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

[Guest guest]

" 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

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org