Methotrexate Vs Ciclosporin

[ect]

hi there. I joined the site 2 mins ago & your subject caught my eye. I have been on methotrexate twice. 1st time 10years ago , then again 4 years ago. Didnt work either time, the last treatment (for 1 year) was injection & uv treatment at the same time. Again didn't work. Last year I was put on ciclosporin, changed my life. 1st time in years I could wear dark colours & I felt confident enough to go in a relationship. The consultant tried to reduce my dose to see if it would work.  Unfortunately not, skin really bad & I have had to increase again. I tried it for 6 months though to give it a chance. Ciclosporin works for me but I have to have the right dose. Sunlight also really works for me. My skin is always worse in Winter. Good luck.

[riaY]

Hiya and welcome to PHO

[a91rscamaro]

Well after finally getting another appointment last Friday (I had to miss the one on the 25th as my nan passed away).  I am now on my third day of Ciclosporin.  So far so good, except I'm finding things very bright - anyone else had light sensitivity?

They have put me on 50mg as my blood pressure was slightly high (i did tell the derm that I had ran up 6 flights of stairs as the lift was out of action!) lol.

I'll keep you informed how it goes

[Luvvi]

Firsly condolences on the loss of your gran.  I took Ciclo to try and clear some of my psoriasis which was very severe, I then went onto a combination of Ciclo and MTX, then MTX on its own, then MTX and Fumaderm now on Fumaderm on its own.  All have had some horrific side effects for me but we are all different and what works for one won't for another.........My blood pressure went through the roof on Ciclo, my ALT/AST results were horrific on MTX and I have hot flushes and dodgy stomachs on Fumaderm lol All three of them made me nauseous, fatigued, light sensitive, headachey........as Nick says, choose your poison!!!

Good luck, keep us informed of how you do.....lots of people have fantastic results and manage quite happily on the meds without any dire results!

Liz x

[a91rscamaro]

Thanks Liz.  I was very very close to my nan so found it very hard :'(

Well the light sensitivity is still there today - I have also been having lots of heart pulpitations today :'( but the depreseive feeling has gone today which I had yesterday - strange isn't it?

I have to say that considering I only started taking the Ciclo on Sunday morning, I can actually see my P changing.  I have a patch on my left arm and it seems to have a clearer area around it which wasn't there before

[Katrina]

Hiya, sorry to hear about your gran. do take it easy as any stress feeds p. ive had p for 3 years now- on and off until recently- it became so severe that even me beloved dovobet was not enough. I was admitted into hospital on the 16/09 and put on ciclos 23/09- so far p seems under control...I really hope i get me skin back .....

xxx

[Luvvi]

I had real mood swings on both Ciclo and MTX.........massive ups and downs which I found quite hard to cope with....I remember thinking "I don't feel like me anymore" and it was a scary thought!  I found keeping my blog really helpful as some things you think are totally wacky or not even worth asking about suddenly remind someone who is reading it that they felt like that too and you're not alone!

Stick with it and fingers crossed things will improve for you.  Try to eat little but often and try to get as much rest as you can!

[Chappers_27]

just a word of caution. I had to stop taking cyclosporin because I woke up one morning at 4am thinking I was having a heart attack. my heart was racing, like 170 beats a minute. I had really bad heart palpitations and felt awful for two months. I stopped taking it that day - I was on cyclo for 2.5 years.

I am not scare mongering... just stating what happened to me on cyclo. I noted the comment above about palpitations.

Hope it works for you....!

[Nicknackwack]

camaro ~ condolences re; your nan. My nan has outlived both my parents and aunts and uncles. She's 99 years old and won't go away  but you are right, nan's are rather special 

Liz and I have very similar stories to tell with systemic drugs although i've had more success with Cyclo than she has. Her advice is always great 

Paul mentions palpitations. Yup it can be a problem but is less common. Sometimes it just happens simply because your body is trying to adjust to the drug. More often than not it passes without any problems, but I recall being given 'Ramipril' an ACE inhibitor which helped. In layman's terms it helps widen the arteries and helps oxygenated blood circulate more freely and thus helps the heart muscle work less harder. Read about it here if you are concerned about heart palpitations and high blood pressure from Cyclo: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

Nick 

[a91rscamaro]

Thank you all again for your responses.  Today I am feeling again slightly better but still afew heart flutters.

I have a blood test and blood pressure check next Wednesday and a follow up appointmetn with the Derm at the hospital next Friday, so I will let them know.

Thanks again - it's good to talk