Methotrexate for Eczema

[EEFG]

Has anyone taken methotrexate for eczema. Would be interested to hear good/ bad experiences. I am meant to be starting this in a couple of weeks and am nervous to say the least.

Not for eczema but for another condition. The tablet form made me have an upset stomach
Changed to injectable form and never looked back. Been on it weekly for 6 years. Atilll have yhe odd drink (not meant to drink a lot) bloods done once a month. Alls fine

Feels like it takes an extra day or so to recover if I get ill but nothing major

Sorry for all the typos, on my phone and no glasses on

I have recently been offered methotrexate for eczema but after reading more about it and the side effects of hair loss I won't be taking it.

My partner uses this in injectable form for eczema. He doesn’t seem to have too many side effects, although so far it hasn’t been all that effective (he’s been on it for 3 months).

Have you tried anything else for Eczema Buttons4me?

I was using Betnovate ointment for my eczema which stopped working. The Dermatologist said I could start methotrexate and I had blood tests done. She also talked to me about light therapy and gave me a different ointment to try called Elocon which has been really good. I read more about Methotrexate at home and decided against it especially reading about side effects of hair loss.

I used it for psoriasis and I found the side effects awful. I continued with it and the skin cleared up for a while. Then it came back with a vengeance. I now take humira and it is brilliant. Completely clear skin, no joint issues any more and no side effects...

Have you tried Protopic? Its a cream but not steroid. Worked wonders for DS sever eczema.

I was on it for a while for a different condition. I took it once a week, on a Monday night, and it made me feel sick most of Tuesday. Then Wednesday, the nausea went but I felt very tired (possibly due to not being able to eat much the previous day). The remaining 5 days were fine.

If you're planning to TTC in the near future, think carefully - you mustn't get pregnant on it and even if you stop taking it, you need to allow months for it to leave your system.

DS1 takes it after nothing else (and he tried EVERYTHING under the guidance of a consultant dermatologist) made a dent in his severe, whole body eczema which at times meant he needed to go sick from work. He is careful to follow all the monitoring advice and is happy with the results.

P.S. not found he has lost hair, as it's down to his waist he'd have been well put out...

I’ve been on it for a few months and it’s been a miracle drug for me. Gone from bleeding so much I stuck to the sheets (grim!) to having clear skin. I’m no longer using steroid cream. (Protopic made my skin burn.) I’m not on steroid tablets any more and my face isn’t red and swollen and burning. And no noticeable side effects so far.

Have you tried cutting dairy from your diet?

I take it for arthritis and it's a wonder drug. I get no side effects at all. I was worried before starting but it's been AMAZING.

Thanks so much everyone. I am currently dairy free. Protopic and elidel gave me serious side effects. Just had 35 UV treatments which stopped working two weeks after I finished. Steroids seem to not have as much of an effect and I wonder if I have built up a tolerance. I am on a range of tablets for urticaria too. I am at a loss what to do.

I take methotrexate for Rhuematiod arthritis, I have eczema, I'd no idea it was used for eczema, I can say it doesn't work for me.

My sister takes Methotrexate for psoriatic arthritis, it's been a miracle drug for her too.
She felt sick on the maximum dose of 8 tablets so it got reduced to 6. She's been on it 6 years and hasn't had any major side effects, no hair loss or anything.
You get regular blood tests too as it can cause liver/kidney damage, but her tests are all fine.

Not methotrexate but I do take cyclosporine after being offered a choice between the two drugs and thinking cyclo seemed a bit of a safer option. I'd say be careful to check side effects and make sure you know what you are getting into.
I would have raved about the effects of cyclo on my severe life long eczema as it did clear it within two weeks but sadly it may have caused me additional issues now and I wish I'd been more cautious.

I took it briefly for arthritis like PP, it made me too poorly, it’s supposed to ease off but mine didn’t, I’d give it a try and if not you lost nothing.

Found out the excema and arthiris were coeliac disease in the end and gluten free is the only thing that worked, I’m assuming your doctor has exhausted all of these tests? I was shocked as I always thought coeliacs manifested as stomach issues (I had them too but only towards the end and is the reason I got tested) but actually it’s a ton of symptoms!

I took it off and on for well over 12 years for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
My friend has been on it back and forth for even longer.
For me I had to try it when I did, but no longer something that I take.
Take your time to decide and don't be pressurised .
Good wishes

I am currently dairy free

Have you ruled out other allergens? For my daughter it is dairy, egg, soya and lentils. She went from head to toe severe eczema to absolutely no eczema by cutting out her allergens. It took a few months to see a big difference.

Have you tried cutting dairy from your diet

There’s always one...eczema is not caused by food allergy or intolerance. It’s caused by breakdown of the filaggrin barrier protein and the resulting inflammation. The rash that is seen is a result of what the person does to the skin (scratch) rather than what the rash does to the person. Someone whose eczema is bad enough to consider methotrexate doesn’t need to be told to cut out dairy .

Ds has been on it for almost a year now, and it's made a huge difference - hes gone from having to be showered out of his jammies every morning to almost totally clear skin.
It took about 7 or 8 months to see such a difference, and a jiggle with the doseage, but we seem to have settled now.
He's on the injections, as the tablets were making him sick, no side effects from the injections at all.
Dermatology said he'll be on it as a long term thing now, which isn't great, but hes no longer permanently miserable and itchy.
It was a hard decision to make for him (hes 12) but it's been worth it so far.

Notbadconsidering - do you or someone you know have eczema? Do you know of any other alternatives to methotrexate? I just feel it is such a drastic drug.

Triangled- yes I’ve had all the food tests, allergy tests, etc. I think mine seems to be more auto- immune.

I have eczema, and being medical I know that it must be bad if methotrexate is being considered. With regards to alternatives, there are a number of immunosuppressive drugs that are used, but they all have pros and cons. I’m assuming you’ve exhausted all topical steroid options? Often a change of brand can help, with ointments being by far and away better. Novel options are the biologicals like Dupilumab but they’re new and I’m only just learning about them and I suspect not available on NHS. I would imagine methotrexate has been recommended for good reason, and I know anything that relieves the suffering of eczema is worth a try.