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Methotrexate

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Posted 10/5/2011 10:50 PM (GMT 0)
Just filled my scrip for methotrexate. I searched the forum for info on this but they seem to be all from 2007-8. Just wondering if it has actually worked for some, and what kind of side effects should I expect before I start ingesting '10 pills per week'.
Posted 10/6/2011 5:08 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Mackster, I haven't tried it but I have seen a few here mention using it in the past. My GI wasn't against letting me use it and I was considering it when I was flaring and not seeing any results with other medications. I posted here asking about it and I got mixed feedback. My Gi said she's had some luck using it for UC.
Posted 10/6/2011 7:30 AM (GMT 0)
You might find more experiences with methotrexate on the CD forum.

q
Posted 10/6/2011 9:11 AM (GMT 0)
I use it for my arthritis. I can't see that it is helping my UC though. Honestly i cant stand the stuff. Makes me sick for at least 48 hours out of the week. Problem is though, it is helping with my arthritis.
Posted 10/6/2011 11:48 AM (GMT 0)
MTX is not typically used in Uc mainly because it's not that effective. It might help a handful tho and you might be one of the lucky ones. They typically use it in Crohn's and RA patients along with other auto immune disesease.
Posted 10/6/2011 2:53 PM (GMT 0)
I was on it for about 2 years, but started with the injections (25mg) before moving on to pills. I was a little bit nauseaous right after I injected when I first started taking it but that was solved by taking it at night. I never felt 100% while I was on it, but felt a lot better and was fine when I was scoped. As time went on, I felt worse and worse and after 2 years needed to discontinue it. The main side affects were slight diarrhea, upper abdominal pain (GERD) and some mid abdominal pain. Make sure you are getting monthly blood tests and that you drink alcohol very sparingly (if you drink) if at all. You also can't take a bunch of antibiotics or NSAIDS (shouldn't anyway) and a host of other things.

I was originally diagnosed with UC 20+ years ago but lately I've been in sort of limbo (Indeterminate Colitis) and now they are leaning towards Crohn's so your experience may be different.

Mary
Posted 10/6/2011 4:30 PM (GMT 0)
My mother takes it for her RA and she has no side effects from it. I took it for my UC but it did nothing. I don't remember any side effects from it but I wasn't on it for long.
Posted 10/6/2011 5:42 PM (GMT 0)
Found this warning on

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000547/

Methotrexate may cause very serious side effects. Some side effects of methotrexate may cause death. You should only take methotrexate to treat life-threatening cancer, or certain other conditions that are very severe and that cannot be treated with other medications. Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking methotrexate for your condition.

Posted 10/6/2011 6:17 PM (GMT 0)
Definitely talk to your doctor, but understand that methotrexate used for chemo therapy in much higher doses then they prescribe for IBD.  That is where those warnings come from.  You should get monthly blood tests to monitor how you are doing and based on the results of the blood tests, the doctor should let you know whether it is ok to continue or whether you should discontinue or adjust your dosage.  Also, your doctor should prescribe Folic Acid along with the MTX.  If none of this has happened, it's best to go over any concerns with your doctor.  I was hesitant to take this at first, but got all my questions answered and was very well monitored.  Other than the side affects I encountered, I had no long term issues.

Mary

Posted 10/6/2011 7:29 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks (I think!) for the feedback guys.

My GI said to get blood tests and also prescribed folic acid.

The only thing that's bothering me is that he said it may take a couple of months or so to kick in. I should have asked him does that mean I'm going to feel like a bag of dirt 'till it starts to work?

Gah!
Posted 10/6/2011 9:11 PM (GMT 0)
It took 2 months for it to work for me but you may be different.  My GI said it typically takes 2 months to work as well.  Does your doctor have you on anything else in the meantime?  I was on an abx (Xifaxan) which wasn't perfect, but made me feel a bit better.  Maybe your GI can prescribe you something in the meantime?   Sorry if I scared you :-(.  If you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask.

Mary

Posted 10/6/2011 9:49 PM (GMT 0)
No rhmas, hr just said to continue tapering the pred (I'm on the dreaded 'threshold' dosage of 10mg) And continue with nightly Hycort enemas which seem to be getting more difficult to retain. Apart from the folic acid, that's all she wrote. I'll read the fact sheet and I hope it doesn't preclude the .5 mg of lorazapam and the tylenol I'm taking for the massive headaches I wake up with.

This drug has me more concerned that any others. I'll probably take my first 10 pills at Friday bedtime so if I encounter any major problems, it shouldn't interfere with my Mon-Fri workweek.
Posted 10/6/2011 10:29 PM (GMT 0)
I hear you.  I was nervous about taking MTX as well so I completely understand.  I took it on Friday night initially as well.  The NP answered any questions I had at the time, sent me info and encouraged me to look it up online (sites that are for RA and Crohn's, not chemo).  Even so, I had to go to the doctor's to "learn" how to give an injection of MTX to myself and I was nervous the whole time, not because of the injection but because of the MTX. 

The medication has a lot of restrictions which can be a pain along with the monthly blood tests.  They also encourage you to get flu shots, pneumonia shots and stuff like that.  Tylenol should be ok, but that never made sense to me as this medication tends to be heard on your liver.  I took it for several months regularly for a back issue I had and the GI and PC doctor were fine with it and my liver counts were fine.   I don't know about Lorazapam.  It's best to ask the pharmacist about both though just to make sure.   

I survived it, and from what I hear from my GI, lots of people do well on it.  I had some side effects which caused me to stop it, but nothing life threatening, it just made me miserable after about 2 years (and to a much lesser extent before that).  I go to an IBD center so they see a lot of how people react on these medications.

I was trying to stay off the biologics so it was the lesser of 2 evils for me. In my case I just tried to find a balance between feeling well and the medications.  Unfortunately now I'm on Humira, but what can you do.  I feel pretty good.

Mary 

 

Posted 10/6/2011 11:08 PM (GMT 0)
I took it for 8 weeks but it had no real benefits for me unfortunately. Not to say it won't work for you; I hear it does work in a number of UC patients.

I didn't really get any side effects from it, just a bit tired on the day after taking it.

As for the warnings about the drug itself - every drug that's an immunosupressant carries very strong warnings. Read the possible side effects for Aza and it's a similar story.
Posted 10/7/2011 1:18 AM (GMT 0)
Cheers nhmas and richochet96.
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