Re: Angie - MTX pneumonitis

September 17, 2004

Thank you very much for the information everyone gives. I will talk

to the new speciallist when I see him in October. It just worries

me as I already have asthma and don't want to complicate it Thanks

again

> Angie, I hope you saw that a has been posting information

relating

> to your question about MTX and the lungs.

>

> MTX (and other drugs) can cause inflammation of the lungs -

methotrexate

> pneumonitis. It's a serious complication of MTX therapy.

>

> Who will develop it cannot be predicted with certainty, so the

American

> College of Rheumatology (ACR) recommends that you have a chest X-

ray (or

> the results of one in your file no older than one year) before

beginning

> MTX therapy.

>

> It's not too late. You can ask your rheumatologist about this and

> request an X-ray. It's a cheap baseline test to have handy should

you

> develop pulmonary symptoms. Careful physicians also like to rule

out

> preexisting lung disease before beginning MTX.

>

> I'll tell you where to go!

>

> Mayo Clinic in Rochester

> http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

>

> s Hopkins Medicine

> http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

>

> [ ] mtx

>

> > I was wondering what exactly methetraxite can do to the lungs. I

> > never had a chest xray before i started it and have heard

comments

> > that it can cause problems with the lungs any information would

be

> > helpful

> >

> > Thank YOu

> > Angie Long

September 17, 2004