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.
Your doctor has ordered the drug methotrexate to help treat your illness. The drug can be given by injection into a vein or a large muscle. In special situations, it may be injected into the spinal cord.
trophoblastic neoplasms
leukemia
breast cancer
psoriasis
osteosarcoma
This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
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.
Methotrexate is also used to treat mycosis fungoides, psoriatic arthritis, and a variety of solid tumors. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this drug for your condition.
thinned or brittle hair
blistering skin or acne
loss of appetite or weight
mouth blistering
fatigue
painful urination or red urine
black, tarry stools
diarrhea
stomach pain
unusual bruising or bleeding
cough
congestion
fever
dizziness
chills
shortness of breath
sore throat
swelling of the feet or ankles
nausea and vomiting
rash
yellowing of the skin or eyes
joint pain
seizures
severe skin rash
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].
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 Reviewed - 09/01/2010
AHFS® Consumer Medication Information. © Copyright, 2012. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc., 7272 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland. All Rights Reserved. Duplication for commercial use must be authorized by ASHP.