Plaquenil vs Methotrexate....Be sure to know the potential side affects and what monitoring needs to take place. I thought I was told that with Plaquenil you need to monitor your eyes more carefully.... With both drugs you would need regular blood tests to monitor various blood counts as well as liver function. I know that I have to watch my white count (it tends to drop when I am on my higher dose of Mtx).

The nausea.... Mtx is also a chemo drug... (Yes, I usually feel nauseated for a day or so after I take my once a week dose (either by tablets or injection). My Rheumy claims that there is an ingredient in cough syrup that actually conteracts that queezy feeling. I just don't feel like taking one more drug... so I deal with it since the Mtx has truly helped keep things under control. I take Mtx with Arava- Mtx is often cocktailed with another drug. The Mtx can help the body from building up a tolerance to the 2nd drug, making ineffective after while.

The other annoying problem with Mtx can be extreme fatique.... I take my shot or tablets at night....that way I don't notice some of those symptoms as much. Also plan to take the drug on a day where perhaps it's okay to take it ease if you are more tired the following day (like perhaps a Friday night).

The Mtx did not help very much alone, hence we added another drug... and if the Arava (for me) hits a plateau my rheumy says he would combine the Mtx with enbrel or remicade.

Mtx is not a painkiller- it's a DMARD ( a drug modifying drug). The hope is to shut down or control our overactive immune systems that we are dealing with when you have an autoimmune disease. I hardly take anything for pain since doing DMARDs...

Make sure you report any supplements you are taking- especially things like Vitamin E, ecanascia (sp?), ... things that actually improve/increase immune function are not good for people with autoimmune diseases. The hope with Mtx or any other DMARD is to get the disease under control so you can stop or slow down the rate at which damage is occurring. My biggest regret with DMARDs is that I didn't start sooner. Good Luck

Plaquenil vs Methotrexate....Be sure to know the potential side affects and what monitoring needs to take place. I thought I was told that with Plaquenil you need to monitor your eyes more carefully.... With both drugs you would need regular blood tests to monitor various blood counts as well as liver function. I know that I have to watch my white count (it tends to drop when I am on my higher dose of Mtx).

The nausea.... Mtx is also a chemo drug... (Yes, I usually feel nauseated for a day or so after I take my once a week dose (either by tablets or injection). My Rheumy claims that there is an ingredient in cough syrup that actually conteracts that queezy feeling. I just don't feel like taking one more drug... so I deal with it since the Mtx has truly helped keep things under control. I take Mtx with Arava- Mtx is often cocktailed with another drug. The Mtx can help the body from building up a tolerance to the 2nd drug, making ineffective after while.

The other annoying problem with Mtx can be extreme fatique.... I take my shot or tablets at night....that way I don't notice some of those symptoms as much. Also plan to take the drug on a day where perhaps it's okay to take it ease if you are more tired the following day (like perhaps a Friday night).

The Mtx did not help very much alone, hence we added another drug... and if the Arava (for me) hits a plateau my rheumy says he would combine the Mtx with enbrel or remicade.

Mtx is not a painkiller- it's a DMARD ( a drug modifying drug). The hope is to shut down or control our overactive immune systems that we are dealing with when you have an autoimmune disease. I hardly take anything for pain since doing DMARDs...

Quote from strbay:

Make sure you report any supplements you are taking- especially things like Vitamin E, ecanascia (sp?), ... things that actually improve/increase immune function are not good for people with autoimmune diseases. The hope with Mtx or any other DMARD is to get the disease under control so you can stop or slow down the rate at which damage is occurring. My biggest regret with DMARDs is that I didn't start sooner. Good Luck

Could you please tell me how you know this? I am taking a lot of supplements for immune system and I have PA, my Dr. recommended I take them. What do the supplements do to people with autoimmune diseases? Thanks!

I was diagnosed in May and started on Plaquenil at that time. I changed rheumatologists in July and he promptly added MTX to the plaquenil. He has switched me to the MTX injections because of never-ending tummy problems. But neither drug is controlling the RA. It is severe enough that it has begun affecting my bone marrow/red blood cell production and my white count is right on up there. We are giving it 4 more weeks and then I am starting Arava. I won't be sad to discontinue the MTX. I feel worse now than I did before I started it.

Quote from teachergirl64:

I was diagnosed in May and started on Plaquenil at that time. I changed rheumatologists in July and he promptly added MTX to the plaquenil. He has switched me to the MTX injections because of never-ending tummy problems. But neither drug is controlling the RA. It is severe enough that it has begun affecting my bone marrow/red blood cell production and my white count is right on up there. We are giving it 4 more weeks and then I am starting Arava. I won't be sad to discontinue the MTX. I feel worse now than I did before I started it.

Hi!

Do you take just medications or do you take supplements and vitamins, too?

I started on prednisone in early July then MTX was added one month after. I didn't start feeling better until the end of August. I was taking multi-vitamins and joint supplements for 2 mos. before I started taking the medications, and still take them now with my Dr's approval. I always take my meds and suppls. with meals. So far, the bloodwork for my liver is coming out fine (I really believe it's because of the milk thistle I'm taking), and I don't have any stomach problem or any other side effects (knock on wood)...well, except for hairloss and a mild sorethroat on the MTX day. Though, since taking folic acid, the hairloss and the sorethroat is minimized. Right now, I'm almost off the prednisone(easing it to 2.5mg every other day). Trying to wean off prednisone (started 2 weeks ago)I went through some major pains on the right hip, knees, and down to my foot but I stuck through it. Finally, today I'm feeling much better. I'm on 5pills for MTX per week. Hopefully I'll ease out on that too.

Some people seems to be doing ok and some aren't with certain medications. I wonder if there's underlying factors behind it--vitamins or supplements taken with it, taken with or without food, home and/or work stress. Or...is it that different people just react differently?