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Posted 4/11/2011 10:34 PM (GMT 0)
:-) Hi everyone! I'm new and so happy to find this site. I have RA and Hashi's.

I'm REALLY nervous because I'm starting Methrexate this week. sad But, this is the first rheumy to actually listen to me, so I'm going to give her suggestions a try.......but scarred!!! Will my hair really fallout???? What about weight loss????? Thanks for all your help in advance! smilewinkgrin
Posted 4/12/2011 1:15 AM (GMT 0)
Wissie,
Hello. I'm fairly new to RA and will be starting Methotrexate in June. I would say give it a try
to see if it can help. Take it exactly as prescribed, as it is a very
strong medicine. Hope it works for you.
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Wissie))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
healing hugz and well wishes, also keep us posted as to how your doing...
Posted 4/12/2011 1:19 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks so much. I figured what do I have to lose ( besides hair) and I might even get relief from all this pain!
As for the Hugs..... Right back at ya! ((((((((((Chartreax)))))))))))
Posted 4/12/2011 2:31 AM (GMT 0)
You don't lose all your hair, it just thins out a bit. No one can tell by looking at me, I can just tell I have less hair in my pony tail!!!
Drink lots of water while you're on it. Seems to help your body tolerate the toxicity. I used to get headaches on it before someone told me about the water, now I'm fine.
I love my mtx now, really stops the swelling in my joints. I've only come off it once and wow did I notice the difference. Great med.
Hope it suits you too, golitho
Posted 4/13/2011 3:23 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much! I can't put into words how nervous I've been, now I just want it over with. My rheumy told me to start after dinner this Thursday. So I will. I drink nearly a gallon of water daily ( really!) so I have that down.

Ok.....I'll let you all know how it goes.....I already told the girls at work that I may be calling out....if I'm sick to my stomach or whatever else I may be feeling...
Again thank you for talking to me and calming my fears!!!!
Posted 4/13/2011 3:30 AM (GMT 0)
Hope you have sucess on it. My doctor told me this is my next step. I am also very scared to take this. I think my fears are mostly nausea and fatigue. Wissie, what do you do for a living? Is your job strenuous?
Posted 4/15/2011 4:50 PM (GMT 0)
I have been on MTX (methotrexate) for 10 months now. Your hair doesnt fall out in a noticable way. It will thin. I have really thick hair so this was a blessing for me. It will not fall out in clumps or anything that most others will notice. My eyelashes thinned out, but I dont really care about eyelashes if the medicine works. I take it on Mondays. We call it Meth Mondays at our house (my rhuemy's nurse actually called it that and it was funny and stuck). I break mine up through the day....5 pills in the am and 5 pills in the pm at 7am and 7pm. This helps with lessening the nausea and the fatigue doesnt hit hard until after work or at the end of the day. The worst side effect is how tired it makes you...then of course that nausea sucks too. One tip...do not drink alcohol on the day you take it or two or three days following.
Posted 4/15/2011 7:00 PM (GMT 0)
:-)  Hi Wissie and welcome! I am not on MTX, but I do know that we have had other threads and many posts from those just starting on the drug. You might want to page through some threads in the last month or so, since there were members posting about their experiences with MTX.
Posted 4/16/2011 7:34 PM (GMT 0)
Well! I took my first dose 10 mg Thursday night. Within 30 mints my stomach was upset but not too bad. Friday I was verrry tired with some stomach upset. Yesterday and today I have killer headache that won't quit! But honestly, that is the worst part. So far so good!
Thanks for all the support!
Posted 4/19/2011 7:05 PM (GMT 0)
I have been on MTX for almost 3 years now, currently my dose is 20mg a week...I take mine right before I go to bed on a Friday night and I sleep in on Saturday. I have never had a problem with nausea. Fatique, eh, hard to say as I suffer from fatigue with the RA anyhow.

Sadly, the MTX is not enough anymore and I have begun Humira; which seems to be helping. I take it every other week and have taken 4 so far.

~RA~
Posted 4/20/2011 5:10 AM (GMT 0)
confused Start MTX tonight. wish me luck. I'm off tomorrow just in case. I love u guys. U really do help. Thank U smilewinkgrin
Posted 4/20/2011 2:39 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck Wissie & Belle with MTX. It works for the majority of the people with little or no side effects.
I think people over exxagerate side effects because it is a chemo drug- but believe me we are not taking doses like people who use it for cancer.
My hair fell out a little (only I could notice it in the shower and my brush) but upon someones advice to take Biotin I started taking 5000 mcgs a day and my hair is fuller than it's ever been.
Never felt sick from it. Fatigue- I think it's the RA not the med because I've taken a break from it and I'm still tired.
I do drink a lot of water and always take it on a full meal. In fact I treat myself on the day I take it to something I really like- and eat a lot of it. :)
My doctor built me up to the max dose starting out at 7.5 mgs a week and increasing by 1 pill every 2 weeks.

Only thing is you are not supposed to drink alcohol or limit yourself (per my dr. to 1 drink per month)
That doesn't work for me and I tried to beat all odds by having drinks on the weekend- every weekend anyway.
Well now my liver enzymes are elevated a little and I'm upset.

I am awaiting my latest blood results as I sit on pins and needles.

Wishing you all the best!
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