Since the Prednisone (10mg daily) alone is not reducing the inflammation of the disease, as per my CRP blood test results, my Doctor has recommended the Methotrexate. But as I read the side effects of the drug, I am on the fence as to if I should take the MTT or deal with the pain. Has anyone had any experience with this drug? I would appreciate any comments or suggestions. Thanks
I have been diagnosed with Polymyalgia Rheumatica & am about to start taking Methotrexate(MTT)?
Question posted by bavross on 29 Dec 2010
Last updated on 19 May 2021
19 Answers Page 2
I know this is a difficult disease to detect and if you were like my mother they called it stress and everything else. She was finally diagnosed with Polymyalgia. She could not live her arms up to her shoulders. The drugs she was given is prednisone and tramadol. She managed with those two drugs. However I can tell you some good news, after a few years, it went away. She has no problem except arthritis.
You ask about dealing with the pain. It sounds like you are not in much pain if you think you can deal with it. Most people know what they can tolerate. Trust me, I know this. I have chronic pain and have been treated for years. I know what things will make the pain unbearable but if I am having a good day, I can not help myself. When we go on vacation, we discuss what we are going to do and pick the sites or things we do that I want to do the most and I rest while my family does the other things.
I wish you all the best.
Hi bavross, I have also been diagnosed with Polymyalgia Rheumatica and have been taking Prednisone and also Methotrexate for over 18 months. I was prescribed the Methotrexate as a steroid sparer and it is effective for this in reducing the dose of Prednisone as well as keeping the inflammation down. You usually only get prescribed a small dose of Methotrexate (15 mg or so) once a week and at the other end of the week folic acid to help to alleviate side effects. Because its a small dose you shouldn't suffer from serious side effects. I've been doing okay on Methotrexate and use anti nausea bands for two or three days, as well as drinking ginger tea and haven't suffered from nausea. At first I was really tired for a day or two after taking my Methotrexate, which the Rheumatology nurse recommended me to take with the largest meal of the day, in the evening, and sleeping off the worst of the side effects. This is working well for me and I hope it will for you too.
Also you are advised not to drink any alcohol as this can cause liver problems with the Methotrexate. I hope you will find the Methotrexate helpful in reducing the inflammation, with the pain reduction, ask your Rheumatologist what pain killers they recommend. Best wishes for your improving health. bacterial
Yo bacterial ; People like you p1$$ me off. Your personal motto of "hurray for me & to Hell with you makes me sick. I have seen 5 suffering souls give up on D.D,C., because other than they , I was the only "PMR" sufferer in that support group, that actually "HAD the disease and I couldn't help as I had no knowledge of any drugs other than prednisone. I have a very young Dr. (a class act , I might add), who although he'd heard of the disease, new very little about it, because his rheumactic assignments had been mostly with young kids... and as i'm sure you and your well moneyed and highly experienced Drs know... that one of the kinks to "PMR" is that one has to be age 60 + to contract it. The short of it was, that my Dr & I had to work together to learn about the damn disease.
So where in hell were you["with all your knowledge"!!! for the last 18 months, and why weren't you out in the trenches , working to help us , and help others .Had you travelled the road to hell that I and others travelled[" Imagine.."NO PAIN MEDS FOR THE ENTIRE FIRST YEAR" IT WAS 3 MONTHS BEFORE I COULD GET OUT OF BED... " Could the fact that you would have had to admit your true age"... have prevented you from at least offering help and ADVICE.[Age has been a major negative factor with others"! ] From what I read, it sure wasn't ignorance , as one of the flags you're waving at those who still suffer, is the fact that you are and have been quite knowledgable about the problems and solutions OF and TO the use of methotrexate. What I remember , is quite the opposite of what you say re Metho. I remember calling my friend Elden at his Hospital &,Home to check on him, re his survival. He was havin' a bad time, as was I , as neither of us new how or what would help us, and We didn't have the latest pain drigs. Elden tried Metho. and it damn near killed him. guess it finally did , as noone answers the phone. Loretta was my other friend who contracted PMR, and is the one who had to stop metho" as she couldn't understand pain meds. for metho. and as I remember it, Her Dr. would have given her Arsenic, if it would have lined his pockets... and, bacterial... you weren't there to help her out. I was and I tried, but I wasn't much help"! Any info. on pain drugs ,for use with metho. that you have would be more than welcome ..".If you have the spare time"! Sacosam
Hi saco, sorry to hear of your experiences and those of your friends and acquaintances. I can only talk about my own experiences of Methotrexate which have been positive. I am a patient in the UK so maybe the system works better over here. Plus the fact that I was only diagnosed with PMR after suffering from kidney inflammation and vasculitis, a combination of complaints entailing kidney biopsy, and monitoring by various departments, nephrology, haematalogy, infectious diseases and rheumatology. I had to leave work prematurely because of this. However, I am pleased to say I am doing okay now, on the combination of drugs and am still being blood tested monthly as well as being monitored by the Rheumatology Department as well as taking part in a therapeutic exercise regime which seems to help a lot. You sound really angry I am truly sorry for that, incidentally I am 61. My heart goes out to you. bacterial
Your experience is exactly what Methotrexate is supposed to do along w taking the colic acid. I think you left very good advice. Anything is better than Prednisone. That med will kill you at high doses for long periods of time. The metho n folic did not work for me so I'm on Humira. What's important is that the medication you take is so you can lower or stop the prednisone.
Hi Bayross: In as few words as possible... DON"T DO IT! I don't know how old you are or what kinda' shape your in, but the people hear (your best friends , believe it"!) warned me against using metho.I heard things like "It damn near killed me"... to "i'll never take methotrexate again as long as I live."! Does it work /help? Yeah , I guess so? ? Will it kill you? Possibly"! What I know for sure is... It WILL , make you wish you were dead. Bank on the fact that you're gonna' have the disease for 2 years +/_. I caught it july 20th 2009 , on 7/20/11 it's over. Here's the deal bayross... you decide to go with "methotrexate"! good for you. You're a fool but a very brave fool & best of luck . If you decide against Metho.I will help you through "PMR"! in every and all ways, and answer any questions you may have.
What are you taking for pain Meds & how long have you had the disease ? ? Sacosam... is who I am (:->)... P.S.? what was your start dose of prednisone? 10 - 20 - 30mg /day... What does CRP stand for... Later !
Listen to saco on this. My Aunt took it for her Rheumatoid Arthritis and and nearly put her into Liver failure.
Sorry, I haven't heard of this one. I take tylenol for the pain. I am trying to take as few meds as possible because of the side effects. The best thing is to keep moving as much as possible. Good Luck.
Sorry, if your pain goes away by moving you might have been misdiagnosed. I used to be a dancer, exercised all my life and when this illness striked me I had to stop dancing because I could not lift my arms past my chest. I was a flamenco dancer. Movement caused more inflammation and pain got worse. All the people I know who suffer this illness are the same. Get a second opinion and get it from a rheumatologist, not a general doctor.
Related topics
polymyalgia rheumatica, methotrexate, prednisone, side effect, blood disorders
Further information
Similar questions
Search for questions
Still looking for answers? Try searching for what you seek or ask your own question.