Are you going to be taking oral or injections? Usually you start w/oral and work your way up on the dosage, depending on how you respond. I made it to 17.5mgs. orally and then had to switch to weekly injections because my insides couldn't handle the oral anymore. I have been on mtx for longer than I care to admit - a good 4 years. I refused to switch to it originally and tried antibiotic protocol for almost a year. This treatment works for some. I'm not going into my story on it but suffice it to say I went back to my rheumy and agreed to begin treatment on mtx. By that time I had been weaned off of prednisone. I have nurses here at work that usually give me my injections but I did learn to self-inject when I went to Ireland last May - had no choice. Even now if the nurses are not around I give myself the injection in my very well endowed thighs. And I thought I would NEVER be able to handle the self-injections but quite surprisingly they do not hurt. My nurses gave me a lot of good tips. I currently take 20mgs weekly, down from 25 at Xmas time. The side affects are different for everyone. Nausea was an issue on the oral but has not been on injections. I really have to say I have no side affects. I just worry about the long-term affects on my organs. I'm entering into a whole new ballgame w/this disease and am going to a new dr @ Northwestern University. My 3rd appt is coming up next week so we'll see what he has to say. My cpk is in the upper 100's now, which is very good for me. Ask any questions you want and I'll try to help. I know Greg could not take mtx because he had an allergic reaction to it.
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