Methotrexate for psoriasis - experience and advice please

[Patatas]

DH started on methotrexate on Wed so still very early days. Has been feeling quite sick and off colour ever since. Will this improve or happen weekly?

Also tonight he has come out in a random bruise about the size of a 50p on the top of his arm, doesn't remember hurting it and was told by the hospital to look out for bruising. Don't want to overreact at the first bruise but not sure if its a problem.

Dh is extremely anxious about this medication and suffers from depression.

My DH takes methotrexate weekly for a skin condition related to an auto-immune disease. He's been told he will be taking it for at least the next 2 years.

He feels unwell for 2 days a week - nauseous and fluey the day he takes the medication, and worse the day after. He takes paracetamol and tries to rest as much as possible. The rest of the week he is absolutely fine.DH takes his meds on a Saturday so he can rest on Sunday. This means he can work Mon-Fri while he is well, but our his weekends are a washout DH finds it difficult and depressing too, but their are ways to alleviate the side effects.

Your DH could try splitting the tablets into 2 doses, morning and evening to lessen the side effects, but should check with the pharmacist or GP first. DH finds he needs to have a Big Breakfast (greasy fry-up) before he takes the tablets which helps reduce the sickness.

Is your DH getting regular blood tests while he's taking methotrexate? These should be weekly at first, then monthly - it's very important he gets checked often, and he needs to chase the GP up if this hasn't been scheduled. DH has noticed he bruises easily now, but his blood tests are OK so he isn't worrying about it too much.

Dh took it for 9 months and then his psoriatic arthritis symptoms really improved and currently manages without.

I insisted he took them on a Thursday evening so his rubbish days were Fri & Sat so he was okish on the Sunday. He should be on folic acid too. Yes to the regular blood tests as well.

DH was very anxious about taking them and also having developed psoriatic arthritis etc. but is overall much better now and recognises he needs to look after himself especially when under the weather to keep it at bay.

My grandmother was prescribed methotrexate for rheumatoid arthtitis and it made her very poorly, she was quite frail to start with though so that didn't help but it made her sick all the time and she used to get those bruises too she eventually got admitted to hospital and was under 6 stone they stopped it then. Hopefully your husband will manage it ok and it will help his condition it is a very strong drug it's a chemotherapy drug if I remember correctly but it works wonders for the people who can manage it I've heard. Make sure they are keeping in top of his blood tests though.

Thanks for your experiences, so we can expect 2 bad days a week, how bad though? Capable of still doing things, work etc?

Has got folic acid and regular blood tests scheduled.

Really hope this helps him, would be amazing if he is able to start swimming again.

Dh says he felt spaced out, he was certainly very tired and slept lots & lots. He did get more resistant to the effects after a few months. He has a mundane desk job so it didn't affect him working (well we don't think it did!)

Dh went back to playing aside football again.

Thanks, yes he has been experiencing the spaced out feeling, but he has also just started new anti depressants, so we aren't sure which is causing what. Hope things settle down for him soon.

DH also has a sedentary desk job and is also lucky enough to work from home (he is self employed) so we are really very fortunate under the circumstances. He can often catnap during the day and work in the evenings if necessary. He feels tired and spaced out at weekends, with aching joints and headaches, and is prone to depression as a result.

He is able to exercise during the week though, he goes for a gruelling 1 hour walk uphill most evenings, and tries to get out of the house walking to the shops etc during the day as well. He gained a lot of weight when he was taking steroids for his condition 2 years ago and his doctors won't prescibe them any more as a result, hence the methotrexate, but the side effects of have made it very difficult for him to keep his weight down permanently.