Rheumatoid Arthritis: Risks and Benefits of Chemotherapy Treatments

Hi I was put on Methotrexate when I was first diagnosed with RA eight years ago. At first I got on ok with it and was taking it every Monday morning with no side effects. After a while I started getting headaches, nausea, tiredness and tummy problems. I explained this to the nurse who advised me to take Methotrexate at night which solved the problem of feeling rubbish for a while as I would be asleep when I would normally be getting the side effects. However, after a few months I started waking up in the morning feeling like I had a hangover (without the pleasure of a good night out!!). I started getting severe headaches, sinus pain and fatigue. This continued for a few years and during this time my doses were reduced as my RA became more manageable but I still experienced problems. In the end I opted to move taking Methotrexate to the evening usually around the time I had my dinner. This seemed to dull the problem down and made it more manageable. A few years ago I moved on to Methotrexate and Humira and for the past twelve months I have been methotrexate free and I have to say it's the best thing I did. No more feeling rubbish with horrid headaches and tummy ache! Given the choice I wouldn't take Methotrexate again as it was a long, drawn out and unpleasant process for me. It is good to read that some people have had better experiences with it but it wasn't for me unfortunately ?

I started taking methotrexate in tablet form, 15mg per week & after six months I had to stop taking it as the nausea, vomiting & diarrhoea were too diblitating for me. I suffered 3 day hangovers from it. The pain from the RA returned quickly & my consultant changed me to injections. I am now on only 10mg a week, folic acid 6 days a week and I have a whole new lease of life. I ride my motorcycle, can walk comfortably again and enjoy life. Methotrexate doesn't suit everyone but I'm glad I gave it a second try

I've been on methotrexate for two years now since my diagnosis. I feel ok on it, no real side effects. However, I've tried various biological drugs e.g. Humira but they make me so ill. So trying a new one now through infusion once a month but too early to see if this helps. I have about three days out of seven were I can get out. Even then I don't function properly until around 11am that's after my drugs I take at 7am. Then there are days were I can't lift my head I'm so tired. My flare ups are continuous from month to month. I hope this new drug helps me live a better quality of life? Since I've taken this horrible condition I've never got up one morning and felt well. I dread mornings. I've lost my job I lived so much and I'm so restricted to doing anything else which uses up my energy! I suppose there are people just like me? Or perhaps far worse were they have no or limited mobility? 

I refused methotrexate because everyone I asked who had taken it had bad reactions. I knew about the e drug from the time my son had aplastic anaemia, so I knew it reduced cells in the bone marrow. I was concerned that it would attack the good cells and di not want to end up like my son, who died. I spent a long time researching before refusing it. My best friend was on it and it messed up her bone marrow, it was stopped but she is still not right, it is taking a long time for her cells to recover and her RA is as bad as ever, so it's not for me I'm afraid.

I have been put on Methotrexate. I have found that the day I take it I am forgetful and a bit air-headed. I return to normal after 24 hours. No other side effects than that though.