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Possible methotrexate?

nini_mini

nini_mini

Hey all! So Im on 2 pentasa 500mg a day. 2 entocort a day for 6mg. And 10mg of remicade or close to it since my weight is low they had to knock it down a tick, every 8 long weeks. All that for my crohns. Recently my joints have gotten progressively worse and pretty much 3 to 4 days a week my joints hurt so bad I don't wanna move or barley do. And im stiff a lot of the time too. Between my super duper active crohns that even recent surgery can't calm down flares and my joints daily life is a struggle and sleeping is a joke most of the time. So to get to my question. A few months ago my rheumatologist said he wanted to put me on methotrexate injections for my crohns and my joints but I passed on it, now that my joints have gotten so bad I feel like a dummy for not doing it earlier. So with that said, how many of you crohnies are or have been on the remi/metho. Combo, and did it help the crohns and joints or make you sick or what. I know there's not much you can add for joint pain so I was just curious about if I should do it or not. Any answers are helpful!

Thank you much-nina ☺:ybatty:
 
nogutsnoglory

nogutsnoglory

Moderator
It's becoming an increasingly common combination because the biologic coupled with the immunosuppressive like methotrexate is thought to help prevent or delay antibodies to the biologic which in this case is Remicade.

I'm on both and it's helped with diarrhea a bit but still lots of issues.
 
Clash

Clash

My son was initially on Remicade, then had the dose upped, schedule shortened to 6 weeks. He was still having joint pain and a minor CD symptoms a day or two before infusion so the GI added methotrexate, at first it was at 25mg(oral pills) once a week, after nine months we moved down to 7.5mg(oral pills) once a week.

He has had no side effects from the methotrexate and it has helped with the CD and his joint pain. Just remember to stay on top of taking the folic acid as it does help with the side effects. When he forgets his folic acid for a couple of days before his MTX dose, he does experience fatigue and ickiness after taking the MTX dose.
 
nini_mini

nini_mini

Thanks for the answers ngng and clash! I appreciate it.
@Ngng: it helps with the d huh? Might be worth it just for that! :ylol:
@Clash: I asked if the upped dose of mine could be cut to 6 weeks and they said they couldn't do it unless they got permission from the insurance company. I wish they would as the dose wears off around the 5/6 wk mark and then I flare and miserable for 3 wks til I can get it again. Its horrible. As to the mtx take folic acid, got it! Ive got enough fatigue to deal with.
I heard some people have bad side effects to the oral and they get switched to the injections. What's your guys standpoint on that?
 
Clash

Clash

I've seen a lot of posts on here about members not tolerating the oral dose, side effects being, nausea, fatigue and flu like symptoms. My son's GI suggested to start with the oral dose and then switch to injections if the aide effects were too much to tolerate. My son has no side effects from the oral dose. He began the dose on Fridays just in case he had side effects that it wouldn't interfer with school.

I have read and heard from other members that the injections may be more effective since unlike the pill they don't have to go through the GI tract to be absorbed, inflammation can affect absorption.
 
nini_mini

nini_mini

Ah. Yeah I think if my rheumy says I can do mtx I'm gonna do the injections. Ive already got all the side effects from inflammation. I don't need anymore of that. I feel like my insides just hate me. Had a bowel resection of part of the ileum, the ti, the ic valve, appendix, and part of my ascending colon. Big mess down there. There was 4inches of ileum and the ti was closed off completely and formed a nasty fistula going from the small to the large. Very painful. Any who! I flared back up week 6 and 7 after surgery and I was like great that's cool. Lost a lot of blood borderline anemic yada yada. So yeah I need something to help with both inflammation and the joints. So if it kills two birds with one stone I'm all for it. Thanks for your input. Good to know there's people out there who've been here before. Its kinda comforting :emot-dance:
 
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rrhood1

rrhood1

Location
Alberta, Canada
I'm on Remicade with Methotrxate and Sulfasalazine. Remicade & Meth didn't quite keep the joint pain Dow so added the Sulfasalazine. No joint pain now. Remicade seems to have put the rest into remission.
 
nini_mini

nini_mini

Is the sulfasalazine an antiinflammatory? If so I'm also on pentasa and entocort along with the remi. Lol bunch of fun stuff. I'm glad your in remission! That's awesome to hear. I hope you continue on the good health :) also @clash, I hope your boy is doing well also!
 
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