Re: Re: Methotrexate should be taken once per week, NEVER DAILY, for RA

[Guest guest]

I'm glad to hear that your rheumatologist and pharmacist are aware of

how you are taking your MTX, Marina, but I wonder if, in addition to the

toxicity issue, daily dosing may also negatively impact efficacy.

You also understand, I'm sure, that I have an obligation to the group to

point out that taking MTX daily is in no way the norm, can be dangerous,

and is not to be attempted without the knowledge and consent of one's

physician.

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

[ ] Re: Methotrexate should be taken once per week,

NEVER DAILY, for RA

> That's what all my books say too, . My rheumy and my pharmacist

> said that as long as I am tolerating the divided doses it's ok. I

> did this cautiously and with frequent blood work.

>

>

>

> > " Weekly dosing of methotrexate is recommended. The entire dose can

> be

> > administered at once or divided into three doses taken over a 24-

> hour

> > period (i.e., every eight hours). Methotrexate should never be

> given in

> > daily doses. More frequent administration than weekly increases

> the risk

> > of toxicity. Most patients show a therapeutic response with weekly

> doses

> > of oral or injection therapy between 7.5 mg and 15.0 mg, although

> some

> > patients may need 20 or even 30 mg, the maximum recommended dose.

> > Therapeutic response usually begins at three to six weeks, and the

> > patient may continue to improve over a 12-week period. Treatment

> should

> > not be considered a failure unless the methotrexate doses have been

> > escalated above 15.0 mg to 17.5 mg per week without a clinical

> > response. Again, folate supplementation with 1 mg per day or 7 mg

> once

> > weekly should be considered for all patients. "

> >

> >

> > American Family Physician

> > " A Family Physician's Guide to Monitoring Methotrexate " :

> > http://www.aafp.org/afp/20001001/1607.html

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

I'm glad to hear that your rheumatologist and pharmacist are aware of

how you are taking your MTX, Marina, but I wonder if, in addition to the

toxicity issue, daily dosing may also negatively impact efficacy.

You also understand, I'm sure, that I have an obligation to the group to

point out that taking MTX daily is in no way the norm, can be dangerous,

and is not to be attempted without the knowledge and consent of one's

physician.

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

[ ] Re: Methotrexate should be taken once per week,

NEVER DAILY, for RA

> That's what all my books say too, . My rheumy and my pharmacist

> said that as long as I am tolerating the divided doses it's ok. I

> did this cautiously and with frequent blood work.

>

>

>

> > " Weekly dosing of methotrexate is recommended. The entire dose can

> be

> > administered at once or divided into three doses taken over a 24-

> hour

> > period (i.e., every eight hours). Methotrexate should never be

> given in

> > daily doses. More frequent administration than weekly increases

> the risk

> > of toxicity. Most patients show a therapeutic response with weekly

> doses

> > of oral or injection therapy between 7.5 mg and 15.0 mg, although

> some

> > patients may need 20 or even 30 mg, the maximum recommended dose.

> > Therapeutic response usually begins at three to six weeks, and the

> > patient may continue to improve over a 12-week period. Treatment

> should

> > not be considered a failure unless the methotrexate doses have been

> > escalated above 15.0 mg to 17.5 mg per week without a clinical

> > response. Again, folate supplementation with 1 mg per day or 7 mg

> once

> > weekly should be considered for all patients. "

> >

> >

> > American Family Physician

> > " A Family Physician's Guide to Monitoring Methotrexate " :

> > http://www.aafp.org/afp/20001001/1607.html

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

I'm still learning, and it's a lot of info I didn't get from my rheumy. In

the beginning, he instructed me to take 3 pills, one per day. Now I'm

finding tha too was wrong. Maybe I wouldn't have suffered with the newer

info available.

Dennis

[ ] Re: Methotrexate should be taken once per week, NEVER

DAILY, for RA

> That's what all my books say too, . My rheumy and my pharmacist

> said that as long as I am tolerating the divided doses it's ok. I

> did this cautiously and with frequent blood work.

>

>

>

>> " Weekly dosing of methotrexate is recommended. The entire dose can be

>> administered at once or divided into three doses taken over a 24- hour

>> period (i.e., every eight hours). Methotrexate should never be given in

>> daily doses.

[Guest guest]

I'm still learning, and it's a lot of info I didn't get from my rheumy. In

the beginning, he instructed me to take 3 pills, one per day. Now I'm

finding tha too was wrong. Maybe I wouldn't have suffered with the newer

info available.

Dennis

[ ] Re: Methotrexate should be taken once per week, NEVER

DAILY, for RA

> That's what all my books say too, . My rheumy and my pharmacist

> said that as long as I am tolerating the divided doses it's ok. I

> did this cautiously and with frequent blood work.

>

>

>

>> " Weekly dosing of methotrexate is recommended. The entire dose can be

>> administered at once or divided into three doses taken over a 24- hour

>> period (i.e., every eight hours). Methotrexate should never be given in

>> daily doses.