Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

My methotrexate injection was totally different tonight than any other time. I have been on MTX injections, 1ml, for about 4 months. I have never had much pain from them other than the minor stinging when I initially injected the needle. However, tonight it hurt to insert the needle, it hurt more to inject the medicine, and now it hurts to walk. It isn't excruciating, just feels like a bad bruise. Have any of you ever experienced this? Thought I would ask the experts--my friends here.

Sorry, I am still taking the methotrexate pills every week. I only get the injections when I go for my rheumy eval and it is usually painless...

You may want to check with your rheumy...or check with your pharmacist about your type of reaction to this.

Why was it different this time?...Was it the RA or something else?

Maybe others will post that inject with methotrexate.

Feel better..

I did the injections for several months and never had that reaction. I agree with cella, check with pharmacy and doc. Soon.

Hugs

Alycam, did you maybe inject with needle going straight in? It hurts less on a slight angle and pinching the skin. Also freezing the area with ice may help.

When I was using the MTX shots, and on a newly refilled script. They hurt bad to do. I posted on here that it felt like I was trying to inject a straw rather then a small needle. I get crazy senstive sore skin from MCTD and figured neuropathy was going nuts from all the swelling and that was making the shots hurt. Then we were notified of a MTX recall for small glass particles. I checked the website and all 4 of my bottles were tainted recall lot#s so I am not sure what had been causing it but I did get a refund.

The recall was just the end of last October, so to be on the safe side, please check your lot#s to the website list.

www.fda.gov › Safety › Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts - Use searh box on home page and type in methotrexate recall

Post edited by: gettingoldsucks, at: 07/28/2011 04:39 AM

i take them every week and i use a alcohol swab with pain killer in it. my husband gives them to me and once in awhile he will hit a vain and then it hurts really bad and bruises terrible it only burns when he does this to. he always give mine in my behind and trys to be carful to put it in soft tissue i have noticed that some times a new will bottle will cause a lot of pain and then the next one want cause any often have wondered if it is how it mix at the pharmacy

I was told my the nurse who trained me that the sting is caused my the alcohol not drying before you give the shot. When the needle comes out the alcohol goes in and causes the burn sensation. I was also told to give the shot in a fatty area,2 inches away from any veins. The top of the thigh and the tummy(away from the naval) I have been on the shots for 3 months. I have used ice all except once, won't forget that again. I have found the Pharmacist a good source of information.

I hope you can figure this out. so the shot goes easier.CLAP

Thanks for all of the responses. I knew I could count on you all! I have my remicade infusion Tuesday so I will ask the nurses about this then. I have never had pain from mtx so I think it might be worth discussing with them. The other thing to consider is that I have increased my muscle mass because I have been able to exercise again since the remicade is finally working. Again, thanks friends!!

Methotrexate injection is for sub-cutaneous injection (below the skin but above the muscle) and not for injection into the muscle. There are small veins in the sub-cutaneous layer that you may inject into, or stick the needle through. This is why you should always withdraw the plunger a little before injecting. If blood comes back, discard the needle and syringe and the contaminated drug, then fill another syringe and inject in a different place. If you stick the needle in too deeply at too steep an angle, it will deposit in the muscle layer, and the drug will not be absorbed correctly. You also run the risk of injecting into a nerve which HURTS! This is what it sounds like happened to you. If you have continuing pain or numbness develops, see an MD immediately. If you or someone else is injecting in your buttock, you need to have someone in your MDs office demonstrate several times exactly where the safe places are to inject. It is really easy to get too close to the sciatic nerve and cause major nerve damage. Here is a link to a nursing article about where and how to do various kinds of injections. You ONLY need to look at the subcutaneous part of the article: http://bit.ly/frwIMd (I shortened the URL with Bitly because it was soooo long).