 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Arthritis / February 2006Folic acid question
Just wondering why my RD would prescribe Folic Acid while I'm on Methotrexate? From what I've read, Folic Acid can interfere with the effectiveness of the MTX. Does this make sense to anyone? Thanks. Jean >Just wondering why my RD would prescribe Folic Acid while I'm on >Methotrexate? From what I've read, Folic Acid can interfere with the >effectiveness of the MTX. Does this make sense to anyone? MTX can cause mouth sores and Folic Acid is given to prevent these. I have been on it since I went on MTX. You can buy it OTC in 1 mg. pills. They weren't enough for me so my RD now prescribes it for me, 5 mg. once a day. --- Joan Hi Jean I take Folic Acid, too. I was prescribed it as the MXT made me nausious and I could not even enjoy a cup of tea or coffee.. It did work. Gail Thank you all for your responses and now I know why I need to be on it -- and will certainly start taking it. Since my MTX dosage has been upped to four pills once weekly I don't want to get mouth sores, etc. The info I read about *not* taking it came from www.cancer.org and it says: "High doses of folic acid can interfere with the effectiveness of some chemotherapy drugs, such as methotrexate." Thanks again -- I knew you guys would have an answer. Jean > Just wondering why my RD would prescribe Folic Acid while I'm on > Methotrexate? From what I've read, Folic Acid can interfere with the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Jean I don't know where you are getting the information that folic acid interferes with MTX. It is the other way around. MTX interferes with the body's ability to use or absorb folic acid. So when you take MTX you need to supplement your folic acid intake. One side effect of MTX can be sores in you mouth. A high daily supplement of folic acid can prevent that. Also read here recently that folic acid alone can help with RA symptoms? That was new to me at least. Jo Good question, my RD just did the same with me. 3 metho pills 1x wk and then 24 hrs later folic acid. I went on the website for metho and got the same answers. The only thing I'm worried about is the side effects from the metho. Has anyone suffered any of the serious ones mentioned on my fact sheet. skin infection, painful rashes etc. etc. etc...... >Has anyone suffered any of the serious ones >mentioned on my fact sheet. skin infection, painful rashes etc. etc. >etc...... Just keep in mind that many of the side effects only show up with the high doses used in cancer patients. We are on a minute amount in comparison with cancer dosage. You can get side effects mostly nausea, mouth sores, some folks do get high liver enzyme reading and have to go off the medication, but regular blood work will spot that early. MTX is one of the oldest and best known RA meds; it has been around for years, with a very long track record. -- MZ So far, no ill effects of my taking MTX and folic acid. I take 4-2.5 mg. MTX once a week and one folic acid pill a day. Nanny > Good question, my RD just did the same with me. 3 metho pills 1x wk > and then 24 hrs later folic acid. I went on the website for metho and > got the same answers. The only thing I'm worried about is the side > effects from the metho. Has anyone suffered any of the serious ones > mentioned on my fact sheet. skin infection, painful rashes etc. etc. > etc...... > Just wondering why my RD would prescribe Folic Acid while I'm on > Methotrexate? From what I've read, Folic Acid can interfere with the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Jean Hi Jean, Methx blocks your ability to get folic acid from your food. Folic acid helps to keep you from having mouth sores while taking Methx. If you do not have many greens in your diet, it might be a good idea to take B-6 also. Methx also makes some people loose their hair and folic acid helps with that too. Harv Ps how much methx are you taking and how often? Harvey, I'm on 10 mg. of MTX once per week. Jean > Hi Jean, Methx blocks your ability to get folic acid from your food. > Folic acid helps to keep you from having mouth sores while taking Methx. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Ps how much methx are you taking and how often? > Harvey, > > I'm on 10 mg. of MTX once per week. > > Jean That is a good starter dose to see how your liver is going to react to the Methx intake. Your blood tests will tell the tale. Learn what is normal for you and talk specifics with each test result with your RD. I had to get up to 15 mg before Methx even started to help me and then I stayed at 17.5 mg for 7-8 years. I hope it works well for you. Harv Just to add a note, if you exerience hair loss and mouth and/or nose sores even with the folic acid, there is an alternative called leucovorin which is a folic acid derivative that my RD prescribed for me. I am still losing some hair but definitely not as much. Good luck to you, Char > Just to add a note, if you exerience hair loss and mouth and/or nose > sores even with the folic acid, there is an alternative called > leucovorin which is a folic acid derivative that my RD prescribed for > me. I am still losing some hair but definitely not as much. > Good luck to you, > Char Well said Char2,,,, and there is grapeseed extract and biotin that puts the brakes on hair loss. Harv Ps how much methx are you taking and how often? I am now down to 20mg once a week (was on 30mg). I have been taking this amount now for over 10 years. Plus I take cyclosporin (200mg daily). Side effects: initially nauseous, hair loss. Gail I'm also on MTX and folic acid. My Rheumy explained that MTX tends to deplete our own source of folic acid, thus the supplement to balance it all out. Nanny > Just wondering why my RD would prescribe Folic Acid while I'm on > Methotrexate? From what I've read, Folic Acid can interfere with the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Jean "Jean" <jeand@houston.rr.com> wrote in news:s7OFf.34831$Vr.28248 @tornado.texas.rr.com: > Just wondering why my RD would prescribe Folic Acid while I'm on > Methotrexate? From what I've read, Folic Acid can interfere with the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Jean Harv and others have explained it well. I am just going to join in here to say that I have had no side effects but I take 3200mcg of folic acid a day in capsule form. I think I may have had some hair loss but it is hard to say since it runs in my mother's side of the family. Good to know about the other alternatives to folic acid, leucovorin. I will also look into the grapeseed extract and biotin supplements. Thanks Harv and others. I find the MTX injections completely painless. My doc has me on MTX and Embrel as he says the combination is better than either one alone. |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2009 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.