Methotrexate – familydoctor.org

What else should I know about taking methotrexate?

It’s important to keep every appointment with your doctor. He or she will need to watch the medicine’s effect on your body. They will also order blood tests to check your kidneys, liver, and blood production.

Do not drink any alcohol, not even beer or wine. Drinking alcohol while you’re taking methotrexate can cause serious liver problems.

Avoid taking medicine for pain or inflammation unless your doctor tells you it’s okay. This includes over-the-counter pain medicine such as NSAIDs. Examples of NSAIDS are ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen (Aleve). Pain medicines can increase the effects of methotrexate, which can be bad for you.

Do not take any vitamins, supplements, or herbal products without talking to your doctor first. These can cause serious damage to your body.

Don’t get any vaccines (shots) while you’re taking methotrexate. If you’ve stopped taking methotrexate, talk to your doctor to make sure that it’s okay to get a vaccine.

Taking methotrexate can make it easier for you to get an infection. Try to avoid people who are sick.

Methotrexate and pregnancy

Don’t take methotrexate if you or your partner are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding. It can hurt your baby. Even touching or inhaling the dust from the tablet can allow the medicine to get into the body. Methotrexate goes into sperm, so it’s important that a man taking it doesn’t get his partner pregnant.

Whether you’re male or female, you must use birth control while taking methotrexate. You can take birth control pills, use a condom plus a spermicidal foam, or not have sex. After stopping methotrexate, women must continue to use birth control or not have sex until they have had at least 1 menstrual period after their last dose. Men should use birth control or not have sex for 3 months after their last dose of methotrexate.

If you have a young baby before taking methotrexate, don’t breastfeed him or her while taking this drug.