Drug name
Methotrexate
Drug Instruction
Methotrexate intercrosses with the growth of certain category of cells of the body, especially tis refers to cells which are liable to reproducing quickly, such as cancer cells, bone marrow cells, and skin cells.
Methotrexate is prescribed for the treatment of certain categories of cancer of the breast, skin, head and neck, as well as lung. Methotrexate is also prescribed for the treatment of austere psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Intake Instruction
Please make sure to use Methotrexate as predetermined by your health care provider. Also necessarily check the label on the medicine for learning exact dosing instructions.
This medicine is recommended for use by mouth with or without food. Anyhow, there is one instruction you should necessarily stick to – taking the medicine at fixed times in relation to food.
Crucial information:
Please make sure to drink extra fluids ate the time you are taking Methotrexate. Please turn to your health care provider for more information on the medicine use and its safety precautions.
Be certain you understand entirely how much of Methotrexate you should take for a complete course of treatment and the intake instructions predetermined by your health care provider.
Make sure to immediately inform your health care provider or pharmacist for more clarification on the medicine use.
Please take into consideration that the treatment with Methotrexate may take several weeks for actual improvements of your symptoms. Make sure to continue taking Methotrexate and stop it only after preliminary consultation with your health care provider.
Methotrexate effects best if each dose is taken always at fixed times every day.
Please do not stop taking the medicine even if you feel actual improvement.
Missing any doses of medicine is not recommended.
Drug Category and Mechanism
Methotrexate is an antimetabolite. It has its best effects for the treatment of cancer and psoriasis by blocking an enzyme necessary for cell growth. This aims at helping to decrease the level of growth of cancer cells as well as extraordinary skin cells.
Exactly how Methotrexate effects the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is yet not explored. It decreases the quantity of symptoms of inflammation (e.g., pain, swelling, rigidity) caused by rheumatoid arthritis.
Missed Dose
Should you miss a dose of this medicine please take it asap. If you find you have missed the previous dosage when it is almost time for your next dose, you should better skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Taking double or extra doses at once is not recommended. If more than one dose is missed, please contact your attending medical doctor or health care provider.
Storage
The best conditions to keep the medicine is at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C). Brief storage between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C) is allowed. The container where the medicine is stored should be tightly closed. It should be also strictly protected from moisture, heat and light.
Safety Precautions
Taking the medicine is not recommended in case:
you have allergic reactions to any component in Methotrexate;
you are treating psoriasis or rheumatoid arthritis
you are pregnant
you are a breast-feeding mother;
you are treating psoriasis or rheumatoid arthritis and abuse alcohol or have liver problems, an immunodeficiency syndrome (e.g., AIDS), bone marrow troubles, as well as blood abnormalities (e.g., anemia, low white blood cell count, low platelet count);
you have mild or severe kidney troubles;
you are taking acitretin.
Please inform your health care provider if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of these are applicable to you.
Crucial information:
Methotrexate may cause giddiness, dizziness, or changed vision. These effects may actually worsen in case you take it with alcohol or certain types of medicines. Please make sure to use Methotrexate with precaution.
Do not drive, use machinery, or do any actions which require mental alertness until you certainly inform how this medicine may affect you.
Please inform your health care provider before you take alcohol while you are taking Methotrexate.
Sickness, emesis, and loss of appetite are common with Methotrexate. Please inform your health care provider or physician for ways to lessening these effects if they occur.
If emesis or diarrhea occurs, it is important to take all measures to avoid becoming dehydrated. Make sure to contact your health care provider for use and safety instructions.
Please note that Methotrexate may cause you to become liable to sunburning more easily. Make sure to avoid the sun, sunlamps, as well as tanning booths until you know how your reaction to the medicine is. Also always wear a sunscreen or wear protective clothing if you must be outside for more than a products_description time.
Methotrexate may decrease the level of clot-forming cells (platelets) in your blood. Please do everything to void activities which are liable to causing bruising or injury. Also necessarily inform your health care provider if you have some extraordinary bruising or bleeding. Consult your physician if you have dark, procrastinate, or bloody stools.
Methotrexate may lower the ability of your body to fight against infection. Make sure to avoid any contact with people who have colds or infections. Please inform your health care provider if you notice symptoms of infection like an abnormally high body temperature, sore throat, eruption, or chills.
Make sure not intake a live vaccine (eg, measles, mumps) while you are passing treatment with Methotrexate. Inform your health care provider before you intake any vaccine.
Men who pass treatment with Methotrexate should make sure to always use a condom when having sex with a woman who is at the age of becoming pregnant. Make sure to perform this for as long as you take Methotrexate as well as for 3 months after you finish taking the medicine.
Taking the medicine at more than recommended dosage or use for a longer period than determined without preliminary check up with your health care provider is not permitted.
Lab tests, inclusive of albumin levels, entire blood counts, as well as liver, lung, and kidney capacity for work, may be performed while you pass the treatment with Methotrexate. These tests may be prescribed to regulate your medical condition or check for side effects. Make sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments that were scheduled for you by your physician.
Intake of Methotrexate in the elderly people should be controlled very intensively; as they may be quite vulnerable to its effects.
Methotrexate should be used with outermost caution in children under 2 years old; safety and effectiveness in this age category of children have not yet been explored.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding:
Methotrexate is liable to cause birth defects as well as fetal and newborn death in case you take it at the period of pregnancy. Avoid becoming pregnant at the period of using it. Make sure to use the most effective method of birth control at the period of taking Methotrexate and for at least 1 ovulatory period after you stop taking it. In case you consider yourself to be pregnant, please immediately consult your health care provider. Methotrexate outspreads into breast milk. Thus breast-feeding your baby while being treated with the medicine is not recommended.
Probable Side Effects
Please discuss with your health care provider if any of the mentioned most COMMON side effects afterglow or become or causing bother:
giddiness; headache; appetite loss; moderate hair loss; emesis; stomach pain or upset; weariness; vomiting.
Please inform your health care provider if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the below – provided are applicable to you:
Austere allergic reactions (rash; hives; pruritic condition; hard breathing; tenseness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); dark, tarry stools; blood in the urine; calf or leg pain or swelling; actual changes in the amount of urine; chest pain; torpor; embarrassment; coughing with blood; dark coloured urine; diarrhea; hard or troublesome urination; dry cough; an abnormally high body temperature, chills, or sore throat; changes in menstrual; mental as well as mood changes; mouth sores; biased weakness; red, swollen, husking, or blistered skin; convulsions; austere or persistent emesis or vomiting; hard breathing; changes in speech; uncommon bleeding or bruising; uncommon pain and discolorment of the skin; uncommon tiredness or weariness; changes in vision; yellowing of skin or eyes.
Extra Information
An important note: This medicine is for you only. Sharing this medicine with others is not recommended.