Comments on: Sick as a Parrot http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/sick-as-parrot/ This is a blog about me, my recently diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis and my struggles to stay positive about it! Sat, 18 May 2013 06:47:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Gisela http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/sick-as-parrot/#comment-849 Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:16:49 +0000 http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/?p=648#comment-849 Hi Polly,

From what I understand, it’s standard in the U.S. to take MTX once a week and folic acid every day (except on the day of MTX, for some – I take it every day). My pharmacist (who also happens to be my son) concurs. I am down to 12.5 mg MTX because I am in clinical remission (according to the ACR). Hope you are feeling better soon.
Gisela

]]> By: pollyannapenguin http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/sick-as-parrot/#comment-848 Thu, 08 Apr 2010 17:21:07 +0000 http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/?p=648#comment-848 Hi Gisela,

I think 15 is kind of middling, or that’s what I’ve been told anyway. I started on 7.5mg which is the lowest dose prescribed for RA and it didn’t do much. I gradually crept up to 15mg and it’s finally helping. While this was going on, research was being published to show that actually it’s not that clever to treat in this way and that patients are far better off to be given a higher dose like 15mg straight away. There’s still room to go up (to I think about 22mg for RA although don’t quote me on that!) if it doesn’t work, but, if you can get them, biologics are probably a better bet if they work for you than really high doses of MTX.

I hope it’s working for you and glad to hear you don’t get any of the side effects! I must have a word with the rheumy nurse and see if I can change my MTX. I wonder if it’s standard in America to take it every day; here it seems to be standard to take it once a week because they reckon it interacts with the MTX otherwise.

Polly

]]> By: Gisela http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/sick-as-parrot/#comment-847 Thu, 08 Apr 2010 10:14:20 +0000 http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/?p=648#comment-847 Hi Polly,

Ten months ago, I started treatment for RA with 15 mg of MTX (6×2.5 mg tablets) which, according to my rheumatologist, is a high dose. I take my folic acid (1 mg) every day, even on the day I take MTX, and have never experienced any side effects associated with MTX.

I do hope that changing your folic acid dose/regimen will make you feel better!

]]> By: pollyannapenguin http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/sick-as-parrot/#comment-846 Thu, 08 Apr 2010 06:47:13 +0000 http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/?p=648#comment-846 What – they haven’t told you it’s been postponed a month – and your hubby best man ‘n all?

Tee hee … just kidding. DOH, I knew it was in August really!! Must be the famous methotrexate brain fug!

]]> By: maggieberney http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/sick-as-parrot/#comment-844 Thu, 08 Apr 2010 06:32:51 +0000 http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/?p=648#comment-844 Don’t want to worry you, but as far as I’m aware the wedding is August…

Hope you get sorted a lot sooner than that though!

]]> By: pollyannapenguin http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/sick-as-parrot/#comment-843 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:08:09 +0000 http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/?p=648#comment-843 Thanks everyone – I reckon I do need more folic acid, although perhaps not as much as some, since I’m not as much MTX as some – I only take 15mg. I must see what my folic acid dose is then give the not-so-helpful-line a ring! ;o) In the meantime – maybe I’ll get some weightloss!! I have had this before with the MTX but it passed off in a couple of weeks so i might be fine next week anyway!

]]> By: Wren http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/sick-as-parrot/#comment-842 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:55:37 +0000 http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/?p=648#comment-842 Aww Polly — and you were feeling so good a couple of days ago.! I’m with the other commenters on the folic acid thing. Doc told me to day a tab daily when I was on MTX. I sure hope that helps with your nausea. Yuck. As to the weight loss, well, that’s looking on the bright side! Congrats to your brother and soon-to-be SIL. And here’s hoping you’re feeling better very soon!

]]> By: Laurie http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/sick-as-parrot/#comment-841 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:20:21 +0000 http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/?p=648#comment-841 Hey Polly,

Like the others, I take my folic acid (in my case 5 mg) every day, EXCEPT the day of my Methotrexate injection (which is 25 mg). Maybe it would help to take yours daily as well?

I did experience ongoing, but not unbearable, nausea for a while (I’ve been on MTX for 11 weeks) but that seems to have disappeared, and except for a couple of weeks of some noticeable hair loss when I combed my hair after a shower in the morning, that’s pretty much it for side effects, as far as I can tell…

In any case, I do hope you feel better soon!
:) Laurie

]]> By: Michelle http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/sick-as-parrot/#comment-840 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 13:54:01 +0000 http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/?p=648#comment-840 Hi! Like Chelsae, I was wondering about your folic acid dose. It’s been a few years since I took MTX, but I’m pretty sure I took 1mg Folic Acid every day. I also took the MTX injections, I tried the pills, but they didnt work as well for me. That might also make a difference. I don’t remember much nausea, but I do remember my hair thining some, and the folic acid is an important part in fighting that if thats also a problem. Hope that helps!

]]> By: pollyannapenguin http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/sick-as-parrot/#comment-839 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 11:36:33 +0000 http://pollyannapenguin.wordpress.com/?p=648#comment-839 Thanks Chelsea, and Warm Socks, good thought! I might just need a bit MORE folic acid – I only take one tablet per week – not sure what the dosage is, but it’s just a little one. ;o)

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