What is in this leaflet: Methotrexate is used to treat: Your doctor will be able to explain how Methotrexate tablets might help in your particular condition. Warnings and precautions Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following conditions concern or have concerned you: Methotrexate temporarily affects sperm and egg production. You and your partner should avoid conception becoming pregnant or fathering children if currently receiving methotrexate and for at least six months after your treatment with methotrexate has stopped.
Before treatment is started your doctor may carry out blood tests, and also to check how well your kidneys and liver are working. You may also have a chest X-ray. Further tests may also be done during and after treatment.
Do not miss appointments for blood tests. Other medicines and Methotrexate Other concomitant medication may affect the efficacy and safety of this medicine.
Methotrexate may also affect the efficacy and safety of other medications. Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription and herbal or natural medicinal products. Remember to tell your doctor about your treatment with Methotrexate, if you are prescribed another medicine while the treatment is still ongoing. It is especially important to tell your doctor if you are using: Tell your physician about use of Methotrexate during your next visits.
Methotrexate with food, drink and alcohol Alcohol should be avoided during methotrexate therapy. Generally, a weekly dose of 25 mg should not be exceeded. Doses exceeding 20 mg per week can be associated with significant increase in toxicity, especially bone marrow suppression.
In a few exceptional cases a higher dose might be clinically justified, but should not exceed a maximum weekly dose of 30 mg of methotrexate as toxicity will markedly increase Upon achieving the desired therapeutic results, the dose should be weekly reduced to the lowest possible effective maintenance dose for the individual patient.
Patients with kidney disorders Patients with a kidney disorder may need a reduced dose. Method and duration of administration For subcutaneous and intramuscular use. The duration of treatment is determined by the treating physician. Methotrexate is injected once weekly!
Methotrexate is given as injection under the skin or into a muscle. Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriasis vulgaris and psoriatic arthritis with Methotrexate is a long-term treatment. Generally, improvement of the symptoms can be expected after weeks of treatment. Symptoms may return after Methotrexate treatment is stopped.
Severe types of psoriasis vulgaris and psoriatic arthritis psoriasis arthropathica Generally, response to treatment can be expected after 26 weeks. Depending on symptoms severity and on laboratory parameters, the therapy is then continued or discontinued. At the start of your therapy, Methotrexate may be injected by a doctor. However, your doctor may decide that it is right for you to learn how to inject Methotrexate yourself. You will receive appropriate training for you to do this. Under no circumstances should you attempt to inject yourself unless you have been trained to do so.
Usual dosage for rheumatoid arthritis is one tablet every day and the maximal dose is about 7 to 10mg. Adverse Effects Side effects include: Some patients might experience blood vomiting when using methotrexate injections. Mouth and lips blisters, stomach ulcers, intestine blisters and stool changes are common in patients on methotrexate therapy.
As noted above, patients treated with high-dose methotrexate excrete increased quantities of aminoimidazole carboxamide in their urine, a finding that is consistent with the notion that AICAR accumulates after methotrexate therapy Luhby and Cooperman, In those patients with central nervous system toxicity, administration of an adenosine receptor antagonist rapidly reversed the toxicity, indicating that the adenosine released into the central nervous system is sufficient to occupy adenosine receptors and dramatically alter central nervous system function.
Two studies in patients provide evidence that methotrexate increases adenosine release Laghi Pasini et al. Evidence against the hypothesis that adenosine mediates the anti-inflammatory effects of methotrexate was first provided by Andersson and colleagues Andersson et al.
The variance between the results of this study and the prior studies is most likely due to the very high 3- to 5-fold higher dose of methotrexate required to inhibit arthritis in the model studied.
Moreover, methotrexate-mediated suppression of inflammation was completely reversed by folic acid supplementation in the rats studied by Andersson and colleagues, whereas folic acid administration does not affect the therapeutic effects of methotrexate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis see above.
Other evidence against the hypothesis that methotrexate promotes adenosine release and adenosine mediates the anti-inflammatory effects were provided by two recent clinical studies Egan et al. In the work by Smolenska et al. The observation that purine synthesis is inhibited for a day after a dose of methotrexate is consistent with and probably accounts for the methotrexate-mediated reduction in antigen-induced proliferation of T cells, although the clinical importance of reduced cellular proliferation 1 day a week is unknown.
There is a possibility of birth defects if either partner is using methotrexate at the time of conception. If it is used during pregnancy, methotrexate may also cause birth defects or harm the baby. Effective birth control should be practiced if either partner is using this medication, including for a period of time after the medication is stopped. Talk to your doctor about how long you should wait to become pregnant after you or your partner stop taking methotrexate. If you become pregnant while taking this medication, contact your doctor immediately.
If you have rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis, you should not use this medication if you are pregnant. If you might be pregnant, do not start methotrexate until you know for sure that you are not pregnant.
Due to the potential for serious harm to a baby if they are exposed to this medication, women who are using methotrexate should not breast-feed. Methotrexate has been used to treat cancer in children.
Methotrexate has also been used under close supervision of a doctor to treat other conditions in children, although the safety and effectiveness have not been clearly determined. If you are a senior, you may be more at risk of experiencing side effects including serious ones and your doctor will monitor you very closely while you are using this medication. For patients with arthritis or psoriasis, methotrexate may work by improving the immune system.
This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription. Your dose may need to be changed several times to find what works best for you. Measure the oral liquid medicine with a marked measuring spoon, oral syringe, or medicine cup.
© Copyright 2017 Ic methotrexate 2.5mg. Methotrexate has been used to produce regression in a wide range of neoplastic conditions including acute leukaemias, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, soft-tissue and ..