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Yes, Methotrexate can cause a sore mouth and mouth ulcers as side effects in some cases. Taking folic acid along with this medicine may help in reducing the ulcers. Ask your doctor if the dose can be reduced as dose reduction may further help in reducing the ulcers.

Folic acid is required to make new cells in the body and Methotrexate decreases the folic acid levels in the body. Folic acid can help reduce some of the common side effects of Methotrexate such as mouth ulcers, hair loss, nausea, heartburn, abdominal pain, fatigue, anemia and liver problems.

Regular blood tests will help your doctor to check your response to Methotrexate and monitor you for side effects. You will need to regularly check your liver function and your blood counts (white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets). Your doctor may also order additional tests depending on the results.

Methotrexate may decrease the activity of your immune system. As a result, you may develop serious infections. There have been rare reports which suggest occurrence of serious lung infections with Methotrexate use. If you have an active infection, Methotrexate should be used with extreme caution.

Yes, Methotrexate may affect fertility in both males and females. It may cause a decrease in sperm count in males and menstrual disturbances in females. No need to worry, these effects are reversible and disappear once the therapy is discontinued.

You should avoid pregnancy if your husband is taking Methotrexate. Also, it is advised that pregnancy should be further avoided for a minimum of 3 months after the therapy as it can lead to serious fetal abnormalities.

Usually, folic acid requirements are met from the diet and therefore additional supplements are not required. In general, Folic Acid is recommended only when you have a deficiency of folic acid. However, Folic Acid is advised to women who are pregnant and who want to conceive. The medicine should be taken at least 4 weeks before pregnancy and should continue its use up to 3 months of pregnancy. Consult your doctor if not sure.

Animal studies on Folic Acid suggest that taking the medicine in excess along with a high-fat diet may lead to weight gain and fat accumulation. But this weight gain was not evident when taken along with a normal or low-fat diet, even with excess Folic Acid. In humans, similar studies have not been conducted and therefore knowledge regarding weight gain is lacking. Therefore, if you are on Folic Acid eat a low-fat meal to be on the safer side.

Folic Acid usually starts working within a few hours of taking it. If you are taking it for iron deficiency anemia, you may start feeling better after a few weeks of taking it. In case you are taking it during pregnancy, you may not notice any difference but this does not mean that the dose is not working. Continue taking Folic Acid for the duration recommended by your doctor.

Maintaining the right level of folic acid in the body before getting pregnant reduces the risk of developing neural tube defects in the baby. The neural tube defect, in most cases, is caused if the structure (neural tube) from which the central nervous system develops (brain and spinal cord) in a baby does not form or is only partially closed. full closure of the neural tube occurs during the end of the fourth week of pregnancy. Folic acid helps in the formation of neural tubes. Therefore, to prevent this defect women should start Folic Acid before four weeks of pregnancy.

Yes, you can breastfeed while taking Folic Acid as it is not harmful to the baby. Folic Acid contains folic acid which is naturally found in breast milk. Though its initial levels in breast milk are low, it rises eventually. Since it is actively secreted in breast milk, the mother may take Folic Acid every day to maintain the required levels. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions related to nutrient supplementation in breastfeeding.

You can take Folic Acid any time of the day, but try to take it at the same time each day. This will help you remember to take it. Take it exactly as prescribed by your doctor. The medicine should be swallowed as a whole with a glass of water. Do not chew, cut or crush the medicine.

Generally, Folic Acid is well tolerated. However, some people may experience nausea (feeling sick), loss of appetite, bloating, and excessive passing of gas. The medicine may also worsen the symptoms of any coexisting vitamin B12 deficiency. If you experience any of these symptoms, consult your doctor but do not stop taking Folic Acid.

The duration of treatment with Folic Acid depends on the reason you are taking it for. If you are planning your pregnancy, you may start taking it 4 weeks before pregnancy and continue up to the first 3 months of pregnancy. If you are taking it for folic acid deficiency then you may have to take it for 4 months or longer (if your deficiency does not subside). If you are taking it to reduce the side effects of methotrexate then you may need to take it for as long as you are taking methotrexate. Consult your prescribing physician to know the exact duration of your therapy.