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What Ae The Pros & Cons Of Taking Methotrexate Via
Question: What ae the pros & cons of taking Methotrexate via injection vs a pill
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Brief Answer:
Pros and cons explained for both forms
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to "Ask a Doctor" service,
I carefully read your query and understand your concern.
There are some pros and cons of each form of Methotrexate and I am going to explain below:
1. effectiveness: injectable methotrexate is found more effective than the same oral dose
2. cost: injectable methotrexate is more expensive than oral tablets
3. convenience: injectable methotrexate requires medical personnel to inject it while the oral tablets can be self-administered. Also, injections may be uncomfortable, while taking it orally is not painful
4. side effects are generally similar if taken orally or in injection but some studies suggest that gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhea, dyspepsia, vomiting, etc) are less common with the injectable form compared to if taken orally.
5. loss of appetite and nausea were found more often with injectable methotrexate in some studies, and resulted in few patients withdrawing the treatment
6. uniformity of the effect: the oral dose is absorbed differently in different patients and may result in an unpredictable and non-uniform effect in patients (some patients may get better results than some others while they take methotrexate orally due to variations in how it is absorbed in their bowel). Injections are immune from this variance as they do not need to be absorbed in the bowel, so their effectiveness is uniform (and also better medical effect) in almost all patients compared to taking it orally.
Recently, injectable methotrexate is gaining more and more attention but still, oral tablets are more popular. Sometimes, when a patient is not responding appropriately to oral methotrexate, he may be switched to the injectable form of methotrexate before other treatments are considered.
I hope this answers your query.
I remain at your disposal in case further medical assistance is needed.
Regards,
Dr. Antoneta Zotaj
General and Family Physician
Pros and cons explained for both forms
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to "Ask a Doctor" service,
I carefully read your query and understand your concern.
There are some pros and cons of each form of Methotrexate and I am going to explain below:
1. effectiveness: injectable methotrexate is found more effective than the same oral dose
2. cost: injectable methotrexate is more expensive than oral tablets
3. convenience: injectable methotrexate requires medical personnel to inject it while the oral tablets can be self-administered. Also, injections may be uncomfortable, while taking it orally is not painful
4. side effects are generally similar if taken orally or in injection but some studies suggest that gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhea, dyspepsia, vomiting, etc) are less common with the injectable form compared to if taken orally.
5. loss of appetite and nausea were found more often with injectable methotrexate in some studies, and resulted in few patients withdrawing the treatment
6. uniformity of the effect: the oral dose is absorbed differently in different patients and may result in an unpredictable and non-uniform effect in patients (some patients may get better results than some others while they take methotrexate orally due to variations in how it is absorbed in their bowel). Injections are immune from this variance as they do not need to be absorbed in the bowel, so their effectiveness is uniform (and also better medical effect) in almost all patients compared to taking it orally.
Recently, injectable methotrexate is gaining more and more attention but still, oral tablets are more popular. Sometimes, when a patient is not responding appropriately to oral methotrexate, he may be switched to the injectable form of methotrexate before other treatments are considered.
I hope this answers your query.
I remain at your disposal in case further medical assistance is needed.
Regards,
Dr. Antoneta Zotaj
General and Family Physician
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Thank you. That is a great Start in my quest for more information
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Brief Answer:
I am glad I could assist you
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome back,
It is my pleasure to assist you.
Feel free to let us know if further medical assistance is needed.
Regards,
Dr. Antoneta Zotaj
General and Family Physician
I am glad I could assist you
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome back,
It is my pleasure to assist you.
Feel free to let us know if further medical assistance is needed.
Regards,
Dr. Antoneta Zotaj
General and Family Physician
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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