Hi all on my 3th week taking methotrexate for rheumatoid-arthritis and pain got much worst.
Only take solpadeine sometimes but find them no good, how long before any improvement.
Thank you.
Dear Tia
I've only been on it 2 weeks - 3rd dose last night. Im now spring the dose to twice a week. Was told it will be 10 - 12 weeks before they kick in. The mtx made me react to my naproxen. I'm now on arcoxia and cocodamol with tramadol occasionally when really bad. Go to arthritis Care site. The faq stuff is excellent. Pm me if you want.
Hello there,
It will take a while before Methotrexate can reduce your pain but beware of the side effects too. I was taking Predisone and sulfasazine tablets everyday while I was also taking MEX once a week.
MEX start to work between 6 weeks to 3 months. It depend where and how bad your condition is.
Changing your diet will also helps. Have a pure Pomengrate juices daily. 
Hope that helps.
how did you know that the mtx had started to work? or did you have tontry to come off the steroids and see?
Hi Lucy,
I was advised to stay on steroids longer than I should have and based on my monthly blood tests result because I was told that MEX will take a while to settle into your body and should stay on MEX for at least a year, which I did.
so to your questions, yes I did came off steroids and see it for myself. You will know it after between 2-4 weeks.
I hope so - the MTX is making me feel horrible - 2 hour sleep every day just to keep going through the evening.!! What do the blood test tell them?
My daughter is on MTX. First 3weeks no real side effects or result. The following 4 weeks caused her an intense amount of arthritic and muscle pain that not even opiates touched for the first 36hours, by the third day post MTX she just slept all day and all night with exhaustion from the 10/10 pain. There has been the methotrexate pain side effect documented before. She is now trying subcut MTX with much less painful effects???!! Her disease MCTD has yet to improve and we have just had her 9th weekly dose. Of course it is hard to get the doctors to really listen to you as I think they just don't know enough.
anyone else experience the MTX pain side effect?
Hi Lucynewas
Thank you for your reply but the only I know that you mention is tramodol and that was over 2 years ago I was on that and it was terrible , I couldn't sleep and didnt help the pain.
Im surprised you are going to take methotrexate twice a week because hospital and pharmacist said only ever take one day a week even when they up the dose whice is after every 2nd week till I reach 15mg.
I hope you feel better soon
cheerio
Tia Dublin Ireland x
Hi Shorty
wow that's bad if it takes that long because hospital dont want me taking painkillers
I have rheumatoid-arthritis in knee and back but what makes it worst is its on opposite sides so one side is always compensating for the other so I never win.
Will definitely try that juice and thank you for replying .
Hope your painfree now .
cheerio
Hi again Lucynewas
Just seen your text saying you only get 2 hour sleep, stay off Tramodol it stops you sleeping.
Try a milky drink hot .
Hi Tia
I started on 15 mg - wish I'd thought about gradually increasing the dose! Now I'm taking 7.5 twice a week to twice the side effecrs. Utterly exhausted - like having a p permanent hangover!
hi i have taken methodrexate for over a year along with other medication the only advice i can give is be very patiant it will help in time thanks
Hi Lucy,
I only knew out when I was told to come off one of the medication while continue with MEX so it does take times. Patience does required.
They should be monitoring your RA level and other bits and pieces each time you have blood test so you know whether you are improving or it's still the same.
I agreed with Tia - MEX is only recommended one day a week. They should increase gradually rather than giving you higher doses, which probably why you are feeling hangover but beware of the side effects.
I used to sleep alot but now I don't sleep in the day and sleep most nights now as the pains reduce slowly.
The only things I recommended is to do your researches (with helps of your family or partner) and ask the doctors questions as much as you can to understand it. At the same time, changing diets (don't eat junks foods and any citrus foods), rest and jointace gel should helps along.
Sonal
Hi Tia,
The only reasons why they wanted me to take that stronger painkillers is because it will helps to reduce the pains quicker because the other medications take a while to settle and take under control of the pains so thats one of the reasons why I was on it for a while.
I still get the pains when I do certain things and trying to build the strength at the moment so I can be painless.
Oh dear. That doesn't helps. Hope the meds will settle in sooner for you.
Your welcome. It was recommended by few professional people.
Hi Leonie
What strenght did your daughter start methotrexate , I'm going on my 4th week now 10mg and a lot of pain hope its not going to get worst because everthing I do is an indurance test
Hope your daughter like wise find a treatment that works please God.
cheerio Tia x
Hi William.
may I ask what painkillers you were on as well and do you know how methotrexate stops the pain if there not a pain killer.
How long before you got releif.
Thank you for replying.
Cheerio Tia x
Hi Tia
She was commenced on 15mg orally once a week. The doctors thought that maybe the nausea experienced on oral somehow caused an overwhelming pain effect??? Not so sure as the nausea didn't appear that bad at the time.
Now she has had 2 weeks of 15mg subcut which isn't causing the immense pain, which is great. Maybe she has gotten use to the side effects as you often do or maybe it was to do with the gut???
i have heard that when you go from oral to injected MTX the dose is sometimes decreased as more is absorbed.
Are you on oral or injected MTX??
Goodluck, Leonie
My daughter is on other disease modifying meds ( hydroxychloroquine) as well as regular paracetamol and ibuprofen, along with codiene phosphate and sevredol when pain above 6/10. Prednisone is real rough on her reflux and causes quite nasty Cushings. She also suffers from prednisone psychosis which is not at all nice.
Oh thank you sonal. I didn't know about citrus foods. I don't eat junk food except for occasional bag of crisps. Does that affect it too?
Hey, I just started Methotrexte for my psoriatic arthritis, and am wondering how long before you felt any joint relief. I am so far very disappointed in what I am reading, and how long people are saying before it works. Give me some good news, please☺️