Re: Methotrexate/Theresa

[Guest guest]

Hi, Theresa!

I'm hoping you avoid catching any sort of infection from your children or

anyone else before your trip.

Methotrexate is a very powerful drug. It is a very effective treatment of

rheumatoid arthritis, but patients taking it have to be monitored very

closely for any signs of toxic side effects. In addition, methotrexate can

lower your resistance to infections. That is why your doctor would be very

concerned should you start to develop an infection. Your body's ability to

fight the infection may be hampered while on methotrexate.

One of our moderators, Pat, who has been absent from our group for quite

some time due to some rather challenging health problems, could tell you

much about this drug from personal experience. Since methotrexate can also

cause serious damage to the lungs, she recommends that people have a

baseline x-ray before starting treatment with the drug.

Here is some further information on methotrexate:

http://shn.webmd.com/printing/asset/uspdi.202356

From the site below: " Infection or Immunologic States: Methotrexate should

be used with extreme caution in the presence of active infection, and is

usually contraindicated in patients with overt or laboratory evidence of

immunodeficiency syndromes. Immunization may be ineffective when given

during methotrexate therapy. Immunization with live virus vaccines is

generally not recommended. There have been reports of disseminated vaccinia

infections after smallpox immunization in patients receiving methotrexate

therapy. Hypogammaglobulinemia has been reported rarely. "

http://www.rxmed.com/monographs/methot.html

In the following article, it is stated that " lung disease occurs in up to 5%

of people who take methotrexate " (check in the DMARDs section):

http://content.health.msn.com/content/dmk/dmk_article_56843

Have a wonderful week in France! Wish I were going, too.

----- Original Message -----

From: <tmgoley@...>

< egroups>

Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2000 10:11 AM

Subject: Re: [ ] Digest Number 1306

> Hope everyone out there enjoying their weekend. I had a quick question

for

> anyone out there on mtx. My husband and I are planning a trip to France

next

> week, which I am looking forward to but also nervous about. (Praying for

no

> flares in Europe.) My kids have been a little sick and I have developed a

> bit of a sore throat and cough over the weekend. I'm hoping it's

allergies,

> but I thought the medical asst. in my Rhuemy's office mentioned that if I

> developed an upper respiratory infection they would need to pull me off

the

> mtx. Is this true? I can't imagine making the trip to France without the

> Mtx. Does anyone know anything about this?? It's the weekend, so I can't

> get my doc. Thanks so much for your help.

> Theresa