What should I tell my care team before I take this medication?
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
- Dehydration
- Diabetes
- Fluid in the stomach area or lungs
- Frequently drink alcohol
- Having surgery, including dental surgery
- High cholesterol
- Immune system problems
- Inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Low blood cell levels (white cells, red cells, and platelets)
- Lung disease
- Recent or ongoing radiation
- Recent or upcoming vaccine
- Stomach ulcers, other stomach or intestine problems
- An unusual or allergic reaction to methotrexate, other medications, foods, dyes, or preservatives
- Pregnant or trying to get pregnant
- Breastfeeding
What may interact with this medication?
Do not take this medication with any of the following:
- Acitretin
- Live virus vaccines
- Probenecid
This medication may also interact with the following:
- Alcohol
- Aspirin and aspirin-like medications
- Certain antibiotics, such as penicillin, neomycin, sulfamethoxazole; trimethoprim
- Certain medications for stomach problems, such as lansoprazole, omeprazole, pantoprazole
- Clozapine
- Cyclosporine
- Dapsone
- Folic acid
- Foscarnet
- NSAIDs, medications for pain and inflammation, such as ibuprofen or naproxen
- Phenytoin
- Pyrimethamine
- Steroid medications, such as prednisone or cortisone
- Tacrolimus
- Theophylline
This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.
What should I watch for while using this medication?
Visit your care team for regular checks on your progress. It may be some time before you see the benefit from this medication.
You may need blood work done while you are taking this medication.
If your care team has also prescribed folic acid, they may instruct you to skip your folic acid dose on the day you take methotrexate.
This medication can make you more sensitive to the sun. Keep out of the sun. If you cannot avoid being in the sun, wear protective clothing and sunscreen. Do not use sun lamps, tanning beds, or tanning booths.
Check with your care team if you have severe diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, or if you sweat a lot. The loss of too much body fluid may make it dangerous for you to take this medication.
This medication may increase your risk of getting an infection. Call your care team for advice if you get a fever, chills, sore throat, or other symptoms of a cold or flu. Do not treat yourself. Try to avoid being around people who are sick.
Talk to your care team about your risk of cancer. You may be more at risk for certain types of cancers if you take this medication.
Talk to your care team if you or your partner may be pregnant. Serious birth defects can occur if you take this medication during pregnancy and for 6 months after the last dose. You will need a negative pregnancy test before starting this medication. Contraception is recommended while taking this medication and for 6 months after the last dose. Your care team can help you find the option that works for you.
If your partner can get pregnant, use a condom during sex while taking this medication and for 3 months after the last dose.
Do not breastfeed while taking this medication and for 1 week after the last dose.
This medication may cause infertility. Talk to your care team if you are concerned about your fertility.
What are the most serious risks of this medication?
This medicine may cause harm to an unborn baby. This medicine should only be used during pregnancy and in females who can get pregnant if you have a serious condition that cannot be controlled with any other medicine. If you are a female who can get pregnant, use effective birth control while taking this medicine.
This medicine has severe, life-threatening side effects. These include reactions to your blood, liver, lungs, stomach, gut, and skin. It may cause cancer or deadly infections. People who have cancer or who get radiation can have worse symptoms.