MedlinePlus Drug Information: Methotrexate Oral

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Other drug names:	A-Am An-Az B C-Ch Ci-Cz D-Dh Di-Dz E F G H I-J K-L M-Mh Mi-Mz N-Nh Ni-Nz O P-Pl Pm-Pz Q-R S-Sn So-Sz T-To Tp-Tz U-V W-Z 0-9

Methotrexate Oral

(meth oh trex' ate)

Brand name(s): Rheumatrex
Other name(s): Amethopterin; MTX

Contents of this page:
About your treatment Other uses for this medicine Precautions	Side effects Storage conditions In case of emergency/overdose

IMPORTANT WARNING:

Methotrexate can cause a decrease in the number of blood cells in your bone marrow. Methotrexate also can cause cancerous lymphomas, tumor lysis syndrome (electrolyte imbalances), severe skin reactions, infections such as pneumonia, bone and soft tissue damage, and severe damage to your liver, kidneys, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract (some of which can be fatal). Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order lab tests before, during, and after your treatment to see if you are affected by this drug. Tell your doctor if you have ascites (collection of fluid in the abdomen), kidney disease, or lung disease and if you are getting radiation therapy. Tell your doctor if you are taking aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, or Nuprin), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Actron, Orudis), naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn), or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: dry cough; diarrhea; loss of appetite; nausea, stomach pain; weakness; weight loss; excessive tiredness; lack of energy; yellowness of the skin or eyes; enlargement of the lymph nodes; blisters on the cheek, tongue and lips; or skin rash. Because of the dangers of taking methotrexate, this drug should be used to treat only life-threatening cancer or severe psoriasis or rheumatoid arthritis that does not respond to other treatments. Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking methotrexate.If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, especially if you have psoriasis or rheumatoid arthritis, talk you your doctor about the risks of taking methotrexate for your condition. If you become pregnant, call your doctor immediately. Methotrexate may harm the fetus.

About your treatment

Your doctor has ordered the drug methotrexate to help treat your illness. The drug can be taken by mouth in tablet form.

This medication is used to treat:

psoriasis
rheumatoid arthritis
trophoblastic neoplasms
leukemias

Methotrexate is in a class of drugs known as antimetabolites; it slows the growth of certain cells in your body. Methotrexate helps control your symptoms but may not cure your disease.

Other uses for this medicine

This medication should not be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Precautions

Before taking methotrexate,

tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to methotrexate or any other drugs.
tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, azathioprine (Imuran), oral acne medications such as isotretinoin (Accutane) and tretinoin (Vesanoid), oral diabetes medications, phenytoin (Dilantin), probenecid (Benemid), sulfa drugs (Bactrim, Septra), sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), tetracycline (Achromycin V, Sumycin), and vitamins.
in addition to the conditions listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, tell your doctor if you have or have ever had liver disease, ulcers, problems with your immune system, intestinal disease, or cancer.
you should know that methotrexate may interfere with the normal menstrual cycle (period) in women and may stop sperm production in men. However, you should not assume that you cannot get pregnant or that you cannot get someone else pregnant. You should not plan to have children while receiving chemotherapy or for a while after treatments. (Talk to your doctor for further details.) Use a reliable method of birth control to prevent pregnancy.
tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding.
before having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking methotrexate.
tell your doctor if you have a history of alcohol abuse. Do not drink alcohol; alcohol increases the chance of liver damage with methotrexate.
do not have any vaccinations (e.g., measles or flu shots) without talking to your doctor.

Side effects

Side effects from methotrexate are common and include:

thinned or brittle hair
blistering skin or acne
loss of appetite or weight

Tell your doctor if either of these symptoms is severe or lasts for several hours:

mouth blistering
fatigue

If you experience any of the following symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:

painful urination or red urine
black, tarry stools
unusual bruising or bleeding
congestion
fever
dizziness
chills
shortness of breath
sore throat
swelling of the feet or ankles
vomiting
pain in the joints
seizures
severe skin rash

Storage conditions

Keep methotrexate in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication.

In case of emergency/overdose

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Last Revised - 01/01/2003

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. Disclaimer