Methotrexate for Psoriatic Arthritis User Reviews

• Bad...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 2, 2020

"Didn't want to take this drug methotrexate, was anxious after reading various reviews and stuff on the internet, but Dr. advised I needed it for my arthritis (psoriatic). He also said that when I felt the results, I'd wish I'd taken it before now. He also mentioned I like a drink, so he said I could have one, just don't go daft. So far, bloods are okay, and he was right - wish I'd tried methotrexate ages ago. Before taking it, I couldn't fasten laces, walk down stairs, hands were painful, found it hard to do my job, and had ankle pain. What a difference this drug has made, virtually pain-free. Now I am using stairs, etc., as normal. It took me a little while to get used to it, and it does make me tired for a day or so after I take it, but after that, I feel great. I hope this helps someone."

• Fra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 14, 2020

"I've been taking a combo therapy of sulfasalazine and methotrexate for 5 months. Started at 15 mg per week and now down to 5 mg. Sulfasalazine remained the same. Each month, inflammation markers are lower. When diagnosed, the marker was 24, and the last visit was 3. The swelling decreased a lot, and I don't have the level of pain when I first started. Side effects are minimal. Tired the day after, but nothing too major. Hair thinning. Still able to bodybuild daily. As a matter of fact, after starting methotrexate, I've felt better overall and have been able to pack on more muscle. Overall, good experience."

• Gcq...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 22, 2020

"I take 8 pills once a week. 4 in the morning, 4 in the evening. At first, I thought it was so awful: no appetite, no energy, upset stomach. Then I changed to taking the dosage 2 times in that day, which has helped. I still have appetite loss, and some foods make me feel ill. My pain is gone, so I applaud methotrexate. I take swim aerobics now, trying to build strength up. The only problem is I have low hemoglobin, but I am sure the doctor will figure it out. I take 2 folic acid daily. I am prediabetic, take metformin, but no drinking."

• Meg...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 26, 2015

"Methotrexate has a profound effect on my life. I have been taking it for nearly 5 months and can walk freely again after 6 long months of suffering. I have experienced no major side effects and have even lost a little weight, which was surprising. Another pleasing change was not only did my arthritis clear up rapidly, but my skin has cleared as well. My nails are also smoother and less pitted. Methotrexate is truly a wonder drug. It has transformed my life. It is remarkable."

• Anonymous
• February 17, 2012

"Been on methotrexate for a few years, started with one pill, then nine pills. Now I do injection 25mg weekly for about a year now. I know there is no cure, and I am thankful this medicine has made it possible to chase grandson around daily."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 19, 2019

"Was on methotrexate for 5 months for Psoriatic Arthritis (PA). The drug completely cleared my skin but did not help at all with joint inflammation. Pain increased while on the drug, and x-rays showed my PA still progressed while taking the methotrexate. My fatigue significantly worsened while on this drug, to the point that I was struggling to do basic day-to-day tasks. The doctor took me off methotrexate and put me on Humira, and I feel much better in regard to pain and fatigue, although some small psoriasis patches are coming back."

• Mon...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 22, 2013

"I have been using 20 mg for over a year with few side effects. It didn't take away pain and stiffness 100%, so my doctor included Humira. With both meds, I am virtually pain-free, stiffness and inflammation gone. Before I began treatment, I couldn't tie my shoes, write a letter, or open a jar. Now all of those activities are effortless."

• Tom...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 28, 2018

"I took the maximum dosage of this medication for 10 years, and toward the end, the side effects were horrible. It did a wonderful job of keeping my psoriatic arthritis at bay, but at a cost. Fatigue is terrible. I would take it Saturday night so that initial side effects occurred while I slept. Every Sunday was a sleep day. My stomach felt like it was burnt. The last straw was psychosis and depression, which gradually and subtly developed over time. I told my doctor I refused to take this medication anymore. She prescribed Enbrel, and I am much happier. It works well without the 'MTX Hangover.'"

• Cas...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 20, 2016

"Works moderately well and with few side effects for me. I take 7.5-10 mg a week alongside 200 mg twice daily hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) and 1 mg folic acid 6 times a week (not on my MTX day). It's pretty cheap with insurance and even without it. The side effect that I get is a metallic taste in my mouth/tingles in my tongue towards my bottom teeth and loss of appetite (which is common to me on any arthritis medications and ever since I got arthritis in the first place) and feeling slightly sick after I take the pills. The drug definitely has had a positive effect on my pain levels, though, and has even led to a reduction in my overall meds. I'm feeling much better than I used to and am able to work and have a pretty normal life again."

• Kar...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 9, 2013

"I've been on methotrexate for 3 years at 8 tablets (2.5 mgs). For some reason, I only have psoriasis on my hands and then only my thumbs and the center of my inside right hand. That has cleared up considerably to where it is no problem. Thank goodness I have not got it anywhere else. I noticed that my knees, which had been painful, stopped hurting entirely after about six months. Before it was quite painful... now I have no pain. I haven't been taking the folic acid like I should."

• Cle...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 26, 2016

"Terrible experience - never again! I started taking the methotrexate on Thursday morning and felt sick for days! I'm highly sensitive to medication and was given 10 mg and 5 mg of folic acid all days except dose day. I managed to get to work the next day but was very fatigued, vague, and couldn’t function too well. I have never felt so tired as I did the weekend after and had to cancel all my plans. From Friday night, I was totally wiped out, no appetite, couldn’t stay awake, tummy ache, headache, and since Sunday, strands of hair have been falling out. My fringe/bangs thinned out, and hair kept falling out - after 1 tablet. It was a terrible experience."

• Nat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 29, 2016

"I only tried one dose, which was a disaster. It did nothing to reduce the pain, first off. I got an immediate flare-up of my psoriasis symptoms on day one. Days two, three, and four, I was so weak and faint I couldn't stand up for more than five to ten minutes. I was essentially bed-ridden and unable to eat much for three days! Also, I became extremely depressed and spent those three days in bed researching ways to kill myself (?!?) I also got mouth sores and bleeding gums. On day seven, the medication finally wore off and I 'snapped out' of the depression as if a light switch were turned back on. It was eerie and frightening to think a drug reaction would actually make me want to end my own life! I am sad it didn't work for me. I know others who use it fine."

• Ins...
• December 15, 2017

"I started on sulfasalazine in 1997 and have been on methotrexate for about 18 months. I have noticed hair loss, sleep problems, mood changes, and memory fuzziness. I have to write things down or I forget them. The days I am off methotrexate, my hands swell up, and I also fall asleep in the afternoon."

• Anonymous
• October 1, 2018

"Been on and off methotrexate for the last 14 years. I got psoriatic arthritis at 22, now 36. It takes time to work, around 2-3 months. Folic acid every Thursday and Friday. I usually only have 1 or 2 alcoholic drinks on the weekend and liver is okay. I also use Dandrazol 2% shampoo on my face, which seems to help the skin. Dry afterwards and use tea tree moisturizer. Also, must take vitamin D over the colder months. Rishi, a natural drug, also helps."

• Don...
• June 7, 2016

"I'm curious, can methotrexate cause weight gain? I rarely eat anymore, except for the three days leading up to my next dose. I'm fatigued, headaches, weak. Food causes acid, so I must be very careful that I eat bland foods with little fat, and since I've only been on it for 5 weeks, I'm in the MORE PAIN part of getting used to the meds part of all of this. But how could I possibly feel like I'm gaining weight when I eat next to nothing 4 out of 7 days and club crackers as my only snack?"

• Aut...
• November 17, 2016

"After becoming sick with this disease, the doctor initially started me on methotrexate pills, and I developed what they call 'phantosmia'... I smelled horrible things that weren't there. So we switched to injections, and I didn't get the smells anymore. Then he started Enbrel as well. I felt good for a while and decided to stop the methotrexate because it was making me tired and weak. Two years later, I'm back on it because my back and neck were killing me, and I'm getting 60-70% relief after one shot of 0.8. Pretty happy about that, but the trade-off of sleeping all day and being weak and nauseated all reminded me of why I stopped too. But it does help, so you weigh what's important to you."

• Mat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 16, 2017

"Second time around with the methotrexate. I use it as a bridge drug until I find one that works. I was on Enbrel and Humira for the past 15 years. Both worked extremely well but lost potency after about 7 years. Now in search of a new drug, now trying Otezla. It's not a biological and has fewer side effects than all the others I have researched. I don't like the methotrexate. Long-term because of hair loss and the continued dosing changes. But fortunately, now we have many drugs to choose from. Finding one that works and is safe and effective is the dilemma."

• Lib...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 1, 2016

"Been on MTX for about 18 months. Just went from pills to injections, and I'm fairly pleased. The day after doesn't seem as bad. Definitely will never go back to the pills. I get about 75% relief. I'll take that any day!"

• Bad...
• July 9, 2016

"Never felt so ill! I take 25 mg weekly via injection. Never suffered side effects with other medication. This stuff is a horrible poison. Mouth ulcers, sickness that never goes away. Too many blood tests to count. Constant fatigue. Dull, depressed headaches and joint pain, which means other pills, which means other pills to counteract the side effects of the other lot! Ad infinitum. Depressing, really. On the plus side, (there is one surprisingly), more mobility. I am a resident of the UK, so our healthcare system will be alien to you. We all contribute via an employment tax called National Health Contributions. And it's the envy of the Western world (when it works)."

• Aus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 5, 2017

"33 yo male, 8 years of psoriatic arthritis with very minimal skin involvement, was prescribed MTX in triple therapy with sulfasalazine and hydroxychloroquine for psoriatic arthritis. After several months of dose escalation, unfortunately, it did not help me at all, no major side effects either, but no clinical efficacy."

• ALF...
• March 20, 2017

"Was on 20mg dose and OK for a couple of years but by then I had put on 2 stone in weight then I started getting other side effects I put up with it for another 3 years but I had to come off it as to the problems I was getting eg. not eating properly sleep problems, mouth ulcers etc. I was put on sulphasalozine and lasted for three weeks and that did make me ill,"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 4, 2023

"I have Spondyloarthritis and on this, I had some stomach symptoms at first, but that improved by the 3rd week of treatment, and I also had swelling in my hands and feet at first. Now I only feel tired for a couple of days after taking it. It's been so great for the pain that I have dealt with on/off for the last 12 years. I finally have a life again."

• lka...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 19, 2021

"I had to stop taking Methotrexate injection 15mg per 0.30 ml (Rasuvo) 1/wk, because of a fatty liver diagnosis. The failing liver was only caught by ultrasound, and not by blood test. I would notice after my injection, about an hour to even day after the injection, an uncomfortable upper right abdomen burning sensation. My rheumatologist finally listened after the Gastro doctor detected fatty liver. Up until then, they were citing other possible causes. Now, I'm trying to take a prescribed alternative, Leflunomide 10mg tablet (lowest dosage). However, about an hour after taking the Leflunomide, I experienced the same right side upper abdomen burning. The doctor recommends I split the tiny pill in half, see if I can tolerate the half, and then increase back to a whole pill once the 1/2 is tolerated. I am also on a biologic (2 injection) of Cosentyx, 150mg (2 inj = 300mg), that I'm taking every 2 weeks. I don't seem to be having a side-effect from the biologic med."

• AMH...
• April 15, 2021

"I told myself I would never take methotrexate until it was prescribed. I read all of the user reviews and the doctors promote this as some miraculous drug. I started taking this first dose last Saturday and split the dose the first day by taking half in the morning and the rest at night. A recommendation for helping with nausea. My body has still not recovered. On Sunday I started vomiting at 4:00pm and followed with severe diarrhea. So bad that I could not make it to the bathroom. None of the reviews mentioned vomiting and diarrhea especially nonstop. I ended up going to the ER for so much vomiting and diarrhea so bad that I couldn't keep water down. This drug is awful. It is 4 days later and I have thrown up again last night and I am still having nausea and stomach pain. I have to go to the doctor tomorrow. I wonder how long these effects can last. The ER told me not to take anymore of this drug. My dosage was 15mg once weekly. The doctor prescribed me sulfasalazine as a replacement"

• ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 16, 2023

"My experience was terrible.I had a bad reaction to taking methotrexate. I couldn't eat, my mouth and my gums were covered in blisters, I was tired, I couldn't get out of bed for three days, and I lost my appetite - not good when you're type 1 diabetic. On day four I had diarrhea and I stopped taking it straight away"