I want to stop the methotrexate

Amy,

I had to stop MTX as it did the same or me as well. I could not live with it as well. Not only did it help my joints, but at the same time it destroyed my immune system. I had pneumonia 3 times and took MXT for over 6 months. It was because of this that I finally gave up on my bad rheumy and got a new guy. MTX is not the only drug. Please make a appointment now and speak with your rheumy that you simply cannot take this drug. Ask for other options. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water, and try some antacid, pepto helped me with nausea as well as alka seltzer.

Basically when you stop (at least in my case) you feel better. It takes a week or so, but you will feel better. I did not have any side effects from stopping. I did relapse and had a flare. the new drugs I am on are much better for me. As you know one size does not fit all when you have RA. Get your doctor to try other meds. Or find a rheumy that will customize your treatment to you.

Best of luck.

BJ

Patience you have only given it five weeks, the side effects will taper off, get some marijuana, don't worry about eating a meal, snack on crackers and chicken soup, drink lots of water, and give the Kemotherapy a chance to work! Remember you don not have cancer and the level you are taking dosent compare to te extensive amount that you would have to take if you were Fighting Cancer!

My Black lab had got hit by a car and had brain swelling, she after recovering had seizures, the first three weeks of taking Phenobarbitual, She couldn't walk and was lethargic, listless, then her body addapted to the chemical now she runs and plays like she did before, so give your body time to addapt to the chemical that will taper thee agressiveness of your ammune system. 

I Love Ya Girl! Hang in there! The dizziness and nausia are the Methotrexate, but the  fatigue and numbness are part of having RA and something you will learn to live with, Yoga, stretching, jacuzzi, increase ciruclation and that can eleviate the numbness,  High vitamin and mineral intake with diet and exercise will eleviate the fatigue.  Even when you feel too tired to move push your self to swim or walk, excercise makes your body produce (endorphins) Natures Crack!  Love You, Till Later, P.L.U.R.

When you say sicker is it a lung or sinus infection? Are you prone to them?

By sick do you mean the fatigue and numbness are getting worse? or the nausia and dizziness?  Or does it feel like a cold or flu that won't go away?  let me know?

Hi,

I tried methotrexate for 7 months by injections once a week and was horribly ill from it to the point I was in the bed from Friday after work when I took the injection from the doctor until Monday morning. I explained this to the rheumy I had at the time. He refused to consider other possiblilities (granted it was 1994 & there were not as many options). However, when he said to me"If you want to be my patient, you will take it!" My reply? Guess we are done then! I stopped it immediately and found another rheumy. No effects from stopping aburptly, other than relief!

Later I found out that the reason I was so incapicatated (extreme fatigue and nausea) from the drug was that I had had Hep C and hadn't know it, so the drug was just too hard on my liver. I still have to be careful of what I take and the impact on my liver.

I do not agree as one commenter stated that you should keep at it as it is not as large a dose as some cancer patients. Bottomline I believe you should listen to your body. No one else but you should ever tell you what to do, listen for options and speak up when it is not working...be proactive but don't panic. I have found that the joint damage comes slowly.

I was diagnosed in 1993 when my spouse of 24 years left. I became a single parent of three teenage boys without any support from family, in a new community and had a horrible boss. It was tough but it is amazing what one can handle. Keep focused on creating a healthy, happy life and finding blessings and joys in what is around you. You will get through this one step/day at a time.

Diana

Hi,

I tried methotrexate for 7 months by injections once a week and was horribly ill from it to the point I was in the bed from Friday after work when I took the injection from the doctor until Monday morning. I explained this to the rheumy I had at the time. He refused to consider other possiblilities (granted it was 1994 & there were not as many options). However, when he said to me"If you want to be my patient, you will take it!" My reply? Guess we are done then! I stopped it immediately and found another rheumy. No effects from stopping aburptly, other than relief!

Later I found out that the reason I was so incapacitated (extreme fatigue and nausea) from the drug was that I had had Hep C and hadn't know it, so the drug was just too hard on my liver. I still have to be careful of what I take and the impact on my liver.

I do not agree as one commenter stated that you should keep at it as it is not as large a dose as some cancer patients. Bottomline I believe you should listen to your body. No one else but you should ever tell you what to do, listen for options and speak up when it is not working...be proactive but don't panic. I have found that the joint damage comes slowly.

I was diagnosed in 1993 when my spouse of 24 years left. I became a single parent of three teenage boys without any support from family, in a new community and had a horrible boss. It was tough but it is amazing what one can handle. Keep focused on creating a healthy, happy life and finding blessings and joys in what is around you. You will get through this one step/day at a time.

Diana

Different people have different reactions to medications and each of us decide what is a tolerable side effect and what isn't. What you're describing certainly sounds like intolerable side effects - this medication is supposed to help you feel better, not debilitate you in another way. That said, you may want to consider moving more slowly with increasing the meth. I am very sensitive to medication and any time I start a new medication, I insist on starting at half the regular dose and increasing the medication as my body adjusts, i.e., with me assessing whether I'm ready for the next increase instead of blindly following the "accepted" way of doing it. This confused my doctor in the past, but she's come around after years of witnessing that this works for me. You have options - you can either go back to your doctor and put your foot down, requesting another type of medication or you can decrease your dose significantly and see if you body adjusts in such a way that the side effects are tolerable.

Good luck - please let us know about your progress.

I was told by my Dr. that it is very dangerous to just quit metho. I have been on it foe 8 months so I know how your feeling..I'm also fatigued the day of I'm mostly in the bed. Everyday after that , is just slowly allowing me to move a little more..then here comes tuesday again ! Then the cycle starts over..I take 6 tabs every tuesday..my Dr. told me to up it to 8 tabs , but I got so sick and vomiting the next week I took 6 and told him I cannot do the 8..I also take a low dose of predizone 5mg every morn to keep the swelling out of the joints..thats what causes the pain..Since I started the predisone I don't hurt in my joints as bad. The Mexotrexate is only for slowing down the RA that is attacking your joints and eating away at your joints...So if you stop it, then you will have a relasp that can cause immense damage to your joints and will make it harder to try to get it into re-mission . I thought the same too..I wanted off.!But I also want to be able to walk and not be in a wheelchair ! By the way I take 15mg per week..At first I bought Immitrol for nausea and took it 30 min before taking my pills and it works..But I don't need it hardly anymore. Hope this helps!

Tisha in N.M.

I have been on 10 mg for yrs and had no ill effects, so maybe your rheumy can lower your dose.  Mine just increased mine to 15 mg.  I took it yesterday and am ok so far, just a little tired.  I stopped and got some nausea med on the way home but didn't need it.  My doctor prescribed Provigil to take for the fatigue.  I also take Orencia IV but my sed rate is still 95.  I don't think I'm getting better but I'm not any worse.  :)

Hang in there and good luck!

Linda

Alright, heres my say. Im 17 yeas old, i ws diagnosed with ruematoid arthritis a year and a half ago. id been on mtx and prednisone for the first year. i was up to 20 mg of mtx. i tapered off the prednisone, and im completely off of it. but my dr. told me i had to wait till i was 18 to try tapering off of my mtx. i was sick of the side effects, and just thinking about swallowing the drugs makes me ill. one day about 4 months ago, i decided to just stop taking it. ive had no flares since. altho this probably isnt recomended, it worked for me.