Anybody taking Bactrim + Methotrexate?

[Minneapolismark]

My rheumatologist has me taking both bactrim and methotrexate. These drugs are listed as having potentially fatal interactions. I've mentioned this several times to my rheumatologist but he just smiles and says "that's not a problem."

I stopped taking the Bactrim and am not having the "mock heart attacks" I was having... shortness of breath, massive chest pain etc.

Just wondering if anyone else is on this combination of meds and whether it is working.

[elephant]

I hope your not seeing the Rhuemy....sorry if I am being straight forward, you got to go to Mayo and see the Dr that JanW mentioned. The Bactrim was probably causing heart burn and you already have issues with your GI tract ( intestines).

[Psyborg]

I am and I'm not having problems with it, but I seem to encounter few issues with meds so I'm not a good example.

[ScreaminMeanie]

I am taking both, although my rheumy says I can go off the Bactrim anytime. I seem to feel better when I am taking it than when I'm not. I'm keeping an eye out for shortness of breath and chest pain. So far, so good. *knock wood*

Hope your doc (or a different one) can get things better sorted out for you. How much of each drug are you taking? I'm on 20 mg MTX/week, and 37.5/25 mg Bactrim MWF.

[elephant]

ScreaminMeanie your on a low dose of Bactrim, and you are taking it only three times a week, so your side effects. So glad to hear that it's working for you!
I was recently taking 800/160 daily and that was causing so much GI distress I had to stop.

[Jack]

I think that a lot of the contra indications that you read about drugs are just possibilities that have to be looked out for rather than something that is definitely going to occur. When I read about the drugs that I take, they nearly all say that they should be avoided if you have kidney problems, which I do. But my condition is closely monitored and the doctors are OK with me taking them. I don't have much choice really!

[Sangye]

Bactrim interacts with tons of drugs. Like Jack said, most of the time it just means they need to monitor you. However, you should research (Google or ask a pharmacist) how the bactrim affects you so that you can watch out for yourself.

For example, a quick google showed me that Bactrim intensifies the mtx, meaning your body would react as if you had taken a higher dose. I don't know what that means for the low doses we take. For people with cancer taking huge doses of mtx, it could be fatal. Maybe it's not a risk with lower doses and that's why your doc brushed it off.

[JanW]

Considering that both bactrim and mtx are both very common wegs drugs, I'm sure many people take them iin combination. There is some popular thought among docs that bactrim does something to help keep us in remission, but there is no real research to back that up. It's very commonly used to avoid infection in those who take ctx especially, but the thought is that it shouldn't be given 'just because' you have wegs.

[Jack]

There was at least one trial run on Bactrim to prevent relapse which lasted for two years. Duing this time 82% of the Bactrim group remained in remission against 60 % of the placebo group. The conclusion to this report speculates that infections trigger relapse and this is why Bactrim helps.

[Sangye]

Can you find that study Jack?