Avoid cola drinks on methotrexate?

[Smurf808]

Hi everyone. I have been on methotrexate now for about 2 months and recently had to change chemist. On the label of the tablets in bold it said avoid cola drinks. I haven't had this on my methotrexate prescription before. Does anyone know why? Haven't had the chance to see the doctor yet. Just curious to know why this would be. Thanks

[Livingston]

Hi

ask your pharmacist's advice but I'm pretty sure this only relates to people receiving high dose MTX as cancer treatment.

See link: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/215...

[Hidden in reply to Livingston]

Oh good, I was worried; I drink about a litre of diet coke every day!

[nomoreheels]

I've been on MTX 6 years & I heard of this a while ago. I don't drink alcohol but I do drink Coke Zero, not all the time but I do drink it so I did some searching & it does seem to interfere with the elimination of MTX but all I could find was in relation to high doses, when used as chemo drug. It compared to not prescribing NSAIDs or PPI's & many people prescribed low doses of MTX for RD are prescribed both concurrently. Maybe the pharmacy is warning re high doses but I would ask the question, they may know differently. I haven't had that warning on my direction label for tablets or injections either here or abroad & as you hadn't from your previous pharmacy I would ask your Pharmacist so you have confirmation & know for sure.

[Smurf808 in reply to nomoreheels]

Yea will do thanks! Was just curious as I enjoy a coke the odd time lol

[cathie]

I avoid coke and other sweetner fizzy drinks. Even the sugar free ones are not very good for you and fizzy water is OK. Just worth it I think.

[Clare-NRAS Partner NRAS]

As someone else has said here it is more relevant to high dosage use of methotrexate but I shall ask the question of one of our Medical Advisors and repost when I have had a response. This could take a little while though as they are all busy in clinic etc.

In the meantime do ask your pharmacist as they understand the interactions of drugs far better than most.

[EmmaS-NRAS NRAS]

Dear all,

One of our Helpline team has had a look for references on the internet but the only thing that they could find related to delayed elimination of high doses of methotrexate in a lymphoma patient.

We also contacted MEDAC, who manufacture Metoject pens, and they were also unaware of this. We would be interested to see if anyone else has any more information.

Kind regards

Emma-S (NRAS)