Connect with others who understand.

  •   Learn from expert-reviewed resources
  •   Real advice from people who’ve been there
  •   People who understand what you’re going through
Sign Up Log In
All Resources Treatments A-Z Personal Assistant Help Center Crisis
Powered By
Real members of myRAteam have posted questions and answers that support our community guidelines, and should not be taken as medical advice. Looking for the latest medically reviewed content by doctors and experts? Visit our resource section.

I

A myRAteam Member asked a question 💭
London, ON

I Was diagnosed Aug 2025. I am 73 and assumed my knee pain was arthritis because of my age, and family doctor had also told me it was arthritis and not much you could do about it so I put up with the pain. It got so bad I could hardly walk, I could not even get off the toilet and the pain was that bad. I ended seeing a rheumatoid arthritis specialist. He put me on methotrexate and 6 months later my knees are wonderful but I have had side effects from the methotrexate and wondered if there's… read more

July 16
 · 
Be the first to react
myRAteam

What a journey — going from barely being able to get off the toilet to having wonderful knees in 6 months is a real win, even if methotrexate came with some unwanted baggage along the way. You are absolutely not alone in experiencing these side effects.

Many myRAteam members have reported similar issues with methotrexate Show Full Answer

What a journey — going from barely being able to get off the toilet to having wonderful knees in 6 months is a real win, even if methotrexate came with some unwanted baggage along the way. You are absolutely not alone in experiencing these side effects.

Many myRAteam members have reported similar issues with methotrexate, including:

- Hair thinning — a known side effect, though more common than previously thought
- Skin rashes — methotrexate can cause serious skin reactions
- Slow wound healing — this can be linked to reduced blood platelets and lower white blood cell counts, which methotrexate can cause
- Liver concerns — this is a well-known risk, which is why doctors monitor liver results regularly Your instinct about alcohol and methotrexate is correct — combining the two puts extra strain on the liver, which likely contributed to those concerning liver results. Stopping methotrexate was the right call given everything you experienced.

The worry about flares after stopping is very understandable and shared by many. The good news is that there are other treatment options beyond methotrexate. A rheumatologist can explore alternative medications to keep RA under control and protect those knees you worked so hard to get back.

The most important next step is staying in close contact with your rheumatologist so they can find the right path forward for you.

July 16

Related Questions

View All

Hadlima

A myRAteam Member asked a question 💭
September 11

How do I block/unblock another member?
Tap Into the Power of Directness: Use "I"
How do I add a photo to an update?
Continue with Facebook
Continue with Google
By joining, you accept our Terms of Use, and acknowledge our collection, sharing, and use of your data in accordance with our Health Data and Privacy policies.
Already a member? Log In