Date: 02.06.2012
From: willis
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Subject: mthx tablets v's injection
hi
any of you gone from the tablets to injections? Did the injections work any better?
arthur very active at the moment so they are going to try jabs instead of tabs before they do anything else - just wanted to know if others has success rate? thanks
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Date: 02.06.2012
From: Colin W
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Subject: Re: mthx tablets v's injection
http://www.arthritisforum.org.uk/cgi-bin/showthread.pl?threadid=2886&offset=0 Deborah was asking this a month ago , myself went back on tablets & told to split them , ie take 5 morning & same in afternoon , still 25mg once a week maybe its time they tried one of the bio drugs
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Date: 02.06.2012
From: Paula-R
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Subject: Re: mthx tablets v's injection
I did last September. RA not really controlled, when you take MTX orally they never know how much of the dose gets into your system, some of it gets lost while it goes through your digestive system. If it is injected, it bypasses the stomach and you get all of the dose. Consultant at the time said it could make a vast difference just a few extra milligrams. When I considered that I take 6 SLZ a day at 500mg each the dose of the drugs is 6x500 per day = 3,000 then times that by 7 and I take 21,000mg of SLZ a week. My MTX dose was 20mg per week, so comparing the weekly dose of each drug, yes a few extra mg of MTX would or could make a huge difference and it did. Only problem for me and I'm not saying it will happen to you, but by liver didn't like it, highest ALT result being 257, so had to come off all my drugs for a while until liver readings got normal and they have just started introducing MTX 15mg to see what I can now tolerate. Consultant did say that happens alot when going from tablets to injections. Colin said maybe it's time to try bio drugs. The NICE guidelines are that you have to of failed on two DMARD's before they will consider bio drugs and one of them as to be MTX. I'm only telling you what's happened to me and not saying it will happen to you. Paula
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Date: 04.06.2012
From: willis
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Subject: Re: mthx tablets v's injection
Hi All thanks for input. They are trying the injections first before bio drugs - as you say got to try at least two or two methods, also tried SLZ but side effects too much. had big steroid injection so feeling better than i was. my scores are never above 5 is the problem and although doc wanted to go with bio nurse reminded him of process they have to follow or they get trouble from above - all down to money and costs i believe but there we are. keep you posted. hope you're all bearing up ok given this constant change in weather.xxx
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Date: 04.06.2012
From: Paula-R
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Subject: Re: mthx tablets v's injection
From what I know the cost of anti tnf drugs range from £10,000 - £18,000 per year. When you consider that at the moment there is no cure for RA, so you will be taking these drugs for the rest of you life, they will not hand them out like smarties. There is guidelines set down by NICE that hospitals are suppose to follow before you will be considered for these drugs. In my case it was like yours, a last attempt on a drug before they would see about anti tnf's. It's such a pity that my liver couldn't tolerate it because RA wise I was really good. It was really frightening really because I felt so well at the time in my general health and all of this was happening to my liver. Just goes to show that we all must have our blood test done and not to think I feel OK so why bother. The only good thing that came out of all the sorry tale is that after a few weeks off my drugs and RA reared it's ugly head again, I now realise that I do need to take all of the drugs and yes I've defiantly got something wrong with me and it's not all be a mistake. I hope the injections do the trick and things start to improve for you soon. Take Care
Paula
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Date: 04.06.2012
From: Deborah
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Subject: Re: mthx tablets v's injection
Hi willis,
I have tried both forms and am begining to think the the tablets are much better than the injection in fact I am back on the tablets again I was on 25mtx in both cases. I found that when I was on the injections my pa was painful at times and it felt like I was not getting any form of medication and now that I have started back on the tablets again I feel a slight improvement every week so far and don,t feel so tired. But everyone is different and their bodies react to the same drug differently and I hope that whatever you decide to do it will help you.Best wishes Deborah x
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Date: 04.06.2012
From: Sciqueen
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Subject: Re: mthx tablets v's injection
Hi I was very sick, nausea, diarrhoea, loose stools every wk for 4 days when on tabs, I only get loose stools about once every two wks. So for me its a lot better on the injection and I would not take mtx orally again, as I suffered. I also do not experience any hair thinning on injectable, whereas, when I was on the tabs and I've increased to 25mg on injectable from 20mg, still no hair loss, whereas on the tabs every time I increased my hair would thin/loss. Everyone experiences is different, but I would say most peps, get on better on the injections! Hope that helps Joanne
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Date: 05.06.2012
From: Paula-R
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Subject: Re: mthx tablets v's injection
I've realised that my hair started to thin when I was on injections. My hair is my crowning glory and I always like it to look nice. I thought I was just being paranoid about it but I noticed that it didn't take so long to blow dry, it looked thinner on the top of my head when wet. My youngest daughter noticed it last Easter when I saw her, she had gone up the steps of a childrens play thing in a park with my granddaughter and was looking down on me. Husband later told me he had noticed to, but didn't want to worry me. Perhaps he likes bold women! I like my hair, RA's taken alot off me and it's not having my hair!!!!! I told my consultant this and I am now taking 7 folic acid tablets a week instead of 1. Trouble is folic acid reduces the toxicity of MTX and I am now after all the fiasco of my raised liver results have been started on a lower dose. So I really don't know what will happen regarding getting the illness back undercontrol. Oh the joys of RA! Paula-R
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Date: 05.06.2012
From: Colin W
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Subject: Re: mthx tablets v's injection
Paula I had to come off Mtx because of high liver results , but couple years later went back on it starting 10mg a week & same problem until they put me on 6 folic acid a week , up to 25mg now with no problem , liver normal & hair is no longer thinning & hope its same for you , is it the 5mg they are giving you ? hope you feeling better soon
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Date: 05.06.2012
From: Paula-R
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Subject: Re: mthx tablets v's injection
Hello Colin How high was your liver reading? At first mine was 157, nobody told me and I carried on injecting MTX for five more weeks until my next blood monitoring appointment when nurse saw previous months results. That days results was 201, I then had a blood test done a few days later and that was 257, (that did panic me) I was then taken off all drugs and given a prescription for steroids and told to take paracetamol as well. The following week another blood test and it had dropped to 131. I've since had two normal range readings 40 and then 23 so I just started having injections of 15mg as opposed to 20mg. Still not taking SLZ. I have read on another forum that someone had liver failure and their liver results were not as high as mine!! Thank you for hoping that I feel better soon, I am actually well at the moment due to the magic of oral steroids. Paula
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Date: 05.06.2012
From: Paula -R
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Subject: Re: mthx tablets v's injection
Me again Colin, yes the folic tablets are 5mg each.
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Date: 05.06.2012
From: Colin W
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Subject: Re: mthx tablets v's injection
my alt was over 100 for couple years & then up to 165 so they stopped it , went back on it & endded up there again & did not want to come of the drug so they reduce Mtx & upped folic acid to 6 times a week my ALT been around 40 or so for ages & increased Mtx to 25mg & still not change , hope same happens for you , on SLZ as well , was 6 a day but did not change anything so back to 4
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Date: 05.06.2012
From: Paula-R
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Subject: Re: mthx tablets v's injection
Thank you Colin From what you said mine at 257 was high. Specialist nurse told me that it is not classed as being really high until it reaches 600-700 mark. I thought at the time she only said this not to worry me too much. Paula-R
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