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Is Bactrim Safe To Be Taken While On Methotrexate?
I have been on Methotrexate for last 4 months. Was put on Bactrim DS starting last Sunday for bladder procedure on Monday. I have sores since Tuesday mouth and throat. I have Sjorgrens syndrome. Someone mentioned that you should never take the two drugs together . In researching there can be serious drug inderactions! Neither Urologist or rheumatologist mentioned this to me. We are stopping the methotrexate due to suspected side effects. Scared that sores are due to the interaction of the two drugs. Not sure what to do for them. But also worried about long term reprocushions of having been on the two drugs. What to do. Stopping the Bactria too!
Fri, 30 Mar 2018
Hello,
It is not safe to take Bactrim DS while on Methotrexate. Bactrim DS (double strength) is a combination of two antibiotics (Sulfamethoxazole+Trimethoprim) which is used to treat various susceptible bacterial infections including urinary tract infection.
When taken along with Methotrexate it can produce harmful effects in the following manner:
1. Methotrexate when used alone can cause impaired bone marrow function resulting in low numbers of different types of blood cells, and taking it with Trimethoprim can increase the risk many folds. You may be more likely to develop anemia, bleeding problems, or infections due to low blood cell counts.
2. Sulfamethoxazole may increase the blood levels of Methotrexate. This may increase the risk and/or severity of side effects such as vomiting, diarrhea, mouth sores, ulcers, hair loss, liver and kidney problems, and impaired bone marrow function resulting in low numbers of different types of blood cells.
You may also be more likely to develop anemia, bleeding problems, or infections due to low blood cell counts.
I advise you to consult your treating doctor for either a dose adjustment of Methotrexate or to prescribe an alternate effective drug for Sjogren's syndrome.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Mohammed Taher Ali
It is not safe to take Bactrim DS while on Methotrexate. Bactrim DS (double strength) is a combination of two antibiotics (Sulfamethoxazole+Trimethoprim) which is used to treat various susceptible bacterial infections including urinary tract infection.
When taken along with Methotrexate it can produce harmful effects in the following manner:
1. Methotrexate when used alone can cause impaired bone marrow function resulting in low numbers of different types of blood cells, and taking it with Trimethoprim can increase the risk many folds. You may be more likely to develop anemia, bleeding problems, or infections due to low blood cell counts.
2. Sulfamethoxazole may increase the blood levels of Methotrexate. This may increase the risk and/or severity of side effects such as vomiting, diarrhea, mouth sores, ulcers, hair loss, liver and kidney problems, and impaired bone marrow function resulting in low numbers of different types of blood cells.
You may also be more likely to develop anemia, bleeding problems, or infections due to low blood cell counts.
I advise you to consult your treating doctor for either a dose adjustment of Methotrexate or to prescribe an alternate effective drug for Sjogren's syndrome.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Mohammed Taher Ali
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