Re: Group Warns of Methotrexate Overdosing Dangers

[Guest guest]

a,

This is an important article. I was wondering ever since somebody here

not too long ago remarked that they were taking MTX every day (!!!) if

you and others who have been on methotrexate could tell me if there is a

clear warning when you receive it from your pharmacy about taking it

only once per week.

[ ] Group Warns of Methotrexate Overdosing Dangers

> Group Warns of Methotrexate Overdosing Dangers

> 1 hour, 28 minutes ago

>

> By Pallarito

>

> NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Clinicians should take special care to

guard

> against accidental overdoses in prescribing or administering oral

> methotrexate, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP)

warned on

> Tuesday.

>

>

> Methotrexate is generally given in low weekly or twice-a-week doses

for

> treating conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and psoriasis,

but is

> given in much higher, daily doses for fighting cancer. Mistakes occur

all

> too frequently when the drug is accidentally administered daily, when

weekly

> dosing was intended, the ISMP observed.

>

>

> The nonprofit ISMP, an independent reviewer of medication errors,

issued a

> special " Medication Safety Alert " after learning of two new cases of

> methotrexate mix-ups in the past month, resulting in one fatality and

one

> permanent disability.

>

>

> Over the years, ISMP has repeatedly warned about the potential for

errors

> with oral methotrexate. " Because of the number of

fatalities...clinicians

> should consider it a higher alert medication regardless of the

indication, "

> the group cautioned.

>

>

> Recently, an 86-year-old patient who was supposed to receive 2.5

milligrams

> (mg) of the hair re-growth treatment minoxidil four times a day

actually

> received methotrexate. In another case, a 79-year-old patient died

after

> receiving nine doses of 15-mg methotrexate daily instead of weekly.

>

>

> " We're just very concerned...and it isn't just methotrexate, " said

ISMP

> President Cohen. " The docs and the pharmacists are just so

used to

> one tablet daily, " he said. " If they're not really focusing on what

they're

> doing, they do it almost automatically. "

>

>

> The outcome can be tragic, particularly for elderly patients, but it's

also

> a mistake that is easily preventable in most cases, Cohen told Reuters

> Health.

>

>

> The group's Safety Alert identifies several safeguards to help reduce

the

> risk of methotrexate errors. For one, doctors should indicate within

the

> prescription the reason why the drug is being prescribed, it advises.

It

> also recommends building alerts into electronic prescribing systems

and

> pharmacy computers to check the indication and dosing frequency. Other

steps

> include counseling patients, providing written information on weekly

dosing

> and advising of the dangers of extra doses.

[Guest guest]

Hi a & ...

I started off taking Methotrexate tablets - once a week. Then, when I

returned state-side and moved up to Ohio from Florida - I was disgusted to

see how expensive the tablets were (I had brought quite a large supply back

with me from Greece where I paid only 20% of the price)... so, when I

signed up with " a Rheumatologist, I told her that I did not have medical

insurance... she put me on the injectible once a week - WOW - what a

difference in price...! What I do is inject/squirt the dosage into a glass

of juice (orange or apple) and drink it down along with my daily meds.

One time - by accident, my pharmacy put down " daily " on the RX label... I

didn't notice it until I went for a refill. I know that I am supposed to

take this med once a week... so any deviation from the norm would have

surprised me and I would have questioned my doctor.

-- Re: [ ] Group Warns of Methotrexate Overdosing Dangers

a,

This is an important article. I was wondering ever since somebody here

not too long ago remarked that they were taking MTX every day (!!!) if

you and others who have been on methotrexate could tell me if there is a

clear warning when you receive it from your pharmacy about taking it

only once per week.

[ ] Group Warns of Methotrexate Overdosing Dangers

> Group Warns of Methotrexate Overdosing Dangers

> 1 hour, 28 minutes ago

>

> By Pallarito

>

> NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Clinicians should take special care to

guard

> against accidental overdoses in prescribing or administering oral

> methotrexate, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP)

warned on

> Tuesday.

>

>

> Methotrexate is generally given in low weekly or twice-a-week doses

for

> treating conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and psoriasis,

but is

> given in much higher, daily doses for fighting cancer. Mistakes occur

all

> too frequently when the drug is accidentally administered daily, when

weekly

> dosing was intended, the ISMP observed.

>

>

> The nonprofit ISMP, an independent reviewer of medication errors,

issued a

> special " Medication Safety Alert " after learning of two new cases of

> methotrexate mix-ups in the past month, resulting in one fatality and

one

> permanent disability.

>

>

> Over the years, ISMP has repeatedly warned about the potential for

errors

> with oral methotrexate. " Because of the number of

fatalities...clinicians

> should consider it a higher alert medication regardless of the

indication, "

> the group cautioned.

>

>

> Recently, an 86-year-old patient who was supposed to receive 2.5

milligrams

> (mg) of the hair re-growth treatment minoxidil four times a day

actually

> received methotrexate. In another case, a 79-year-old patient died

after

> receiving nine doses of 15-mg methotrexate daily instead of weekly.

>

>

> " We're just very concerned...and it isn't just methotrexate, " said

ISMP

> President Cohen. " The docs and the pharmacists are just so

used to

> one tablet daily, " he said. " If they're not really focusing on what

they're

> doing, they do it almost automatically. "

>

>

> The outcome can be tragic, particularly for elderly patients, but it's

also

> a mistake that is easily preventable in most cases, Cohen told Reuters

> Health.

>

>

> The group's Safety Alert identifies several safeguards to help reduce

the

> risk of methotrexate errors. For one, doctors should indicate within

the

> prescription the reason why the drug is being prescribed, it advises.

It

> also recommends building alerts into electronic prescribing systems

and

> pharmacy computers to check the indication and dosing frequency. Other

steps

> include counseling patients, providing written information on weekly

dosing

> and advising of the dangers of extra doses.

[Guest guest]

Hi ...I was STRONGLY warned to take MTX only one time per week.

Hugs...

Tess

[Guest guest]

I'm glad to hear that, Tess - by the pharmacy, your physician, both??

Re: [ ] Group Warns of Methotrexate Overdosing Dangers

> Hi ...I was STRONGLY warned to take MTX only one time per week.

>

> Hugs...

>

> Tess

[Guest guest]

Hi ...My Dr. & his MA both told me, as well as my pharmacist.

Hugs...

Tess

[Guest guest]

OK, Tess, they all get an A+!

Re: [ ] Group Warns of Methotrexate Overdosing Dangers

> Hi ...My Dr. & his MA both told me, as well as my pharmacist.

>

> Hugs...

>

> Tess

[Guest guest]

Interesting, . I hope you told your pharmacy about the error.

And welcome to the group. From Mykonos to OH - what a difference that

must be!

Re: [ ] Group Warns of Methotrexate Overdosing Dangers

> Hi a & ...

> I started off taking Methotrexate tablets - once a week. Then, when I

> returned state-side and moved up to Ohio from Florida - I was

disgusted to

> see how expensive the tablets were (I had brought quite a large supply

back

> with me from Greece where I paid only 20% of the price)... so, when I

> signed up with " a Rheumatologist, I told her that I did not have

medical

> insurance... she put me on the injectible once a week - WOW - what a

> difference in price...! What I do is inject/squirt the dosage into a

glass

> of juice (orange or apple) and drink it down along with my daily meds.

> One time - by accident, my pharmacy put down " daily " on the RX

label... I

> didn't notice it until I went for a refill. I know that I am supposed

to

> take this med once a week... so any deviation from the norm would have

> surprised me and I would have questioned my doctor.

[Guest guest]

Hi ...

Thanks for the welcome...

Yes... quite a difference between Mykonos and Ohio...

I miss living by the water... and the sunsets - especially the winter ones

when it looked like the whole sky was on fire.

Yes... I brought the error to the pharmacist's attention... lol

Stay safe and God Bless...

-- Re: [ ] Group Warns of Methotrexate Overdosing Dangers

Interesting, . I hope you told your pharmacy about the error.

And welcome to the group. From Mykonos to OH - what a difference that

must be!

Re: [ ] Group Warns of Methotrexate Overdosing Dangers

> Hi a & ...

> I started off taking Methotrexate tablets - once a week. Then, when I

> returned state-side and moved up to Ohio from Florida - I was

disgusted to

> see how expensive the tablets were (I had brought quite a large supply

back

> with me from Greece where I paid only 20% of the price)... so, when I

> signed up with " a Rheumatologist, I told her that I did not have

medical

> insurance... she put me on the injectible once a week - WOW - what a

> difference in price...! What I do is inject/squirt the dosage into a

glass

> of juice (orange or apple) and drink it down along with my daily meds.

> One time - by accident, my pharmacy put down " daily " on the RX

label... I

> didn't notice it until I went for a refill. I know that I am supposed

to

> take this med once a week... so any deviation from the norm would have

> surprised me and I would have questioned my doctor.

[Guest guest]

<PRE>thta is probably why they only give 4 syringes at a time. it's a special

order too. hopefully they will be in after 2pm today.

[Guest guest]

I checked my mtx flyer and it does clearly say only once per week either one

injection or 3 pills one day....marge

Re: [ ] Group Warns of Methotrexate Overdosing Dangers

>

>

> > Hi a & ...

> > I started off taking Methotrexate tablets - once a week. Then, when I

> > returned state-side and moved up to Ohio from Florida - I was

> disgusted to

> > see how expensive the tablets were (I had brought quite a large supply

> back

> > with me from Greece where I paid only 20% of the price)... so, when I

> > signed up with " a Rheumatologist, I told her that I did not have

> medical

> > insurance... she put me on the injectible once a week - WOW - what a

> > difference in price...! What I do is inject/squirt the dosage into a

> glass

> > of juice (orange or apple) and drink it down along with my daily meds.

> > One time - by accident, my pharmacy put down " daily " on the RX

> label... I

> > didn't notice it until I went for a refill. I know that I am supposed

> to

> > take this med once a week... so any deviation from the norm would have

> > surprised me and I would have questioned my doctor.

>

>