I am currently on Plaquenil and my Rheumy wants to bump me up to Methotrexate. Anyone on it and how well have you been doing. What about the side effects. Any information would be helpful
emt21902
I've tried both with no success - but everyone is different. These are usually prescribed for Lupus or RA ?
I have CVID and supposedly Fibro...though possibly some Autoimmune issue..ugh. Anyway, I did have success with a term of Prednisone but that's kinda hard core too.
Currently I am on amitriptylene because it helps me sleep and helps nerve pain but it sure doesn't fix it all. I have also tried Celebrex and Sulfasalazine.
I don't remember much for side effects - methotrexate means taking extra folic acid.
I've taken methotrexate for psoriatic arthritis. You take it once a week. Many people have no side-effects at all, my experience was finding it a bit hard on my stomach causing nausea, headaches and fatigue. Taking folic acid (which your doc should prescribe alongside the mtx) helps but drinking ALOT of water helps the most.
There is also the option of by-passing your stomach completely and self-injecting with a pre-filled syringe. Not as scary (or painful) as it sounds if you've not done anything like this before. And injections are often more efficacious as well.
As with most side-effects they are usually mild - manageable and improve with the passage of time. For my PsA I think the time-frame to start to see any improvement was 8 - 12 weeks so you may need to be a patient patient. I am very drug sensitive so it wasn't for me long term but I know many people who have described it to me as their "wonder drug".
Let us know how you get on if you/your doc decide to give it a try.