Starting methotrexate, struggling with symptoms — anyone relate?
Hi everyone,
I’m new here and just wanted to introduce myself. I was recently (2 months ago) diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and have started methotrexate (oral) alongside folic acid. I also had a steroid injection to help with inflammation.
Since starting treatment, I’ve been experiencing some unexpected symptoms and wanted to see if anyone else has been through something similar. These include:
• Deep throbbing pain under the toes on my left foot, and overall tenderness in both feet — it’s become so uncomfortable that I’ve developed a limp and had to cancel work on a few occasions.
• Ongoing right knee pain, especially during exercise, which feels intense and crunchy when I move.
• A dull ache on the right side of my back, near where the liver is located — this lasted around 3–4 days after starting methotrexate.
My recent blood work was within normal ranges, but these physical symptoms are becoming quite difficult to manage. I’m currently waiting on imaging for my hands and chest, but I’m pushing to get further scans for my feet and knee as the pain is impacting my mobility and day-to-day life.
Has anyone else experienced similar side effects or symptoms during the early stages of treatment? I’d really appreciate hearing your stories or any advice you might have.
Looking forward to being part of this community and supporting each other.
Vicky
Hi,
(Vicky)!
First off, I am sorry you have need of a community such as this one, but I am glad you found us! Being diagnosed with RA can feel pretty overwhelming and we're happy to help make that adjustment as manageable as possible.
As far as the symptoms you are experiencing, they could be related to your RA, to the methotrexate, or to something else entirely. I know my answer is really not helpful, but, well, it's the truth. Here's some information on Methotrexate that you may have seen before, but I wanted to share it here, just in case -- https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/treatment/methotrexate. Tingling, numbness, and throbbing can be caused by Methotrexate, but it's considered a pretty rare side effect. Also, back pain is listed as a less common side effect (here's a more comprehensive list of possible side effects -- https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/methotrexate-oral-route/description/drg-20084837). I would keep communicating with your doctor and making note of any changes or any increase in the symptoms you are experiencing. It's good that your bloodwork is within normal ranges and I hope your doctor stays on top of regular blood work.
All that said, if you feel like a medication isn't a good fit for you, you can talk to your doctor about it. After all, you should have the final say in what treatments to pursue or stop. Your treatment should be at or reaching full efficacy, so you can start thinking about whether you are seeing any improvement in your RA symptoms or not.
I do hope you start feeling better and please keep us posted on how you are doing. It can take some trial-and-error to find the right medication, so don't get discouraged if Methotrexate doesn't meet your needs.
Best, Erin, Team Member.
