Starting MTX

[pingu]

OK so I am new here and decided to come along as my psoriasis has been very hit and miss since they stopped making Dovobet cream and I had to use the gel.

Just had my first dermatology consult in about 20 years and given a choice of MTX and something else. Decided to try MTX even though I know its tea total and there are portential side effects. Hopefully it will work.

I had my consult last Wednesday and bloods taken Friday. I get the blood results tomorrow and hopefully start MTX on Wednesday. 5mg first week then 10 and upto 15 with fortnightly bloods. It may not be right for me as I am traveling a lot at present but getting really fed up with the daily ritual of creams and hoovering, well Mrs Pingu does the hoovering!

I know already what Fred will say! But I think its a process, eliminate certain tried and tested drugs before we get to the new expensive ones! It might work and I have no ill effects. I may be sick as a dog.

I have read peoples experiences, the good, the bad and the ugly but one question is how soon should I start to notice any effect, besides throwing up the morning after I take them?

[Fred]

You've been doing your research on here.  

So I won't give my usual answer, but yes do be careful with Alcohol.  

It may well work for you Pingu, but if it doesn't at least you will have tried and you can then move on to something else.

Please keep this thread updated with your progress, as Methotrexate does get a lot of knocks on here and your input could help others.

[Fred]

one question is how soon should I start to notice any effect, besides throwing up the morning after I take them?

Sorry I forgot to give my answer to this bit.

You probably won't throw up, it's just the feeling it can give you but not many people are actually sick with it.

I would say Nauseas and feeling like a Zombie are the first things you will notice.

For some of the most common side effects see this thread: Methotrexate But remember we are all different.

As for effect on psoriasis it never done anything for me.

[jiml]

Hi again and yes Methotrexate can be unpleasant, but not everyone has the same side effects, some sail through without any.
Fred is not a lover of the stuff and I had to give it up, but I took it long enough for it to clear my skin, I gave it up because I couldn't face the nausea any longer and constantly feeling unwell.
So give it a good try as Fred says, and if you can't tolerate it they will move you onto the next step

I wish you much luck with it and look forward to hearing of your experience as the treatment goes on

[pingu]

Thanks Jiml

Yeah I can tolerate a certain amount of not feeling great. Generally healthy but it's been one of those years where being well for any amount of time has been difficult with three bouts of keyhole surgery, all I can say is they used MASSIVE keys and recovering from the last. Nothing major just old injuries stopped me training for two years.

So fixed up body, hopefully improved psoriasis I can get swimming again and enjoy the lifestyle I want. A little nausea will feel like a welcome blessing to get me back in the pool on a regular basis.

Not drinking on MX won't bother me as I am a complete lightweight. Sure I can have the odd shandy but I'm not even 5 pints a week let alone in a night.

Promise to keep you all updated with how I get on. The first few weeks will be hardest with work and squeezing trips between blood tests.

[jiml]

I'm glad you are recovered from your Keyhole surgery and I'm sure you will be fine on methotrexate but if you do find it awful do tell your dermatologist.... They are aware of the side effects you may encounter

I look forward to hearing of your experience

[AmandaL]

I had to give it up due to the sickness, but I got incredible results really quickly with MTX. I used to find drinking tea and drinking cold flat coke helped with the nausea!

Good luck!

[Turnedlight]

I noticed results quite quickly, and I never felt sick with it only tired and weak. Good luck, and the blood tests quickly settle down to only once every three months. (Well, mine did anyway).

[pingu]

Ok so I have my drugs!

Yipee!

Unfortunately not those kind of drugs.

Boo!

Anyway I digress. Firstly the trials and tribulations of having the blood test and getting my meds. I went to my GP surgery with the notes from my consultation and he has put me on an emergency NHS referral and was going to delay the whole thing until I explained several times what was happening. I went private and self paid so it will be expensive. I had my bloods taken the next day and had to wait and after no calls back made an appointment to get the results, some more confusion as to whether all the tests were completed and a late update yesterday that I was good to go.

I had a GP prescription for folic acid and dovobet to keep me going and the pharmacy gave me diazepam (2mg) instead of folic acid. No harm I just wouldn't care about my psoriasis or feeling ill or the cost, could be more useful in psoriasis treatment than they know. Anyway they remedied the error and explained they were in the same colour box! Leaving that there, but yeah I would have expected them to read the box!

I got my script back from my GP as he wouldn't prescribe the MTX and got that done at the private consultants pharmacy he referred me to, why he couldn't I don't know. Result as the MTX I thought would be horrendously expensive came out at £7.75. So I am ready to roll.

Tonight I will be taking MTX followed by a little Greek yoghurt for supper(doing my bit to help Greece).

Not looking forward to it as I anticipate either feeling nauseous, tired or um having to stay in close proximity to the bathroom.

Obviously I may sail through it but everything I have read indicates I will be lucky if I do. (I am doing this for the team).

Friday I will be mostly taking folic acid, my life is so rock and roll.

[Caroline]

Good luck. ! Hope it works for you.