Deadly Psoriasis Remedy

When everything else fails, the person plagued with psoriasis can turn to methotrexate. This drug, which can be taken either by mouth or by intramuscular injection, was initially used to treat certain cancers in the late 1940s.

Low doses of methotrexate were later found to be effective for other diseases as well. Since the early 1960s, it has been prescribed for severe and/or disabling psoriasis.

"Methotrexate is a drug that is used in low doses to treat the lesions of severe psoriasis that have not been responsive to conventional therapy. It is also used to treat psoriatic arthritis. It can restore function to those emotionally or physically disabled by psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis," according to the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) in Portland, Oregon.

The people who respond well to methotrexate are those suffering from extensive psoriasis involving at least 30 percent of their skin or those with acute pustular psoriasis which is characterized by deep seated lesions on the palms and soles surrounded by red patches.

Severe psoriatic arthritis, a crippling form of the disease marked by inflammation and stiffness in the joints, is another indication for methotrexate therapy.

This drug can be taken in three ways: as a single, weekly oral dose of three to 10 tablets ranging from seven to 20 milligrams; a weekly divided oral dose of three 2.5 to five milligram tablets over a 36-hour period; or a weekly intramuscular dose.

Improvement of symptoms can be seen in four to six weeks but may take as long as two to three months of starting methotrexate therapy. Once the lesions have cleared, the patient remains free of symptoms for a few weeks to a year after stopping therapy.

However, methotrexate is an extremely toxic drug even in small doses - the reason the patient should be closely monitored by a physician. Short-term side effects include nausea, insomnia, loss of appetite, fatigue, hair loss, and a reduction in white blood cell count which can make one susceptible to infection.

Other less common side effects which should be reported to a doctor are unusual sensitivity to the sun, acne, headache, drowsiness, fever, blurred vision, painful urination, reduced sperm count, convulsions, ringing in the ears, bloody urine, and breathing problems.

"Methotrexate can trigger a unique and dangerous form of lung disease anytime during your course of therapy. This reaction can occur at doses as low as 7.5 milligrams a week. Symptoms of this condition are cough, respiratory infection, difficulty breathing, abnormal chest X-ray, and low blood concentration oxygen. Any change in your breathing or lung states while taking methotrexate should be reported to your doctor," warned Drs. Gilbert I. Simon and Harold M. Silverman in "The Pill Book." (Next: Other side effects of methorexate for psoriasis.)