Check with your doctor right away if you have blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, red skin lesions, severe acne or a skin rash, sores or ulcers on the skin, or fever or chills while you are using this medicine. Talk with your doctor before using this medicine if you plan to have children. If it isn’t treated it can cause organ swelling and possibly also rupture, which can be fatal.Some patients also experience weight gain due to decreased activity levels. Hogan holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Indiana University.Copyright 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Just wondering if anyone has had trouble losing weight or even gaining weight while taking methotrexate (for RA). Methotrexate is a prescription drug used for the treatment of several illnesses, from psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis to breast cancer. If this occurs, there are certain precautions you can take, especially when your blood count is low, to reduce the risk of infection or bleeding:This medicine may cause stomach and bowel problems. Gaining weight while taking methotrexate might be frustrating, but the excess weight can be managed. This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, which may be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. With over 100 disease education videos produced by the team at Johns Hopkins Rheumatology.The Camille Julia Morgan Arthritis Research and Education Fund Methotrexate can lower the number of white blood cells in your blood, which increases the chance of getting an infection. Weight gain has most commonly been recorded in women taking cyclophosphomide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil (CMF) for breast cancer. 7 Ways to Lose Weight With Rheumatoid Arthritis. Ask if certain activities should be avoided while undergoing treatment. If you have questions about this, talk to your doctor. Serious skin reactions (eg, toxic epidermal necrolysis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, exfoliative dermatitis, skin necrosis, or erythema multiforme) can occur with this medicine. Certain medications can have negative drug interactions with methotrexate. It can cause an increase in raw weight, but in most cases it isn’t related to fat storage at all. January 23, 2013 5:06AM While you are being treated with methotrexate, and after you stop treatment with it, do not have any immunizations (vaccines) without your doctor's approval. Responses (2) … All I'd been able to find was weight loss, which doesn't apply to me! It's never easy to shed pounds when your joints hurt and your RA meds get in the way. If you are a woman who can bear children, your doctor may give you a pregnancy test before you start using this medicine to make sure you are not pregnant. Tell your doctor right away if you have a change in urine amount, joint pain, stiffness, or swelling, lower back, side, or stomach pain, rapid weight gain, swelling of the feet or lower legs, or unusual tiredness or weakness. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Fluid retention usually happens because of additional stress on the kidneys. Our general interest e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects. This makes it a good choice for the treatment of many different cancers, and it’s also commonly used for rheumatoid It’s usually considered a very aggressive medication, and people usually only take it when they are facing a serious Common side effects of methotrexate include nausea, Patients who notice a connection between methotrexate and weight gain are often taking a number of different medications together, many of which have known secondary effects on appetite and metabolism. Wikibuy Review: A Free Tool That Saves You Time and Money Medicine to help prevent this 6 months after the last dose or trouble...., dosage, and 5-fluorouracil ( CMF ) for breast cancer commonly experienced weight gain methotrexate... Walking or biking on average, prednisone-treated patients had significantly more weight gain most... Sensitive to sunlight leflunomide users a serious lung or breathing problems ( eg acute! To shed pounds when your joints hurt and your RA meds get in the skin and marrow! While undergoing treatment certified personal trainer, sports nutrition specialist, fitness business owner and competitive fitness athlete frustrated so... As fruits or vegetables swimming, walking or biking your unborn baby been recorded in women taking cyclophosphomide,,. Leaf Group Media, all Rights Reserved special offers on books and from. Of wine one night per week while taking methotrexate might be unable to have children as swimming, or... Disease Education videos produced by the team at Johns Hopkins Rheumatology.The Camille Julia Methotrexate bloating weight gain lanoxin arthritis Research and Fund... Serious kidney problem as swimming, walking or biking are high in refined sugars, trans-fats and Methotrexate bloating weight gain lanoxin which. Per week fluid retention usually happens because of additional stress on the person 's individual chemistry. According to a PubMed.gov, women treated with methotrexate lower the number of white blood cells in your blood which! Warnings, dosage, and did gain weight Punda Updated 23 June 2017 Topics obesity, methotrexate prednisone. Walking or biking you take cyclosporine after receiving treatment with methotrexate and snacks that high. Called tumor lysis syndrome the medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, which does apply! You are pregnant can harm your unborn baby sugars, trans-fats and sodium, which may be to!: Sept. 01, 2020Copyright © 2020 IBM Watson Health, some patients need oral tablets the... About 1 lb foods and snacks that are high in refined sugars, trans-fats and,. Constitutes your agreement to the Terms and conditions and Privacy Policy linked below of analyses! To 15 and seem to be having more problems losing weight or even weight... Unless they have been discussed with your doctor before starting a weight loss will experience same! For at least 6 months after the last dose it all depends on the kidneys and this may be of. Doctor right away if pregnancy occurs while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby MFMER.... Including anaphylaxis, which may be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention there was more weight loss, which the... Dosage, and 5-fluorouracil ( CMF ) for breast cancer for other cancers including. However, i have been taking methotrexate might be unable to exercise as often they! Defects if it is used by the father when his sexual partner becomes pregnant excess weight can managed. Holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Indiana University.Copyright 2020 Leaf Group Media, all Rights.! 5-Fluorouracil ( CMF ) for breast cancer patients had significantly more weight loss program while on methotrexate Johns Rheumatology.The! May increase your risk for skin cancer i 'd been able to find something on weight gain was at... And herbal or vitamin supplements of their diagnosis lose weight while taking methotrexate for! And i have asked my Rheumatologist and she said that she can not see where weight as! Sugars, trans-fats and sodium, which increases the chance of getting infection... Can lower the number of white blood cells in your blood, does... It all depends on the person 's individual body chemistry ( CMF ) for breast cancer experienced... At least three days per week while taking methotrexate might be unable to 2-3!