Health Board

Methotrexate is one of the most recognizable drugs in the world, and in certain circles, also one of the most widely used. It is not popular in the sense that it can ease pain and inflammation like how aspirin and ibuprofen are popular, but it is regarded as incredibly strong and potent. Methotrexate is used for treating several kinds of autoimmune diseases and cancer, such as breast cancer, leukemia, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis. And in some cases, Methotrexate is used for inducing abortion and getting rid of an ectopic pregnancy.

Despite its potency, Methotrexate cannot be considered a perfect cure for autoimmune diseases, for it cannot heal those suffering from cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. During chemotherapy for cancer, when Methotrexate is administered in large doses, the drug is used in a combination with other medicines to help put the disease in remission, but it is not considered a cure for cancer in any way. And although Methotrexate can put a stop to the worsening of the damage of rheumatoid arthritis on the joints of the body, it cannot effectively remove the disease or heal the damage already inflicted on the joints.

In some cases, patients given Methotrexate injections or oral supplements will experience side effects, despite the fact that the drug is usually given in a weekly rather than daily dose. Methotrexate side effects can be serious, such as jaundice, convulsions, pain around the chest, cardiac arrhythmia, mental changes, bone pain, hemorrhaging, and fever. These side effects stem from Methotrexate’s unique effect on fast-growing cells like cancer cells and embryonic cells, but they can also affect normal cell growth and production.

The dosage of Methotrexate can vary depending on the disease it is prescribed for treating, how progressed the disease has become, as well as the health condition of the person. If the patient is taking other drugs, such as a high Simvastatin dosage, Methotrexate may need to be given in low doses to avoid the possibility of an interaction between the two drugs. Dosages can be adjusted on how the disease and the body responds to the drug; lowering the weekly dose to 10 mg from 30 mg can take place if the patient experiences severe side effects or if the drug has worked well enough that a smaller dose will be more beneficial for the patient’s health. For some cases like ectopic pregnancies and abortions, Methotrexate is given only for a short while, but for treating autoimmune diseases, the patient may need to stay on therapy of the drug as long as necessary. Treatment with Methotrexate can only be started with a doctor’s permission, and it should also only be stopped if the doctor sees fit to end the therapy.