METHOTREXATE SODIUM Reviews (METHOTREXATE SODIUM)Average Rating: 3.3 (383 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare METHOTREXATE SODIUM with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Date added. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
More on METHOTREXATE SODIUM: Reviews Summary | FDA Adverse Event Summary
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR METHOTREXATE SO | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 3 | Rheumatoid Arthritis | Beyond the initial side effects when starting at 12.5mg, at 17.5mg at this time I am having multiple headaches, fatigue,some hair thinning, fuzzy thinking sometimes, some stomach queasiness and some kind of "heart in your throat" panic attacks. | After getting used to the methotrexate initially, the side effects were not too bad, except the fatigue. When the dosage was increased to 17.5mg (7/week) the side effects were worse. I have been having frequent headaches, the fatigue is worse, feeling depressed, more stomach issues and now a type of "panic attack" that comes out of no-where. It may last about 15-30 minutes and then it's gone. I am checking with my dr's office about this particular side effect. The medicine seems to help as my blood work is good but my quality of life has been reduced to such that I may want to try something else. I'm still dealing with some stiffness and pain in my hands and feet even though the CRP is normal. I'm also taking plaquenil and folic acid daily. | F | 53 | 1 years | 9/29/2008 | 5 | RA | minor hair loss when doc increases the dosage. | I have had RA for 25 years and have taken methotrexate for 15 years. I have taken it orally and by injection. I am currently taking 8 tablets (2.5 each) once a week. My insurance doesn't cover the injections anymore, so have to take the tablets. I am getting over a major flare because I quit Humira, so doc had upped my dosage. I am back on Humira and expect to be able to back off some on the methotrexate. These two work well together and I feel like I have my life back! It takes awhile, about 6 weeks, for it to kick in whereas Humira did after the first injection. By the way, the minor hair loss goes away on the lower dosages and does grow back. | F | 55 | 15 years | 9/16/2008 | 5 | Ulcerative Colitis | Been taking METHOTREXATE for 6 years - had bad nausea for the first couple of years, now only occasionally. A bit of hair loss at first, now OK. Worth persevering. | Before taking METHOTREXATE I was in hospital for a week or two every couple of years. It has been a 'wonder drug' for me. The additional benefit is I no longer have problems with asthma, used to have to use oxygen during the Winter now no symptoms at all. I take 15mg once a week. | M | 61 | 6 years | 9/16/2008 | 3 | RA | severe hair loss, dry mouth, dry cough | it works but the side effects are hard to swallow, damn if you do and damn if you don't | F | 50 | | 9/11/2008 | 1 | Psoriatic Arthritis | Constant nausea, bloated, loss of appetite, tiredness | I was taking it with sulfasalazine and was taken off Methotrexate by GP after just 3 doses (7.5mg once a week for 2 weeks, 1 week at 10mg) and having weekly blood tests to monitor my liver function. After just 3 weeks on methotrexate (without drinking alcohol) I was told by my GP that my liver has been damaged by the methotrexate and my ALT (liver enzyme indicating inflammation and damage) levels were high. | F | 24 | 21 days | 8/31/2008 | 5 | RA | MTX took over 6 months to take effect. Some minor problems the day I took the shot for several weeks. Raised blood pressure for several months. Now after 18 months I feel good and exercise a lot but still have joint inflamation. Could not go over 12.5 without raized liver enzimes. Take 2 folic acid daily. | Not sure if I want to stay on MTX long term. I am stablized but not "cured". The biologics are the only alternative and I can't afford the copay. | F | 65 | 18 months | 7/26/2008 | 3 | Dermatomyositis | Nausea in the beginning, see notes | Nausea in the beginning, but dr. had me "split" dose to 1/2 one day and 1/2 the next. Also taking Folic Acid to help. 1 mg. per day, but 3 mg. the day before I take the Methotrexate. It hasn't really helped yet at 10mg, but we may increase to 15 mg this week. | F | 39 | 3 months | 7/14/2008 | 4 | Severe RA | Nausia for 24 hours after weekly injection, but nausia is intermittent, only occuring about once a month. | My RA was bad, went from superman to vegetable in <12 months. Needed my 14 year old son to help me stand up, had to have walker to get around. Pain moved from joint to joint with no pattern. Occasionally when both hands would flare, needed help in the bathroom. In other words it sucked. Started MTX injections at .2ml for 6 weeks with no affect. Went to different Dr. and she said I should be taking 8mg. I went home and interpreted 8mg. as .8ml MISTAKE, I found out later that 1ml = 25mg, therefore .8ml = 22.5mg, almost 3x more than I was supposed to. But guess what..... The RA got 90% better. I got my life back, and am not embarrassed because I don't hobble in to work from the parking lot. As an ex air force pilot, I wasn't ready for pasture, so the intermittent nausia is OK. Don't anticipate bad side effects based on other's, it is an individual response, not a sure thing. | M | 43 | 1 years | 7/10/2008 | 3 | Rheumatoid Arthritis | Have been methotrexate by injection for just over two years, it does help with the arthritis but the side effects are difficult to bear. I feel nauseoud, am constantly tired, no energy and just a feeling of not being with it. I was on holiday recently and i did'nt take it for two weeks and my energy levels were so high compared to normal, however i paid for missing the drug with a minor flare that lasted for about two weeks. I wish I could manage without it, am thinking of asking to try something different but my fear is that anything else the side effects will be as bad if not worse. | F | 44 | 2 years | 7/9/2008 | 4 | dermatomyositis | slow loss of hair, quizzy stomach, some nausa, very tired, achy flu-like syptoms for a day or two. | Could not function at all. Could not use arms, trouble swallowing, very weak legs, extreme pain over all of body. Was dianosed with disease about 4 months ago. Have been taking prednisone and the methotrexate shot (one weekly) | F | 57 | 4 months | 7/5/2008 | 4 | Connective Tissue Disease | Acne, cold sores on face, minor hair thinning (not sure about that). Sometimes a fatigue several hours after injection, other times, no problem. | This is a damned if you do, damned if you don't dilemma. I don't want to give up the good effects from the MTX, but these constant cold sores and acne are making me crazy. I can keep the cold sores under control with acyclovir but I don't want to be on yet another drug every day of my life. | F | 56 | 14 months | 7/3/2008 | 4 | RA | After not quite 2 years developed pneumonitis and had to stop taking it. | Switched from a pill to an Injectible form which was much more effective without making me so nauseous. | F | 53 | 22 months | 6/30/2008 | 4 | Rheumatoid Arthritis | Head aches,sore mouth,all bearable , but helped symtoms greately ,UNTIL given a cheap generic version, rapidly went down hill, but recovered very quickly after getting original methotrexate back | Beware of cheap generic methotrexate, what i had was much larger, because it was loosely packed, and from what i could find out was absorbed into the body rapidly instead of slowly as it should be. Hospital say I was very lucky to have a decent pharmacist who re-ordered the proper tablets, and many patients are having to do the rounds of pharmacies because the government have allowed them to buy the cheapest generic medicines they can, and many refuse to change them even when severe side effects show up. ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING, and many patients dont realise that severe side effects they are having are being caused by inferior generic medicines | F | 66 | 3 years | 6/10/2008 | 5 | For RA | None | I took 6 pills per week for about 6 mos.(beginning in April of 2007). I also took prednisone (5mg daily) for about a month. In October I started to ween off methotrexate, each 6 weeks I take one less pill. Now I'm taking 1 pill and in July 0 pills. Doing great with very little or no pain. | M | 65 | 13 months | 5/5/2008 | 2 | Anterior Scleritis | Diarhea,headaches,fatigue and knee joint pain | I have not noticed any improvement of the eye condition but hoping it will help soon | F | 62 | 4 weeks | 5/4/2008 | 3 | Ankylosing Spondylitis | General malaise, nausea; also taking folic acid. Feel worse the 2nd and 3rd day after taking MTX but improvement follows prior to next weekly dose. | Had some problems initially; treatment combined with adalimumab so hard to determine root of respiratory issues. Despite it's low weekly dosage (12.5 mg) the side effects can seem profound at times. I have noticed a pattern to the side effects that allows me to better handle them. I am not sure if it is working; given the alternative to remain in pain and face progressive disability it seems worth a try. I am encouraged by comments from those that have shown improvement but can understand concerns stated from those who do not. Their are definite risks associated with MTX as well as a long clinical association with it's benefit. I think anyone who takes the drug should read about it and understand it's potential for adverse effects as well as possible benefits. I hope it works out for the majority, I would prefer neither of us had to make the choice of this particular treatment. | M | 54 | 6 weeks | 5/1/2008 | 2 | RA | dizziness, headache, hot flashes, but most importantly feeling really tired and down | After I discontinued MTX, I realized how much it had influenced my energy levels and mood | F | 56 | 5 weeks | 4/22/2008 | 2 | Inflammatory arthritis | Nausea, heartburn, breathing problems, mouth sores | I think this drug is killing me. I am weak, nauseated and short of breath. Have been on it almost nine months and pain continues to spread, swelling has not gone down in my hands. Still have a lot of pain. Having breathing problems and heart palpitations which have occurred since methotrexate. There is no quality of life taking this drug. | F | 70 | 9 months | 4/12/2008 | 1 | Juvenile Chronic Arthritis | I used to take this med but had to stop. I had severe nausea before and after taking it, massive panic attacks, hair loss and now still have trouble psychologically as far as i will not drink juice or soft drink of the same colour! | helped the arthritis but side effects were too severe! | F | 18 | 1 years | 4/9/2008 | 4 | Rheumatoid Arthritis | I take 25mg sub-q weekly. For 1-2 days I do not function at all. It causes extreme fatigue, nausea (though that is improving), dizziness, hair loss, headaches, eyes feel funny, and an out of body kind of feeling that is hard to put into words. I give myself the shot on Fri night so by Monday I am good to go for work. | Despite losing my weekends, it has done wonders for my RA. I had to go off of it for a short time last year because of a toxic reaction, and was amazed at the difference it really makes. I was glad the dr. let me give it another try. | F | 36 | 1 years | 3/28/2008 |