Methotrexate?

[Steve Arnold]

I've been taking it off and on for several years for RA. My rheumatologist has me on a pretty aggressive treatment program involving several different drugs (and a pretty hefty cost to my insurance company) and this is just one of the components. I currently take 20 mg of it once a week. I've never had any difficulty with it.

[Asiel]

I'm on it and have been for about 6 months but my pcp is trying to find something to replace it because it doesn't agree with me that well and it sometimes interferes with my other meds. I don't like the way it makes me feel although it does make a big difference controling my problems ...better than staying on prednisone 365 days a yr.

[mrspunkysmom]

I'm on it and have been for about 6 months but my pcp is trying to find something to replace it because it doesn't agree with me that well and it sometimes interferes with my other meds. I don't like the way it makes me feel although it does make a big difference controling my problems ...better than staying on prednisone 365 days a yr.

I agree with your feelings on prednisone.

Let's hope it agrees with me. Thanks for y'alls input. I was feeling fairly put out about it. It really hit home that I have a serious form of arthritis and that plaquenil wasn't enough.

I'm jsut curious why my doctor prescribed folic acid with it if it is supposed to prevent the metabolism of folic acid. interesting.

[Catty1]

I'm just guessing, but if it inhibits the metabolism of folic acid then maybe your doc wants to keep your levels of FA higher.

It's like my SSRI - keeps the serotonin from being 'digested' too quickly so more is there to help the brain.

Mebbe.

[Pinot's Mom]

I know of several people on Methotrexate as I've been a psoriatic arthritis patient for many years and, during my treatments (Remicade-IV drip), you get to talk to others. My brother has it as well and his doctors have chosen Methotrexate as part of his therapy. Since he's on so many things I can't specifically say what effects he's had from that one medication, but he has behavioral issues from some part of his treatment. The only direct effect I know of is the damage to the liver, but that comes with all of the drugs used to treat psoriatic arthritis (and other auto immune disorders). I have chosen not to use Methotrexate. It's a personal choice due to the liver effects. Maybe I'm wrong - who knows?

Good luck with your treatments; let me know if you need to talk to someone who has been travelling this road for a very long time.

[Steve Arnold]

I was on Remicade for eight years. I know it's a potentially dangerous drug and it's obscenely expensive, but for me it was a miracle drug that really worked; until my body couldn't take it any longer. One of the reasons I was put on methotrexate was to try to recreate the positive effects of the Remicade with a different combination of drugs.