Description
What is Methotrexate and what it is used for?
Methotrexate (MTX) is a chemotherapy agent and immune system suppressant indicated for the treatment of:
- cancers include breast cancer, leukemia, lung cancer, lymphoma, gestational trophoblastic disease, and osteosarcoma.
- autoimmune diseases include psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, crohn’s disease, juvenile dermatomyositis, lupus, sarcoidosis, eczema and many forms of vasculitis.
- Methotrexate 50 mg is also used for ectopic pregnancy, and for medical abortions
Dosage: Take methotrexate exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Your methotrexate dose and when you consume it will depend on the condition which is being treated. Avoid changing your methotrexate dose unless your healthcare provider has instructed you to. For the treatment of severe psoriasis, and severe rheumatoid arthritis including juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, methotrexate should be given weekly, rather than every day. This weekly dose should be taken either at one time or in several doses.
Treatment Reactions: The most commonly reported methotrexate side effects are as follows:
- mouth sores
- low white blood cells
- nausea
- upset stomach
- feeling poorly
- tiredness
- chills
- fever
- dizziness
- higher chance for getting infections
- diarrhea
- vomiting
- hair loss
- easy bruising
Warning and Precautions:
- Avoid taking more methotrexate than prescribed. Do not change your dose of methotrexate unless your healthcare provider has told you to.
- If you forget or miss a dose of methotrexate immediately call your healthcare provider to ask if you should take the dose or not.
- Stop consuming this drug if you get diarrhea, or if you get mouth sores.
- Avoid taking methotrexate if you get pregnant or try to become pregnant.
- Your healthcare provider should do regular tests in order to monitor how methotrexate injection is affecting your body.
- Do not drink alcohol, including beer as well as wine, it may increase some of the side effects with the methotrexate, including the chance of liver damage.
- Methotrexate (MTX) may harm your baby. You will require to determine either to breastfeed or to take this drug, but not both.
