Methotrexate and fatigue - SO TIRED!!!

[ameslouise]

I've been on Metho for about 10 weeks now. Not sure if it's working until I come off the 'roids completely but HOLY SHIZ am I tired. I seem to get more and more fatigued every week.

I am severely anemic and am now getting iron infusions weekly. But even when I was anemic six months ago I didn't feel this tired.

Quesion for other metho users - will this fatigue ever go away or decrease?

If it ends up being "the drug" for me, I guess I can muddle thru but I feel like a zombie all the time. The fuzzy head finally went away and I am hoping the fatigue will, too.

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks - Amy

 

[Walt]

lost days...

Hi Amy,
Glad to see ya.
I have had, up to today 38 belly jabs of Metho.
Actually, maybe I can go all the way and name the devil - Methotrexate.
We're not getting along so great at the moment, so I'll withhold the handy shortversion/nickname.
Sounds too much like Mephistopheles for my taste?

Ya... 38 but who's countin'?
Looks like I am...

Anyhow, ya, dr@g@ss fatigue for a couple days on average after injection,
although I sometimes suspect it affects me all-of-the-time?!?
fair disclaimer:
I would not want to discourage anyone else from a drug that might help them,
but I certainly have my concerns about it.
Of course, you push Folic Acid, but it is not the panacea we dare hope for...
shrug

For me, I am concerned that it is cytotoxic, and a single dose(prolly a big one) can be used to disrupt a tubal pregnancy. eek
All of these strong drugs scare me. alas

It would be difficult to isolate whatever thing or things are leaving me with zero energy...
I'd be eager to hear any advice as well?
sigh

Hang in there, I hope it helps you
As for me, I think of quitting 'M' every day...
(if she was a lady, I'd have dumped her by now, this is no 'romance')

be as well as you can be,
Walt

ps I do occasionally get itchy red site reactions, but overlook them (like so much else), in an effort to stay some-kinda-sane
peace

 

[ChefShazzy]

Hi Amy, I was on weekly Methotrexate for about 10 months, and I did notice I felt really tired and nauseous for 2 days afterwards (I took pills not injections). It didn't seem to improve for me, so I stopped taking it once I was established on Humira. I hope it gets better for you if you stick with it!

 

[beth]

Yup, it was really bad for me. I spent the following two days completely wiped out by MTX and the rest of the time I just felt like a zombie. It really affected my day to day living, for the worst.
Oh, and I didn't get used to it at all if anything it got worse over the 3 months I managed to stand it.

 

[ameslouise]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...oh, hi, did you say something? I dozed off there for a minute.

Thanks for the replies. I did some poking around the internet last night and see that fatigue is one of the most common complaints about Meth. I mean Metho. I mean MTX. I think I'm delirious.

I am fine when I am up and active. But sitting and working or watching TV, forget it. I can't stay away. It makes work a challenge.

Hanging in there for a little while longer to see if it's really helping...

-Amy

 

[countrycoffeehouse]

I was on it for about a month then I was put on Cimzia and I am so tired still so I am not sure if its just the general nature of crohns meds.. I have never found one that gave me energy or made me feel normal.. but I can not remember what normal is... its been 5 years of hell.. Meth was much easier to inject though.. Cimzia stings and hurts like heck..and I am wiped out from it..

 

[Aura]

Hi ya

I have been on Mthx since half way through last year. I am stuffed the day of the injection and the day after. My injection day is Friday afternoon. That screws up Friday night and Saturday I sleep most of the day or lie on the sofa. I pick up Sunday ready for work on Monday. I am in bed most nights by 9pm.

My GI seems to think it is working, and is pleased with my progress.

I am on it till the cows come home or my liver packs in. So I am hoping that the cows come home. I get sick on Friday sometimes at the thought of having to inject myself - I do get nausea Friday through to Mondays but I do not throw up.

Good luck and keep us posted

 

[CDN_Crohns]

Hi all

I have been on methotrexate for the past 8...ish years... and for me it was a phenomenal for the first 7 years. Right now I am considering switching but I don't know if that just has to due with long term use or not.

Anyways I just wanted to say at first I was very nauseous whenever I would get my needle (usually threw up) but after the first few months( don't remember how long it took exactly) but that went away. Also the next day I am sometimes a bit nauseous if I haven't been eating enough. I have always found I need to eat right after my injection. Usually something sweet. It seems to help.

Good luck

 

[Dexky]

Gee Amy, this thread isn't exactly a glowing endorsement for MTX, is it? 1 for 6, I'm glad EJ's doc opted for Humira instead!! On the other hand, he does have that wiped out feeling every morning. He seems to perk up quite a bit as the morning goes on though. Like everything else these days, I blame it on crohns.

I hope it gets better for you Ames!!

 

[ameslouise]

Hi Mark - I hope the Humira works great for EJ!!

I still feel pooped the day or two after my Humira and Metho shots. But the extreme fatigue and fuzzy head feeling have gone. I got a six week course of iron infusions and b12 shots so it could be that treatment that help, or just getting used to the metho. Either way, I am glad to get rid of the fuzzy head! That was horrible.

I still try to sleep as much as possible!!! My friends are jealous that I sleep so much, but then I tell them about the anemia and they're not so jealous anymore!

- Amy

 

[Dexky]

I saw your other thread Amy!! Sorry it's not going better! If your friends are jealous of you, you must do a helluva job hiding how you really feel!