Patient Information Leaflet
Wyeth 2.5 mg Weekly Methotrexate Tablets
DO NOT EXCEED THE RECOMMENDED DOSE PRESCRIBED BY YOUR DOCTOR. THE DOSE FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC ARTHRITIS, PSORIASIS, PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS, REACTIVE ARTHRITIS, ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA AND LYMPHOMASIS ADMINISTERED ONCE A WEEK. CASES OF DEATH HAVE BEEN REPORTED RELATED TO DAILY ADMINISTRATION OF THIS MEDICAMENT INSTEAD OF WEEKLY. CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR OR PHARMACIST IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT HOW MUCH AND HOW OFTEN YOU SHOULD TAKE THIS MEDICINE.
Read this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine, because it contains important information for you.
Wyeth Weekly Methotrexate belongs to a group of medicines called folate acid analog antimetabolites.
Methotrexate in high doses is indicated for the treatment of some types of cancer such as leukemias and lymphomas.
Methotrexate in low doses is indicated for:
Before starting to use this medication, you must consult your doctor about the risks and benefits of treatment with methotrexate. It is very important that you use methotrexate exactly as your doctor has instructed you.If you use methotrexate more frequently or in higher doses than indicated by your doctor, you may suffer from severe adverse reactions, including death.
Do not take MetotrexateweeklyWyeth
Additionally, in non-oncological indications (treatment not related to cancer)
Warnings and precautions
Important warning about the dose ofMetotrexate weekly Wyeth 2.5 mg tablets:
Take Metotrexate weekly Wyeth only once a week for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and lymphomas.
Taking too much methotrexate can be fatal. Read carefully section 3 of this leaflet. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medication.
Consult your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse before starting to take this medication.
Your doctor will inform you of the benefits and risks of treatment with methotrexate, as well as the symptoms that may indicate possible toxicity due to the medication.
If you find yourself in any of the following cases, consult your doctor before using this medication.
Recommended precautions and complementary analyses
Even if methotrexate is used at low doses, severe adverse effects may occur. To detect them in time, your doctor should perform control analyses and laboratory tests.
Before starting treatment:
Before starting treatment, your blood will be analyzed to see if you have enough blood cells. Your blood will also be analyzed to check liver function and to see if you have hepatitis. In addition, your blood will be checked for serum albumin (a protein in the blood), liver status (hepatic infection), and renal function. Your doctor may also decide to perform other liver tests, some of which may be images of your liver, and others may require a small sample of liver tissue for closer examination. Your doctor may also check if you have tuberculosis and take a chest X-ray or perform a respiratory function test.
During treatment:
Your doctor may perform the following controls:
- Examine the oral cavity and pharynx to detect changes in the mucosa, such as inflammation or ulceration;
- Blood analysis/hemogram with blood cell count and measurement of serum methotrexate levels;
- Blood analysis to control liver function;
- Diagnostic imaging tests to control liver status;
- Small sample of liver tissue extracted for closer examination;
- Blood analysis to control renal function;
- Control of respiratory pathways, and if necessary, respiratory function test.
It is very important that you attend these scheduled controls.
If the results of any of these tests are noteworthy, your doctor will adjust your treatment accordingly.
Patients of advanced age
Patients of advanced age being treated with methotrexate should be closely monitored by a doctor to detect possible adverse effects as soon as possible.
The deterioration of liver and renal function related to age, as well as the low vitamin B12 reserves in the elderly, require a relatively low dose of methotrexate.
Your doctor will regularly monitor your condition to check if the medication is having the expected effect.
Children, adolescents, and elderly people
Children, adolescents, and elderly people being treated with methotrexate should be closely monitored by a doctor to detect possible adverse effects as soon as possible.
It is not recommended to use this medication in children under 3 years of age because the experience with the use of this medication is insufficient in that age group
Other medicationsand MetotrexateweeklyWyeth
Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have taken recently, or may need to take any other medication.
It is especially important to inform your doctor if you are taking any of the following medications:
Additionally, certain therapies may interact with methotrexate. This is the case of PUVA therapy (methoxsalen and ultraviolet light) in patients with psoriasis or a disease called mycosis fungoides, as well as radiation therapy.
During treatment with methotrexate, you should exercise caution when receiving a blood transfusion.
Use of MetotrexateweeklyWyeth with food, drinks, and alcohol
While taking methotrexate, you should avoid consuming alcohol, as this may increase the likelihood of adverse effects, especially in the liver.Avoid excessive consumption of coffee, fizzy drinks containing caffeine, and black teaYour doctor may instruct you to take more liquids than usual. This will help you eliminate the medication and prevent kidney problems.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and fertility
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you think you may be pregnant, consult your doctor or pharmacist before using this medication.
Consult your doctor or pharmacist before using any medication.
Do not use this medication during pregnancy except if your doctor has prescribed it as oncological treatment (cancer treatment). Methotrexate may cause birth defects, harm the fetus, or cause abortions. It is associated with cranial, facial, heart, and vascular malformations, brain, and limb defects. Therefore, it is very important that it is not administered to pregnant women or women who plan to become pregnant, unless it is used as oncological treatment.
In non-oncological indications (not related to cancer) in women of childbearing age, any possibility of pregnancy should be excluded, for example, by a pregnancy test, before starting treatment.
Do not use this medication if you are trying to become pregnant. You should avoid becoming pregnant while taking methotrexate and for at least 6 months after completing treatment. To do this, you should ensure that you are using reliable contraceptive methods during that time (see also section «Warnings and precautions»).
If you become pregnant during treatment or suspect that you may be pregnant, consult your doctor as soon as possible. If you become pregnant during treatment, you should receive information about the risk of harmful effects on the child during treatment.
If you want to become pregnant, consult your doctor, who may refer you to a specialist to inform you before starting treatment.
Do not breastfeed your child during treatment, as methotrexate passes into breast milk. If your doctor considers it absolutely necessary to continue treatment with methotrexate during the breastfeeding period, you should stop breastfeeding.
The available data do not indicate a higher risk of malformations or abortions if the father takes a methotrexate dose of less than 30 mg/week. However, this risk cannot be completely ruled out, and there is no information on higher doses of methotrexate. Methotrexate may be genotoxic, meaning it may cause genetic mutations. Methotrexate may affect sperm production, which is associated with the possibility of birth defects.
Therefore, you should avoid fathering a child or donating semen during treatment with methotrexate and for at least 3 months after completing treatment. Since treatment with methotrexate at higher doses commonly used in cancer treatment may cause infertility and genetic mutations, men treated with methotrexate doses higher than 30 mg/week should consider semen conservation before starting treatment (see also section «Warnings and precautions»).
Driving and operating machinery
Do not drive vehicles or operate machinery after taking Metotrexate weekly Wyeth, as some of the possible adverse effects, such as dizziness and fatigue, may affect your ability to drive vehicles and operate machinery.
MethotrexateweeklyWyeth contains lactose
This medication contains lactose. If your doctor has told you that you are intolerant to certain sugars, consult with them before taking this medication.
Recommended dose:
Dose in rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and reactive arthritis:
Take Methotrexate weekly Wyeth 2.5 mg tabletsonly once a week.
The initial dose for rheumatoid arthritis in adults is 3 tablets (7.5 mg)once a week. According to the evolution of treatment, your doctor may consider increasing the dose by 1 tablet every 6-8 weeks, up to a maximum dose of 8 tablets (20 mg)per week.
The recommended initial dose for juvenile idiopathic polyarticular arthritis is 10-15 mg/m2once a weekadministered orally.
The initial dose in adults forpsoriasis and psoriatic arthritisis 3 tablets (7.5 mg)once a week.According to the evolution of treatment, your doctor may consider increasing the dose by 1 tablet every 4-6 weeks, up to a maximum dose of 10 tablets (25 mg)per week.
The recommended dose forreactive arthritisis 3 tablets (7.5 mg)once a week.According to the evolution of treatment, your doctor may consider increasing the dose up to a maximum dose of 8 tablets (20 mg)per week.
Dose in leukemias and lymphomas:
It may take several months before you can appreciate the complete benefits of this medication. Do not increase your dose or take this medication more frequently or for a longer period than prescribed. Your disease will not improve faster and instead you may increase your risk of experiencing adverse effects, which could be potentially fatal.
Graphic information on taking tablets in inflammatory indications for adults
Each package of Methotrexate weekly Wyeth contains 24 tablets, which are presented divided into 2 blisters, each containing 12 tablets. Each tablet contains a dose of 2.5 mg of methotrexate. Below are graphic schemes of the recommended number of tablets to take for each of theinflammatory indicationsdescribed above. It is very important that you follow your doctor's instructions and take only the correct number of tablets that your doctor has prescribed for your disease. Remember also that taking the tablets indicated by your doctor should be done 1 time per week.Please notethe day chosen for weekly intake in the space provided for this purpose in the package.
RA, PSORIASIS AND PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS
Theinitial dose in adults is 3 tablets (7.5 mg)once a week. Therefore, thepackage of Methotrexate weekly Wyeth containing 24 tabletscovers the treatment for 8 weeks, distributing the tablets as follows:
If the dose had to be increased, 1 additional tablet (2.5 mg) would be added per week, i.e. 4 tablets per week. In this case, thepackage of Methotrexate weekly Wyeth with 24 tabletswould cover the treatment for 6 weeks, as follows.
REACTIVE ARTHRITIS
Therecommended dose is 3 tablets (7.5 mg) to 8 tablets (20 mg)once a week. Therefore, thepackage of Methotrexate weekly Wyeth containing 24 tabletscovers the treatment for 8 weeks at the initial dose of 3 tablets (7.5 mg), distributing the tablets as follows:
If your doctor increased the dose, he would add 1 additional tablet (2.5 mg) per week up to a maximum of 8 tablets (20 mg) per week. Only in the case where your doctor prescribes the maximum dose, thepackage of Methotrexate weekly Wyeth with 24 tabletswould cover the treatment for 3 weeks, as follows.
Use in elderly patients
Elderly patients should receive a relatively low dose due to the decrease in liver and kidney function and the lower folate reserves related to age.
Use in patients with kidney and liver problems
Consult your doctor as it may be necessary to adjust the dose and in some cases the medication may be contraindicated.
Use in children
Your doctor will calculate the necessary dose based on the child's body surface (m2), and the dose is expressed in mg/m2.
If you take more MethotrexateweeklyWyeth than you should
If you have taken more MethotrexateweeklyWyeth than you should, consult your doctor or pharmacist immediately.
In case of overdoseor accidental ingestion, consult the Toxicology Information Service, phone 91 562 04 20, indicating the medication and the amount ingested.
If you received more methotrexate than you should, it is recommended to administer folinic acid as soon as possible, as well as hydrate and alkalize the urine.
If you forgot to takeMethotrexateweeklyWyeth
Do not take a double dose to compensate for the missed doses. Take the next dose when it is due.
If you interrupt treatment withMethotrexateweeklyWyeth
Do not interrupt treatment unless your doctor tells you to. If you have any other questions about the use of this medication, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
If you have any other questions about the use of this medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everyone will experience them.
If you consider that any of the side effects you are experiencing are severe or if you notice any side effect not mentioned in this leaflet, inform your doctor or pharmacist.
Inform your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following side effects:
*reported with methotrexate when used in patients with underlying rheumatological disease.
The following side effects have also been reported:
Very common(may affect more than 1 in 10 people):
Common(may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
Rare(may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
Very rare(may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people):
Frequency not known(cannot be estimated from available data):
*reported with methotrexate when used in patients with underlying rheumatological disease.
Reporting of side effects
If you experience any type of side effect, consult your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse, even if it is a possible side effect not listed in this leaflet. You can also report them directly through the Spanish System for Pharmacovigilance of Medicines for Human Use:https://www.notificaram.es. By reporting side effects, you can contribute to providing more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep this medication out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not store at a temperature above 25°C.
Do not use this medication after the expiration date that appears on the packaging after CAD. The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.
Medications should not be disposed of through drains or in the trash.Deposit the packaging and medications you no longer need atthe SIGREpoint at the pharmacy. If in doubtask your pharmacist how to dispose of the packaging and medications you no longer need. By doing so, you will help protect the environment.
Metotrexate CompositionWeeklyWyeth
Appearance of the product and contents of the packaging
MetotrexateWeeklyWyeth 2.5 mg tablets are presented in PVC/aluminum blisters containing 24 tablets for oral administration.
Marketing Authorization Holder
WYETH FARMA, S.A.
Ctra. Burgos, Km. 23
San Sebastián de los Reyes
28700 – Madrid
Spain
Responsible for Manufacturing
Excella GmbH & Co. KG
NürnbergerStrasse 12,
90537 Feucht,
Germany
You can request more information about this medication by contacting the local representative of the marketing authorization holder:
Pfizer, S.L.
Avda. de Europa, 20-B
Parque Empresarial La Moraleja
28108 Alcobendas (Madrid)
Spain
Last review date of this leaflet:March 2025.
The detailed and updated information about this medication is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS) http://www.aemps.gob.es/
Есть вопросы по этому лекарству или вашим симптомам? Свяжитесь с лицензированным врачом для получения помощи и персонализированного ухода.