Penicillin

[WiltonT]

Over the weekend I got a very sore throat, called ADOC and at the appointment I was given penicillin. Been looking online to find information on taking alongside my methotrexate injection and cannot find answers. Has anyone ever taken the two together? Is it okay to take penicillin while taking methotrexate? Thanks T x

[helixhelix]

There is one group of antibiotics that are contra-indicated with methotrexate- I think the tetracyclines.  Apart from that it very much depends on your general health, how serious the infection is and so on as to whether you continue with the MTX alongside the antibiotic treatment.  

The best thing to do is check with your pharmacist when you pick the drugs up - they should either know immediately or have access to the best databases to double check.

[WiltonT in reply to helixhelix]

Thank you helixhelix. 😀

[Birthdaygirl]

If you are concerned definitely ask ......

There is something to be said to using the same pharmacist for all medications, if we can, as they know what DMARDs or other drugs we are taking. 

When I was on methotrexate a locum GP gave me a prescription for an antibiotic for chest infection called, I think, Trimethropin.

The pharmacist refused to dispense and would not let me have the prescription back! and told me to return to the GP.

I was given another prescription for a compatible antibiotic. The locum was never seen again at the practice. 

The new GP showed me how the computer screen goes 'red' when they write prescriptions and when there is a compatibility problem with drugs we are already taking.

I always wondered if the locum had a problem recognising colours/colour blindness as he seemed very nice and gave no impression of wanting to harm me.

Given the sort of drugs we take it is always ok to ask.

Wish you better

BG

[helixhelix in reply to Birthdaygirl]

That's the one!  I could remember it began with Tr...but not the rest. 

[wishbone in reply to Birthdaygirl]

Totally agree about sticking with the same pharmacist.

My GP once prescribed trimethoprim for an infection when I was on mtx. My wife thought she would pick it up from a pharmacy while shopping in our nearest town instead of using our regular village pharmacy. The infection failed to clear, so GP gave her another prescription for a second course of trimethorim. This time she took it to our village pharmacy to be told by my regular pharmacist that my GP should never have prescribed trimethoprim to someone who's on mtx and to go back for a different antibiotic, he also told her about the other antibiotic that shouldnt be used with mtx,  the name of which escapes me at the minute. Thankfully, taking the first course had no obvious ill effects, but it could easily have been a mix of some other drugs that may well have.

[wishbone in reply to wishbone]

Co-trimoxazole (Septrin) is the other antibiotic that I couldn't remember - just found it in an old mtx bloods booklet. It contains trimethoprim.

[nomoreheels in reply to wishbone]

Yes, & another sulfa based one Wishy which shouldn't be taken with MTX. It's as you say a combination antibiotic, sulfamethoxazole & trimethoprim.

[nomoreheels]

In the past I've not injected when I've needed a course of penicillin based antibiotics but when I questioned my Rheumy nurse about it she said that only applies if you're prone in bed & not active. I've not had a course since so not tried it out but it makes some sense. Trimethoprim, one of the sulfa based antibiotics, is a folate antagonist like MTX & one antibiotic which shouldn't be prescribed with MTX. You should find if you read the Patient Information Leaflet it will say which antibiotics are ok to take with MTX & which aren't.

[hatshepsut]

Have always been told to stop to when on antibiotics....confirmed by rheumatology nurse. M xerox

[helenlw7]

I take methotrexate (in pill form) and doxycycline daily, with penicillin when I get a chest infection. I have never been told to stop the methotrexate.

[wishbone in reply to helenlw7]

There are  two antibiotics you must not take with mtx. The above mentioned trimethoprim is one,  the other one that I couldn't remember is co-trimoxazole (Septrin) - just found it in an old mtx booklet.

[nomoreheels in reply to wishbone]

I would think if it's needed to control another chronic condition then doxycycline will be prescribed (it's a tetracycline antibiotic & not usually prescribed with MTX). The same with penicillin. Maybe it's for more acute treatment it's not recommended, not sure. I read somewhere that doxycycline with MTX has been trialled in newly diagnosed patients but I can't remember the conclusion. I would think it's wasn't positive otherwise more of us would have been treated with it.

[Hands_1]

I was told a few years back that you had to stop the methotrexate if you ever had to use penicillin. Doc always asked if I was still on it.