Rheumatrex or Amethopterin
Complete list of drugs used to
treat arthritis.
Rheumatrex or Amethopterin is used to treat:
- psoriasis
- rheumatoid arthritis
- trophoblastic neoplasms
- leukemias
Rheumatrex or Amethopterin is in a class of drugs known as
antimetabolites; it slows the growth of certain cells in your body. Rheumatrex or
Amethopterin helps control your symptoms but may not cure your disease.
Other uses for Rheumatrex or Amethopterin
This medication should not be prescribed for other uses; ask your
doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Before taking Rheumatrex or Amethopterin,
- tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to Rheumatrex or Amethopterin or any
other drugs.
- tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you
are taking, especially those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, azathioprine
(Imuran), oral acne medications such as isotretinoin (Accutane) and tretinoin (Vesanoid),
oral diabetes medications, phenytoin (Dilantin), probenecid (Benemid), sulfa drugs
(Bactrim, Septra), sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), tetracycline (Achromycin V, Sumycin), and
vitamins.
- in addition to the conditions listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, tell your doctor
if you have or have ever had liver disease, ulcers, problems with your immune system,
intestinal disease, or cancer.
- you should know that Rheumatrex or Amethopterin may interfere with the normal menstrual
cycle (period) in women and may stop sperm production in men. However, you should not
assume that you cannot get pregnant or that you cannot get someone else pregnant. You
should not plan to have children while receiving chemotherapy or for a while after
treatments. (Talk to your doctor for further details.) Use a reliable method of birth
control to prevent pregnancy.
- tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding.
- before having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are
taking Rheumatrex or Amethopterin.
- tell your doctor if you have a history of alcohol abuse. Do not drink alcohol; alcohol
increases the chance of liver damage with Rheumatrex or Amethopterin.
- do not have any vaccinations (e.g., measles or flu shots) without talking to your
doctor.
Side effects of Rheumatrex or Amethopterin
Side effects from Rheumatrex or Amethopterin are common and include:
- thinned or brittle hair
- blistering skin or acne
- loss of appetite or weight
Tell your doctor if either of these symptoms is severe or lasts for
several hours:
If you experience any of the following symptoms or those listed in the
IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:
- painful urination or red urine
- black, tarry stools
- unusual bruising or bleeding
- congestion
- fever
- dizziness
- chills
- shortness of breath
- sore throat
- swelling of the feet or ankles
- vomiting
- pain in the joints
- seizures
- severe skin rash
Special warning about Rheumatrex or Amethopterin
Rheumatrex or Amethopterin can cause a decrease in the number of blood cells in your
bone marrow. Rheumatrex or Amethopterin also can cause cancerous lymphomas, tumor lysis
syndrome (electrolyte imbalances), severe skin reactions, infections such as pneumonia,
bone and soft tissue damage, and severe damage to your liver, kidneys, lungs, and
gastrointestinal tract (some of which can be fatal). Keep all appointments with your
doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order lab tests before, during, and after your
treatment to see if you are affected by this drug. Tell your doctor if you have ascites
(collection of fluid in the abdomen), kidney disease, or lung disease and if you are
getting radiation therapy. Tell your doctor if you are taking aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil,
Motrin, or Nuprin), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Actron, Orudis), naproxen (Aleve,
Anaprox, Naprosyn), or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).If you
experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: dry cough;
diarrhea; loss of appetite; nausea, stomach pain; weakness; weight loss; excessive
tiredness; lack of energy; yellowness of the skin or eyes; enlargement of the lymph nodes;
blisters on the cheek, tongue and lips; or skin rash. Because of the dangers of taking
Rheumatrex or Amethopterin, this drug should be used to treat only life-threatening cancer
or severe psoriasis or rheumatoid arthritis that does not respond to other treatments.
Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking Rheumatrex or Amethopterin.If you are
pregnant or plan to become pregnant, especially if you have psoriasis or rheumatoid
arthritis, talk you your doctor about the risks of taking Rheumatrex or Amethopterin for
your condition. If you become pregnant, call your doctor immediately. Rheumatrex or
Amethopterin may harm the fetus. |
