What is leucovorin 15 mg used for?

This medication is used to treat or prevent serious blood cell disorders (such as thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, anemia) caused by certain drugs (folic acid antagonists such as methotrexate, trimethoprim, pyrimethamine).

Can you take leucovorin and folic acid together?

You should not take supplemental folic acid while receiving leucovorin, as this may enhance the effect to an undesirable degree. If you are taking the oral form of leucovorin, it is important to make sure you are taking the correct amount of medication every time.

Is leucovorin calcium the same as folic acid?

Leucovorin is a compound similar to folic acid, which is a necessary vitamin. It has been around and in use for many decades. Leucovorin is a medication frequently used in combination with the chemotherapy drugs fluoruracil and methotrexate.

Is leucovorin a rescue drug?

Leucovorin is an active metabolite of folic acid and an essential coenzyme for nucleic acid synthesis. 1 Leucovorin can be used to selectively “rescue” cells from the adverse effects of methotrexate or to increase the efficacy of fluorouracil.

Does leucovorin make you sleepy?

Seek immediate medical attention if you notice symptoms of a serious allergic reaction after taking Leucovorin, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, or….

What is leucovorin prescribed for?

Leucovorin is used to reduce the side effects of large doses or accidental overdose of medications that can reduce the effects of folic acid in the body. This includes methotrexate (Rheumatrex), pyrimethamine (Daraprim), trimethoprim (Trimpex, Proloprim), and others.

What are the side effects of leucovorin?

Common side effects of Leucovorin include:

• hives,
• infection,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• diarrhea,
• constipation,
• oral inflammation or cold sores,
• fatigue,

What type of drug is leucovorin?

Leucovorin is in a class of medications called folic acid analogs. It works by protecting healthy cells from the effects of methotrexate or similar medications while allowing methotrexate to enter and kill cancer cells.

Does leucovorin cause constipation?

Seek immediate medical attention if you notice symptoms of a serious allergic reaction after taking Leucovorin, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, or….

Is leucovorin a chemotherapy drug?

Leucovorin is not a chemotherapy drug itself, however it is used in addition to these chemotherapy drugs to enhance anti-cancer effects (with fluorouracil) or to help prevent or lessen side effects (with methotrexate).

How often should you take leucovorin 15 mg?

Leucovorin 15 mg (10 mg/m 2) should be administered IM, IV, or PO every 6 hours until serum methotrexate level is less than 10 -8 M. In the presence of gastrointestinal toxicity, nausea, or vomiting, leucovorin should be administered parenterally.

How many mg of leucovorin are in a bottle?

Leucovorin Calcium Tablets USP, 25 mg are available as pale green, round, unscored, biconvex tablets, debossed with b on one side and 485 on the other side, packaged in bottles of 25 (NDC 0555-0485-27) and 500 (NDC 0555-0485-04) tablets. Store at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F) [See USP Controlled Room Temperature].

Are there any side effects to taking leucovorin?

Leucovorin has no effect on other established toxicities of methotrexate such as the nephrotoxicity resulting from drug and/or metabolite precipitation in the kidney. Folic acid in large amounts may counteract the antiepileptic effect of phenobarbital, phenytoin and primidone, and increase the frequency of seizures in susceptible children.

How is leucovorin used in the treatment of cancer?

Leucovorin is a folate analog used to treat the toxic effects of methotrexate and other folate antagonists, to treat megaloblastic anemia, and to provide palliative treatment of colorectal cancer.