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Folic acid question

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Rheumatoid Arthritis
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Posted 5/14/2013 4:39 PM (GMT 0)
How much folic acid do you take when your on methotrexate? I was wondering as I do not think I was on a very high dose and I wonder if I should've increased it more...was taking 1 mg everyday and 2 mgs on the mtx days...would really like to get feedback if I get okayed to go back on mtx. and can you get too much folic acid? any and all help would be appreciated and this might help out others new to methotrexate, Thank You all....
Posted 5/14/2013 4:47 PM (GMT 0)
I'm on 1mg per day. but i'll take two a day with mtx to help with the hair fall-out.
Posted 5/14/2013 8:28 PM (GMT 0)
Thank You Knitnerd, my daughter just took up knitting.
Posted 5/15/2013 11:35 PM (GMT 0)
Thank You sayyadina, it helps to know this info and others might get helped as well...
Hope more peeps will post.
Posted 5/17/2013 1:37 AM (GMT 0)
I was told not to take folic acid on mtx days as it counters the effect of the mtx so you are not getting the full benefit of the med plus I take 5 mg folic acid the day after. So a much bigger dose but thats it.
We are all different. I am on 20mg mtx.
Regards, golitho
Posted 5/17/2013 1:57 AM (GMT 0)
When I started MTX I had some pretty horrid fatigue, and some other problems. I upped my folic acid to 3 mgs a day and the side effects stopped immediately.
My rheumy says the folic acid is everyday including MTX day-some say differently.
I upped my folic acid on my own and then asked my rheumy about it 10 days later and she thought it was a wonderful idea and wrote a new script for the higher dose.

There have been research studies on folic acid and MTX at up to 5 mgs. The people who took more folic acid had fewer side effects, stayed on MTX longer and had better control of their arthritis then people who either did not take folic acid or took smaller amounts.
Posted 5/19/2013 3:57 AM (GMT 0)
RA Warrior website had a good article on the mtx/ folic acid debate, but I was only asking for how much you take and I really appreciate all the help, Thank you!
anyone else, please...
golitho, I was told by my doc, that mtx works using the mtx in you body so you need it for mtx to work..guess the debate on that continues but lets let it play out over at R A Warrior, Thanks for your response its appreciated, hope your doing good healthwise
Posted 5/19/2013 10:53 PM (GMT 0)
Where is this RAW discussion taking place? I looked on the blog and don't see it.
Posted 5/20/2013 4:10 AM (GMT 0)
Not sure, but it was on RA Warrior, maybe google folic acid and mtx and you' ll get to it, I know that the days you take folic acid are debatable, I just wanted to know how much everyone was taking...I do not wish to offend anyone or what their doctors told them, only wanted to know at what amount helped of folic acid. It would be nice it they'd do clinical testing and get this debate settled for all of us.
Posted 5/21/2013 2:15 PM (GMT 0)
1 mg
Posted 5/24/2013 5:21 PM (GMT 0)
I'm on 25mg mtx weekly, by injection. I take 5mg of folic acid every day except the day of the mtx. It has no effect on how much hair I lose - I still lose heaps. Having said that though, I don't suffer from any other side effects any more. No nausea etc. My GI (I take it for my Crohn's), who also happens to be a leader in research here in Australia, has told me the reason he recommends not to take it on the same day as the mtx is because mtx is a folate antagonist, meaning it interferes with folate metabolism. The theory then is that if you take the folate on the same day as the mtx, the folate will not be absorbed correctly and it could potentially interfere with the absorbtion of the mtx.

Of course, we all do things differently around here and we all should abide by what our Dr's tell us to do. And I agree with Chartreux that I do not wish to offend anyone or their Dr's by my post. All I can do is tell my experience.

Best of luck.
Posted 7/3/2013 1:14 AM (GMT 0)
Bump...
Posted 7/3/2013 1:15 AM (GMT 0)
Hopes this helps you out Shell74
Posted 7/3/2013 2:37 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks! The dr today told me to take 1mg daily. Now I a, worried about hair loss,lol. I had gastric bypass 2 years ago and lost tons of hair then, I used to take 5000mcg of Biotin daily but have recently stopped, maybe I need to start again.
Posted 7/3/2013 6:13 AM (GMT 0)
Go for the maximum dose of biotin 10,000. It has helped me lose less hair than the 5,000.
Throw in B12 and B6 to boost it even more.
Posted 8/4/2013 5:23 AM (GMT 0)
I take 3mgs. Everyday including the day I take MTX ...have few side effects other than tired a day or two after.
Posted 8/4/2013 6:12 PM (GMT 0)
I take MTX injectable, 12.5mg every week. I take 1mg of Folic Acid every day. Just restarted the MTX though, first injection was this last Tuesday.
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