Immunization Side Effects

Methotrexate Side Effects

Methotrexate may cause very serious side effects. Some side effects of methotrexate may cause death. You should only take methotrexate to treat life-threatening cancer, or certain other conditions that are very severe and that cannot be treated with other medications. Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking methotrexate for your condition.

Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had excess fluid in your stomach area or in the space around your lungs and if you have or have ever had kidney disease. Also tell your doctor if you are taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) such as aspirin, choline magnesium trisalicylate (Tricosal, Trilisate), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), magnesium salicylate (Doan’s), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), or salsalate. These conditions and medications may increase the risk that you will develop serious side effects of methotrexate. Your doctor will monitor you more carefully and may need to give you a lower dose of methotrexate or stop your treatment with methotrexate.
All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Methotrexate:

Dizziness; drowsiness; general body discomfort; headache; loss of appetite; mild hair loss; mild sore throat; mild stomach pain; nausea; tiredness.
Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Methotrexate:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); back pain; black or bloody stools; blood in the urine; bone pain; calf or leg pain, redness, swelling, or tenderness; change in amount of urine produced; chest pain; confusion; coughing up blood; diarrhea or vomiting; difficult or painful urination; dry cough;enlargement of the breasts (in males); fainting; fever, chills, or persistent sore throat; menstrual changes; mental or mood changes; mouth or tongue sores or swelling; muscle weakness; night sweats; one-sided weakness; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin; seizures; severe or persistent headache, drowsiness, dizziness, or light-headedness; shortness of breath; speech changes; swollen glands; symptoms of liver problems (eg, dark urine, pale stools, persistent loss of appetite, severe stomach pain, yellowing of the skin or eyes); symptoms of pancreas inflammation (eg, severe stomach pain with or without nausea or vomiting); unexplained weight loss; unusual bleeding or bruising; unusual pain and discoloration of the skin; unusual tiredness or weakness; vaginal discharge; vision loss or other vision changes (eg, blurred vision); vomit that looks like coffee grounds.

This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. To report side effects to the appropriate agency, please read the Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA.

Methotrexate Tablets

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Methotrexate Tablets:

Dizziness; drowsiness; general body discomfort; headache; loss of appetite; mild hair loss; mild stomach pain; nausea; tiredness.
Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Methotrexate Tablets:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); black, tarry stools; blood in the urine; bone pain; calf or leg pain, redness, swelling, or tenderness; change in the amount of urine produced; chest pain; confusion; coughing up blood; diarrhea or vomiting; difficult or painful urination; dry cough; enlargement of the breasts (in males); fainting; fever, chills, or persistent sore throat; menstrual changes; mental or mood changes; mouth or tongue sores or swelling; muscle weakness; night sweats; one-sided weakness; red, swollen, peeling, or blistered skin; seizures; severe or persistent dizziness or light-headedness; shortness of breath; speech changes; swollen glands; symptoms of liver problems (eg, dark urine, pale stools, persistent loss of appetite, severe stomach pain, yellowing of the skin or eyes); symptoms of pancreas inflammation (eg, severe stomach pain with or without nausea or vomiting); unexplained weight loss; unusual bleeding or bruising; unusual pain and discoloration of the skin; unusual tiredness or weakness; vaginal discharge; vision loss or other vision changes (eg, blurred vision); vomit that looks like coffee grounds.

This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. To report side effects to the appropriate agency, please read the Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA.