Methotrexate and temperature (fever)

[felpeyu2]

Hello. Since six weeks ago I am taking methotrexate. It is not the first time that I am taking it. Several years ago I took it (pills) for 3 or 4 years and I was OK, no side effects at all. Four months ago I started with Metoject (methotrexate in syringe) but I had to leave it because I had a strange rash in the upper legs and my doctor advised me to leave this treatment and so I did (although he really thought Metoject was not the cause of the rash).

And now I am taking methotrexate in pills. I take it on Tuesdays. And today is the third Tuesday in a row in which I have a fever several hours after taking the pills. It last several hours and then the fever goes away (I suppose today it will be the same, now I am still with temperature). The next days I am quite well.

The issue is that I was very ill for almost a year and since I started taking methotrexate (Metoject or the pills) my health improved a lot. But I have this concern about this fever symptom and I was wondering if someone here had a similar problem with methotrexate.

Regards

[Linda196]

Both rash and fever with Methotrexate are listed as symptoms to report to your doctor, but I think in the case of fever it refers to sustained temperature elevations, not transient spikes, which seem to be very predictable and time specific in your case. I think I'd still report them though. It would seem that your doctor doesn't relate the rash you had to the MTX itself, since he continued with oral dosing, but to the injection solution.

I've taken MTX for 18 years, injectable for the last 16, with no side effects, but I do occasionally spike a fever which, since it predates the MTX, is more related to my autoimmune conditions than medication.

The incidence of fever seems more frequent when methotrexate is used with Azathioprine (Imuran)

[felpeyu2]

Thank you very much, Linda, for your response. One day after I posted the message, I had another rush on my skin that lasted a week, but It wasn't as extended as the previous one. Because the fever was the most important issue that I have on Tuesdays, I forgot write that I had sore throat and muscular pain with the fever too.

The doctor said to stop taking Methotrexate so I did. Right now I am well. When I stopped taking Methoject, I was well for 6 weeks and then I started to feel bad again (basically pain in the joints and severe weakness).

I think (and worried) that it is quite possible that the same thing will happen this time: that in a few weeks the good effect of the Methotrexate will wear off and the pain and weakness will come again.

[felpeyu2]

I am writing an update in case someone finds it interesting. Stopping the MTX supposed more pain, swelling and fatigue in few weeks, so my doctor decided that I should take it again but in a lower dosage (7,5 mg). The strange problems that I had with MTX came again but softer and they were bearable. After taking MTX for several months I am feeling much better and these problems that I had with MTX almost disappeared. In summary, I am much better with this low MTX dosage.

[meirish]

Very glad to hear that you are doing well. It sure takes patience with drugs at times and can stressful, that is for sure. meirish