What do the doctors say about taking antibiotics and our RA drugs like mtx, etc. Yea or nay? I keep forgetting to ask my rheumy about it. Sometimes I get bronchitis and have to take antibiotics. Thanks!
Susan
When I had my wisdom teeth out they had me on antibiotics for an infection and I was told that the meds didn't interfere with each other. Might depend on the antibiotic though? When in doubt, visit your friendly neighborhood pharmacist. :)I know from past experience that any pencillan based antibiotic willI'm on MTX & Humira and it all depends on the infection more so than the antibiotic. Always double check with your doctor; but for me anytime I've had bronchitis or a sinus infection I've discontinued my meds until the infection had cleared. They say these medications slow our recovery and the infection can in fact get worse....actually I can testify to that one.
I've had bladder infections in the past and been on an antibiotic and my doctors said it was fine to take my meds....so it's not just any antibiotic....it's more so the infection I think.
Then again; when I had that bronchitis the leaflet that comes with the antibiotic said if you are on MTX do not take this medication. Some sort of interaction or something.
I just checked the pharmacy literature [see bwlow]. Looks like penicillins are the ones to watch out for.
Oral antibiotics such as tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and nonabsorbable broad spectrum antibiotics, may decrease intestinal absorption of methotrexate or interfere with the enterohepatic circulation by inhibiting bowel flora and suppressing metabolism of the drug by bacteria.
Penicillins may reduce the renal clearance of methotrexate; increased serum concentrations of methotrexate with concomitant hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicity have been observed with high and low dose methotrexate. Use of methotrexate with penicillins should be carefully monitored.
Yep...that's right; it was amoxicillin that said that.Last year I caught a ghastly respiratory infection - my arthritis was flaring, too. I really needed both the MTX and the [penicillin?]. Anyway, I called my pharmacist and found out how long it takes the body to clear the antibiotic I was taking. I've forgotten what the answer was, but in any event I was able to take the MTX [once a week] as scheduled and the antibiotic just 5 days a week. [I wouldn't take the antibiotic the day before or the day after the MTX, if I recall correctly.]
Do NOT assume this will work for you. ALL DRUGS INTERACT DIFFERENTLY. Instead, call your pharmacist and ask her to check the clearance time in conjunction with MTX and to figure out a schedule of taking both drugs. Again, DO NOT DO THIS WITHOUT PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL CONCURRENCE.
Has anyone heard about taking Azulfidine (sulfasalazine) with the antibiotic(Minocin)?