Re: Methoxrexate


"Nann Bell" <hanbellGOGATORS@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:0001HW.C5ABF3BA0019DBBDF0284550@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Sun, 1 Feb 2009 15:39:57 -0500, sharkm@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote
(in message
<9e05e498-f2b5-4b72-bcd4-1d79d2cd5ed7@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>):

Started Methotrexate about 3 months ago. I started on 12.5 a week and
am up to 15. I also take plaquanil and cataflam daily. I had great
luck with the plaquanil for almost 20 years but no more. I kind of
feel like I am starting over again. In addition to the joint pain I
have a lot of muscle pain around the knees. Don't remember that from
the first go round.

When I started mtx, I saw no relief at all from it until I'd been at 15 mg
for a month. We increased it 20 mg weekly, eventually, which helped more
and
lasted longer than the 15 mg did. I *never* reached the point that I
couldn't feel it wearing off a bit towards the end of the week, however
when
I came down with something that kept me off it for longer I felt a much
greater drop off. All of which is to say that you may not yet be at the
optimal dose for you and that it does take time for mtx to reach its
maximum
effectiveness at any given dosae. Be sure you tell your doc that it isn't
lasting you a full week.

---
Nann

Oh my well said and a must do. It is all about those blood tests and how
your liver responds to your DMARD. We had a lady here that got up into the
mid 30s mg and her liver dealt with it but she was a rare person in several
ways and most people cannot take that amount of Methx. I could not take
22.5mg without my liver enzymes going too high and had to change DMARDS to
Arava and then on to Enbrel. So it goes.
Harv


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