Chest infection, pneumonia, asthma. Taking methotrexate for psoriatic arthritis
Patient: Hi i am a 43year old woman with psoratic arthritis i take metotrexate weekly for almost 3years it works for arthritis but i have had continuos chest infections,  peumonia twice in six months and have also developed asthama, my lung function tests are reading at only 43% and im worried i will have long term lung damage.I feel it is time for my consultant to treat my arthritis with another drug which may not be as difficult for my lungs to deal with. Do you think my lung problems are connected with the metotrexate. Doctor: THE LOW DOSE METHOTREXTATE CANNOT DAMAGE BUT IT HELP TO REDUCE ASTHMA AND CHEST MAY PHYSICIANS HAVE STARTED GIVING INCLUDING ME LOW DOSE METHOTREXTATE IN TREATMENT OF ASTHMA ALSO I HAVE LOT OF DATA PUBLISHED IN JOURNALS LONG TERM LOW WEEKLY DOSE OF METHOTREXTATE IN ASTHMA IT MAY BE LIKE THIS YOUR ARTHRITIS MIGHT BE ALLERGIC AND WITH TREATMENT ARTHRITIS CONTROLLED BUT ASTHMA FLARED YOU NEED TO INVESTIGATE FOR CAUSE OF ALLERGIES BY CONSULTING ALLERGY DOCTOR AND FIND THE CAUSE AND TREAT ACCORDINGLY YOU MAY BE BENEFITED BY THIS WAY