Generic Name: Methotrexate for Rheumatoid Arthritis (methotrexate)
Methotrexate for Rheumatoid Arthritis Reviews
"I'm on methotrexate 2.5 mg four pills 1x a week for around 5-6 years for RA. I feel good when taking this medicine correctly and on time. I had gotten sick from taking too many antibiotics for urinary tract infection and was told to stop taking methotrexate because I had to take a powerful medicine to get my health back to normal, and methotrexate may interact with that medicine. I went off for almost 1 1/2 months and RA kicked in bad. I was finished with the other medicine so I went back on methotrexate and the RA subsided. My point is, this medication really does help, and never just go off it because you don't feel any pain anymore, and you think you are cured, believe me, it's the medication that's working, you are not cured, you'll always have RA. I take mine once a week every Saturday and I feel great. If you skip a dose or doses, believe me, you will know you skipped it. Take it every week, same day, same time, and you'll feel as though you are cured, and I have had no side effects whatsoever."
"I have been on methotrexate for a couple of months now. I'm not certain whether we just caught my disease at a good time, but this medication has been 110% effective for me. I have had no symptoms since it kicked in (took a while). The most that will happen because of the medication is the day after I take it, I will feel a little tired (was worse in the beginning). Anyways, please make sure you don't read reviews and judge the medication from that. I nearly scared myself silly doing that. Trust in your rheumatologist and follow the process. The medicine reacts with different people in different ways. I am definitely one of the lucky ones. I am 25, and methotrexate has given me back the lifestyle of a 25-year-old!"
"This is a horrible drug. I took it once a week for 5 months, 12.5 mg of awfulness. My hair started falling out in clumps, even with taking folic acid. The headaches and nausea are debilitating, along with the fatigue and general malaise that I experienced for 2-3 days after taking it. It did not touch the flare-ups or the pain I experienced from the RA. I have now completely changed my diet and my way of thinking to combat this disease. No gluten, no dairy, stress-free as much as possible, and supplements like Nordic Fish Oils, Glucosamine, and Chondroitin Sulfates, and Turmeric help better than the Methotrexate did any day. I called this drug 'Poison' the whole time I was taking it. Now I feel way better not taking it, and I know why, because it is a POISON. Stay far away from this drug and try lifestyle changes before even considering this harmful drug."
"My mom took methotrexate for over 15 years for R.A. She ended up with methotrexate-induced pulmonary fibrosis. The local hospital was treating her for pneumonia, but that was not the case. Mom passed away at one of the nation's top 10 hospitals from Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome or Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome. The death certificate says she died from ARDS and RA. If you love yourself or your loved ones, do not let them take this medication. It is DANGEROUS. She was 52 years old. I can't believe she's gone, and it's all from a little yellow pill she took once a week. Low dose or not, it doesn't matter. IT CAN KILL YOU. AVOID. Read the manufacturer's black box warnings and find alternatives. The medicine didn't help much anyway, if at all."
"My mum has DIED, she had RA in hands & knees. She was given THIS DRUG 13yrs ago. NO ONE told her/us it's ALSO ANTI-CANCER drug, it destroys immune system, blood cells etc. YES, it relieves RA, but in 6 months mum went from 6ft tall 10 stone lady to a wheezing, weak, 6 stone shadow of her former self. Mum died April 7, 2019, she was home & arrested. At hospital 10pm, 1am they said she wouldn't survive? They did EVERY test, blood/fluids/scans, NOTHING showed. She had lines in neck, drips everywhere, they treated for lots & hoped it worked. But at 5am advised us TURN OFF her life support. Doctors were baffled. When they got GP info, & we mentioned methotrexate their faces dropped, they didn't blame meds solely, but they DID explain meds have knock-on effects, & with prolonged use they can cause breakdowns in parts of the body. More info should be available, to look out for signs & symptoms about this drug. Please keep getting checked out. Mum had blood tests monthly & nothing showed, she NEVER missed appointments. I'd stay clear of these meds."
"I took this medication for about 5 years. Dr. increased the dose to 8 pills a week. While I was on this, I experienced bad headaches. I would bruise easily and badly if I bumped myself somewhere. I also developed lactose intolerance which I was not until I took this. Overall, this medicine was making me worse and in addition to this, Dr. would give me cortisone shots for my joint pain that never went away. Shots were bad too. After 5 years, I stopped taking this medication without the Dr.'s knowledge. I am now taking pure supplements and still fighting RA but I am methotrexate free for 6 years."
"I am a 32-year-old and a mother of two boys working full-time. I was on methotrexate for 2.5 years (10 mg per week, oral). It did work, and I had little side effects in the beginning. However, about 1-1.5 years in, I became extremely fatigued and even depressed. I did not feel like myself. I read in other blogs that people had the same feelings as I did, so I was glad I wasn’t alone. I was at a point in my journey where I could try and get off the medication. After only two weeks off the medication, I felt amazing! Back to my old self! Both my husband and I were amazed. Fatigue gone. No longer going to bed at 7:30 pm. No more feelings of depression. And thank goodness my RA symptoms have not reappeared. I do follow a strict dairy-free, gluten-free, almost pescatarian diet that I believe has a huge impact on RA. So if anyone is feeling this way, please talk to your doctor and try a different approach to tackling your RA if you cannot live with the frustration of the fatigue and depression."
"Methotrexate has been a miracle for me. For the past 3 years, experiencing extreme tiredness, no energy to do anything, thankful to get through a day's work. Tried every combination of vitamins the world has ever made without any results. Then, over the last one year, severe inflammation of hands, could barely make a fist, difficulty using hands. Under rheumatologist advice, used 2 other medications till placed on methotrexate with a dose of 5 pills per week. Have been on this dose for the past 8 months with great results. Have been walking, biking around from 2 to 4 miles frequently, mowing grass, doing property maintenance 6 to 8 hrs per day and still having energy to continue working on other things! Crossing fingers, THANKS METHOTREXATE!"
"I have been on this medication for about 2 months now. I was taking prednisone before, but that wouldn't help much. After the second week of taking methotrexate, I can honestly say I am pain-free. I can actually enjoy doing all the stuff I used to do before being diagnosed with RA. Before starting this medication, I would experience horrible pain in my shoulders, hands, fingers, hips, and ankles. I would have a rough time getting through the day. This medication works wonderfully."
"At first I was really apprehensive about taking Methotrexate (7.5mg a week), but it seems to be working well. I've been taking it since November 2008. My side effects are minimal. Once a week I get nausea, which usually occurs the day after I take my weekly dose. My test results have come back normal too. I'm not a medicine taker and the idea of taking such a strong medication still scares me, but I will continue with my weekly dosage because it helps with my rheumatoid arthritis a lot. One thing I'm consistent with is taking my Folic Acid since it helps prevent my side effects. I don't even get the very common mouth sores."
"My family doctor and rheumatoid specialists both suggested Methotrexate for my RA. I read several sites and decided I would find my own way without this terrible drug. I went to India for Ayurvedic treatment, and as of today, not quite 2 years later, I have no pain, I have not suffered any side effects from this drug, and I can function normally. It pains me to see the accounts of people whose lives have been ruined by Methotrexate. There is a safer, easier (and less expensive in the long run) way to handle arthritis. Medical doctors will cringe to read this, but I'm living proof!!"
"I am female, 41, have been taking methotrexate for 2 months now. I was crippled, my hands, fingers, wrists, ankles, balls of my feet, knees, shoulders, arms, even my jaw. I could barely walk, I couldn't unscrew lids, peel potatoes, do everyday chores people take for granted. My rheumatoid factor was 1380. After 1 month, no change, hopefully my 2nd reading will come down. Anyway, after 1 month on the medication, my joint pains have disappeared, thanks to Methotrexate. I take 10mg once weekly with folic acid the next day. It worked for me. YAY!"
"When I was first diagnosed, my hands hurt so badly I wondered how I could convince my doctor to amputate them and give me prosthetics. Methotrexate was among the first things tried to get my RA under control. After steroids, a variety of IV therapies, and anti-inflammatories, Methotrexate has been my mainstay and keeps my RA under control as well as the biologics. I take it orally with no side effects. Yeah for Methotrexate in my life."
"I took Methotrexate for 17 years. Started with tablets but progressed to injections for less chance of side effects (and cheaper!). Always felt tired and nauseous for a day after, which got worse and lasted longer over the years, so that instead of just folic acid, my rheum had me take leucovorin the day after (a stronger folic acid). But 6 months ago I developed fatigue, malaise and chronic low-grade fever despite normal blood tests; my rheum said he had seen that before in other patients taking Methotrexate and considered it a toxic reaction! There is no literature on this reaction, but I got better once I stopped, so just be aware."
"Methotrexate was totally useless and side effects far outweigh benefits. I'm unable to eat, my hair is falling out, and I have chronic stomach pains. My RA doctor completely ignores me when I told them about the adverse effects and swapped to a milder dose injection, but it was to no avail."
"I have been taking methotrexate for about 2 years for moderate rheumatoid arthritis (22.5mg weekly) and it does control inflammation. I recently stopped taking it for 3 months because I really don't like taking drugs and symptoms returned (inflammation in ankles, hip pain, stiffness) so I started taking it again and have no pain so obviously it was working."
"Please don't take this medicine. My mother had taken this once a week for 12 years. It did help her RA, but not greatly. Then she died suddenly. An autopsy confirmed this medicine destroyed all her blood cells."
"I started methotrexate in April for RA, pain in my hands, knees, hips, fingers, and toes. I started on 7.5 mg injections but didn't see any difference. Slowly progressed to 15 mg, and I'm now just having odd pains here and there, mainly if I've overdone things. I started on folic acid 5 mg every day, but it made me feel so ill, now I only take it once a week, which my rheumatologist is fine with, and I feel absolutely fine. No adverse side effects from methotrexate either. Yes, my hair is thinner, but not so anyone notices, and my eyelashes are a bit sparse now, but still there. I was so apprehensive to try this drug, but at 45, I didn't want it to progress to the stage where I couldn't live a normal life. I know it's not for everyone, but for me, it's really helped."
"I have only been taking the Methotrexate since the end of September and I am on 25mg per week. I was also prescribed the Folic Acid but can't take that as it causes such an upset stomach that I stopped it altogether. So far, the only symptoms I have had were in the beginning, and that was feeling nausea and very tired the day after taking it. It has helped with the swelling and pain, and I have no pain in my knees anymore, just a bit in the hands, wrists, and my one foot."
"Following treatment for acute autoimmune disease of the brain, I suddenly developed RA symptoms in my hands and feet - dropping things all day, severe overnight swelling, and pain. Two previous medications prescribed by my rheumatologist were ineffective. Tried Methotrexate (8 x 2.5mg once a week + folic acid) two days ago, and 50% of swelling and 90% of the pain are gone; can make a more-or-less painless fist with both hands, easy to type first thing in the morning (woo hoo) and happy to be alive."
"When I was first diagnosed with RA six years ago, this methotrexate was the first medication that I was prescribed. I was just in so much pain at that time and being newly diagnosed, I just wanted to feel like myself again. But... over the course of the first three months, I gained just under 15 pounds. (And to make it worse, I was so bloated, even though I was barely eating). Then... worse yet, about nine months into my treatment, my long hair began to fall out (not in large clumps), but I started noticing my hair was all over everything. Okay, so now I have joint pain, I cannot fit into my clothes, and my hair is falling out. I was taking this medication for 14 months before I was changed, and throughout that time I am unable to say it really did anything to help me - although my doctor said it did stop “the flare-up”. Please note: even though I am no longer on this medication, I did not actually notice this helping with my joints, and I do still have flare-ups occasionally."
"I have been on methotrexate for two months now and have slowly increased my dose to 17.5 mg/week. I started on a daily dose of folic acid but switched to a weekly dose of Leucovorin due to dizziness a couple of days after my methotrexate dose. My pain and inflammation are gone and I feel so much better. I am once again able to do the things I love and have no side effects. I'm RF negative, but my rheumatologist chose to treat me quickly and aggressively based on symptoms and a high CCP. I'm thankful she did. I hope methotrexate will be a long-term solution to treat my rheumatoid arthritis."
"I was on 12.5 mg of methotrexate per week for 6 weeks. I gradually got more tired and had more brain fog as each week went by. My hair was falling out at an alarming rate. By week 6, I was having heart palpitations. My joints felt good, but everything else not so much. I stopped using it, and after 3 days, I felt much better."
"When all other meds/combo of meds failed my rheumy put me on MTX (8 tabs @ 2.5 mg once a week). I still take 4 mg prednisone twice a day, 400 mg of Plaquenil at night, and folic acid every morning. It's been a long road and a lot of ups and downs but I have seen the most progress since MTX was added to my combo of meds. I still have some pain but the stiffness (which used to last most of the day) and the swelling have improved. I am always nauseous and feel lethargic the first 24-48 hours after the MTX dose but 1-2 days of that is better than the alternative. I've always been extremely active so it has been rough struggling to do simple things."
"After many years of joint pain, finally found a physician who looked at x-rays, labs, family history, my entire medical history, and determined that I indeed had Rheumatoid Arthritis. I have noticed a significant change after being put on Methotrexate, Prednisone, Folic Acid, and Tramadol. However, now that winter is here, joints are worse and I am now on the highest dose of Methotrexate (20mg) a week but I'm able to get out and do more with less pain than before."
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