Silly question about Methodextrate

[YvonS]

This might be a silly question, but I'm going to ask it anyway  
Hopefuly users of Methotrexate can tell me more.

If you use Methotrexate, it has an effect on your immune system, the chance of contracting viruses and bacteria and resulting infections is greater.
But what about saying hello to people? Do you have to take this into account? I mean shaking hands and kissing? 

Unfortunately, here in the Netherlands we give eachother three kisses when we see eachother and also when we leave... 
For me thats on a weekend with friends, and there are always around 30 men, it will be 90 kisses when i see them and then usually also 90 when I leave. .. I also try to sneak out ... but thats not always possible  

But have you received any advice about this when using Methotrexate? I can't find anything about this form of contact.

[Fred]

No problem at all with contact or kissing.

People taking methotrexate should keep an eye on their liver and preferably cut down on alcohol.

Also Male and Female should avoid methotrexate if trying for a baby.

But apart from that carry on with your life as usual.

[YvonS]

Thank you Fred for your answer.

Perhaps a bit disappointing for me, I can't get out of kissing everyone goodbye 
I thought it was the perfect excuse 

[Fred]

Thank you Fred for your answer.

Perhaps a bit disappointing for me, I can't get out of kissing everyone goodbye 
I thought it was the perfect excuse 

Well you could explain that you are taking a medication that weakens your immune system and it's best to avoid close contact.

[YvonS]

Thank you Fred for your answer.

Perhaps a bit disappointing for me, I can't get out of kissing everyone goodbye 
I thought it was the perfect excuse 

Well you could explain that you are taking a medication that weakens your immune system and it's best to avoid close contact. 

Yes i think i will use that excuse more than one 

[Caroline]

Thank you Fred for your answer.

Perhaps a bit disappointing for me, I can't get out of kissing everyone goodbye 
I thought it was the perfect excuse 

For a while you could blame Covid and avoid kissing. I also don’t anymore.

What I still do with good friends is hug them. That is better and safer than kissing.

Oh, occasionally Fred or Jim gets a kiss here on the forum, but not too often. 

And Fred is right, keep a good eye at your liver with MTX.
And another thing is that mtx might suppress the effectiveness of the Covid vaccine, but perhaps you have already had that.

[D Foster]

Hi Yvon. I was on MTX for many years by tablets and three years on injections. Don't forget to take the folic acid, keep a close eye on the liver and don't consume any alcohol at all are the best advice that I can give you.
It does lower your immune system but I found that the area that causes the most problems is the stomach , I was convinced that it was the MTX itself that caused my stomach upset however I found that when I went on to the injections I still got stomach upsets at times if I ate anything that could be even slightly off then it started.
MTX worked quite well for me both on the P and PsA but some people have had problems with it. Best of luck with it and if there is anything else you need to know just ask.

[Turnedlight]

For me I wasn’t really catching more viruses, but I did get a big abscess when I went to the dentist fit root canal - I told him I was on mtx but he didn’t think anything of it however perhaps he should have given me antibiotics as a precaution.

I would have thought you wouldn’t be kissing anyone you meet recently because of covid? We stopped all that last year, until very recently.. even now I still haven’t gone too near my friends - so now is the perfect time for people to be more understanding if you want to be careful.

[Raxyl]

Hi Yvon,  I was the same when on MTX, no alcohol, keep up the folic acid and regular blood tests for liver damage.  Otherwise life as usual.

[YvonS]

Thank you for all your advices 

It is impossible to predict in advance how I will react to Mtx, I am well aware of that and I will have to wait and see.
But I will take your advice into account in my treatment.

To be honest, I'm not that afraid to catch something through contact, I thought that was a perfect excuse to get out of it. Sometime i realy hate all that     

What I'm afraid of is getting an abscess like Turnedlight or getting bigger inflammations in my bodt that will end up in the hospital.
But as i can read on this Forum, everyone reacts differently and some don't react at all. And I have to keep that in mind too