Rheumatrex (methotrexate) Coupons, Discounts & Cost
Rheumatrex (methotrexate) is an antitumor agent used for rheumatoid arthritis and some other rheumatic diseases. One way to save money on the Rheumatrex retail cost regardless of income and insurance status is to use Rheumatrex coupons or discount cards from RXCoupons. Use this Methotrexate coupon at this online pharmacy and receive up to 75% off the sale price.
Rheumatrex pharmacological properties
Rheumatrex (methotrexate) is an antitumor agent used for rheumatoid arthritis and some other rheumatic diseases. It is prescribed to patients in the form of tablets or injections. The drug suppresses cell division and blocks the growth of malignant neoplasms. It is prescribed in a dose of 7.5-25 mg once a week with a gradual increase in dosage by 2.5 mg every 2-4 weeks. The clinical effect occurs within 1-2 months.
It is necessary to perform regular blood tests during treatment with methotrexate due to its potential toxicity to the liver. Long-term methotrexate therapy can lead to cirrhosis and severe anemia.
Rheumatrex indications
- Trophoblastic neoplasms; - Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), acute lymphoblastic leukemia; - Severe forms of psoriasis; - Severe forms of mycosis fungoides; - Rheumatoid arthritis (when other methods are helpless).
Rheumatrex contraindications
- Disorders of kidney or liver function; - Hematologic disorders (including bone marrow hypoplasia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia); - Acute form of infectious diseases; - Immunodeficiency disorders; - Pregnancy and breastfeeding; - Age up to 3 years; - Hypersensitivity to the components of the drug.
Methotrexate is prescribed with caution to patients with peptic ulcers, ulcerative colitis, infectious diseases of bacterial, viral or fungal origin, dehydration, nephrolithiasis or gout. This drug should be avoided in patients after radiation or chemotherapy.
Rheumatrex dosage and administration
Your doctor should choose the dose and the duration of treatment on the basis of clinical indications (according to the chemotherapy regimen). Recommended dosing: - Trophoblastic tumors: 15-30 mg once a day for 5 days. The course is repeated 3 to 5 times with a break of one or more weeks (according to signs of toxicity). - Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (as part of complex therapy): 15-20 mg/m2 of patient's body surface once a day 2 times a week or 7.5 mg/m2 once a day for 5 days. - Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (as part of complex therapy): 3.3 mg/m2 in combination with prednisolone. - Psoriasis: 10-25 mg per week. The dose should be increased gradually. - Mycosis fungoides: the initial dose is 25 mg twice a week. The dose is reduced depending on the patient's reaction and hematological parameters. - Rheumatoid arthritis: the initial dose is 7.5 mg once a week or in 3 divided doses at intervals of 12 hours. An increase in the weekly dose to 20 mg is permissible in order to achieve optimal effect. The duration of therapy is determined individually.
Rheumatrex side effects
Hematopoietic system: thrombocytopenia, anemia (including aplastic anemia), leukopenia, agranulocytosis, neutropenia, eosinophilia, lymphadenopathy, pancytopenia.
Cardiovascular system: pericardial effusion, pericarditis, low blood pressure, thromboembolism (cerebral vascular thrombosis, arterial thrombosis, deep vein thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, retinal vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism).
Digestive system: nausea, vomiting, anorexia, stomatitis, pharyngitis, gingivitis, enteritis, erosive ulcerative lesions and bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract, pancreatitis, hepatotoxicity (hepatic insufficiency, acute hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver fibrosis, hypoalbuminemia).
Nervous system: drowsiness, dizziness, headache, paresis, aphasia, convulsions; high doses - emotional lability, encephalopathy.
Respiratory system: rarely - respiratory failure, pulmonary fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), interstitial pneumonitis, shortness of breath, dry cough, fever.
Skin: skin rash, erythematous rash, urticaria, photosensitivity, alopecia, ecchymosis, exfoliative dermatitis, furunculosis, acne, erythema multiforme, necrosis and ulceration of the skin, toxic epidermal necrolysis.
Genitourinary system: cystitis, renal failure or severe nephropathy, proteinuria, azotemia, hematuria, decreased libido, impotence, vaginal discharge, dysmenorrhea, gynecomastia, fetal death, infertility.
Musculoskeletal system: myalgia, arthralgia, osteoporosis, fractures, osteonecrosis.
Other: excessive sweating, diabetes, allergic reactions (including anaphylactic shock), allergic vasculitis, life-threatening opportunistic infections, histoplasmosis, nocardiosis, sepsis, herpes zoster, visual impairment (including temporary loss of vision), conjunctivitis.
Special instructions and precautions
Rheumatrex may cause severe and sometimes fatal side effects. Therefore, the therapy should be accompanied by careful medical supervision for detection of signs of toxicity.
Methotrexate may cause acute or chronic hepatotoxicity, including fibrosis and cirrhosis of the liver. Chronic hepatotoxicity may lead to a fatal outcome. Simultaneous administration of other hepatotoxic agents should be avoided.
Patients should avoid exposure to direct sunlight (in order to prevent photosensitization reactions).
It is recommended to take calcium folinate to reduce the toxicity of methotrexate after treatment.