Methotrexate
Posted , 7 users are following.
I have just been prescribed 10 mg Methotrexate weekly. I was prescribed 24 tablets and took my first one last Friday. I have not been feeling so well this week and put it down to the new medication. However, when I went to take my 2nd one this Friday I noted that 4 tablets had already been taken. I realised that I must have taken 3 Methotrexate instead of 3 mg of Prednisolone one morning this week. Is this a big enough overdose to worry about. I have had stomach pains and headaches so far.
1 like, 18 replies
tina-uk_cwall mariemb
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mrsmop mariemb
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MTX comes in 2 strengths, 10mg and 2.5mg they are similar colours - I think it would be better if they were different colours!
Most UK doctors ask the pharmacists to dispens 2.4mg tablets and they only supply one month at a time.
You need to check what strength your tablets are. It could be that you haven't overdosed at all.
I keep my MTX and folic acid separate from my other drugs. I, too, take mine on a Friday but I take it on a Friday afternoon, when I don't have to take any other drugs. I keep a record in a diary.
If you find that you have taken 30mg of MTX, then you should contact your doctor. This is a chemotherapy drug and they use a much higher dose for chemo but, all the same, if you have taken more than you should, contact your doctor before you take the next dose.
Are you taking folic acid too? You should be.
Good luck!
mrsmop
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MrsO-UK_Surrey mrsmop
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"On mentioning to the moderator that it would be helpful to have an 'edit' facility on this site, he gave me the following link. The more votes we place the higher the chance of us having this option available when we look back and see that we have perhaps made a typing error that alters the gist of what we were trying to say:
http://patient.uservoice.com/forums/141505-general-feedback/suggestions/7016180-editing-our-own-comments-in-discussion-forums
MrsO-UK_Surrey mariemb
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An overdose of methotrexate will mainly affect the haematopoietic system, which is responsible for forming blood. An overdose can be treated with calcium folinate, which neutralises the effects of methotrexate toxicity.
janet08828 mariemb
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I take Methotrexate once a week - 6 tablets at one time - in total 15 mg. I am lucky in that I don't suffer from side effects to the methotrexate - prednisolone is another story!
If you have any doubts about overdose I would give the pharmacist a call - I would imagine that they could help.
Hope you feel better soon.
mariemb
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tina-uk_cwall mariemb
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mariemb tina-uk_cwall
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janet08828 mariemb
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Glad that panic is over!
I had the same worries - 4 different types of meds. some daily others once a week and one twice a week - no wonder we get confused - I resolved my problem with one of these "weekly dose" holders - I fill it once a week - one "tube" for each day -
each "tube" split into 3, morning/day/evening - saves confusion added to that I can see if I have forgotten anything!
mariemb janet08828
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EileenH mariemb
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If the dose isn't enough the PMR will flare so if you feel the symptoms you have could be a flare - think twice.
The most recent recommendations have been that methotrexate dosesn't help in the long term and advising against it in PMR. It doesn't replace the pred, it merely reduces the amount you need, but even that isn't proven. There were 3 studies, one said it helped, on said it didn't, one didn't know.
If the underlying autoimmune disorder is still active nothing will get you totally off pred, just at best to a lower dose - unless you don't have PMR but another arthritis and you have been misdiagnosed which isn't uncommon. MTX is the first line drug for many other forms of arthritis.
mrsmop mariemb
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mariemb mrsmop
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MrsO-UK_Surrey mariemb
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