and I had all the side effects that you have for about a month when I first started and when my dose was increased. However, the side effects subside for most people, others need to switch to the injected form which is easier on their system.

I would suggest giving it a month more and if the side effects don't subside speak to your GP and derm about an alternative to the pills. The only side effects that I have now are pretty awful migraines (about one a month) and changes to lady things (apologies if that's too much tmi) but with the alternative being pain and lack of the use of my hands it's a small price to pay.

Krissie

[jiml]

Hi jiml and thank you for your reply ?
I am going to stick it out a little longer and see how I go ? Was wondering if the side effects I am getting are normal .. Searching the internet I couldn't find any info . 
Thank you again 
Regards 
Elly

see what response you get here Elly. The members here are quick to act and reply but as you see from the responses. We all react differently
If it's beginning to work for you and you can tolerate the side effects. You may be like Chrissie and the side effects diminish with time. Great idea to stick with it in my opinion.