Flucytosine (Systemic)

Brand Names : Ancobon, Ancotil, 5-fluorocytosine, 5-FC

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For flucytosine, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to flucytosine. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Flucytosine has not been reported to cause birth defects or other problems in humans. However, studies in rats have shown that flucytosine causes birth defects.

Breast-feeding - It is not known if flucytosine passes into breast milk. Discuss with your doctor whether or not you should discontinue breast-feeding while using this medicine.

Children - Although there is no specific information comparing use of flucytosine in children with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does in adults.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information comparing use of flucytosine in the elderly with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking flucytosine, it is especially important that your health care professional knows if you are taking any of the following:

• Amphotericin B by injection (e.g., Fungizone) or
• Antineoplastics (cancer medicine) or
• Antithyroid agents (medicine for overactive thyroid) or
• Azathioprine (e.g., Imuran) or
• Chloramphenicol (e.g., Chloromycetin) or
• Colchicine or
• Cyclophosphamide (e.g., Cytoxan) or
• Ganciclovir (e.g., Cytovene) or
• Interferon (e.g., Intron A, Roferon-A) or
• Mercaptopurine (e.g., Purinethol) or
• Methotrexate (e.g., Mexate) or
• Plicamycin (e.g., Mithracin) or
• Zidovudine (e.g., AZT, Retrovir) or
• X-ray treatment - Use of flucytosine with any of these medicines may increase the chance for side effects of the blood

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of flucytosine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Blood disease - Flucytosine may cause blood problems

• Kidney disease - Patients with kidney disease may have an increased chance of side effects

• Liver disease - Flucytosine may cause liver side effects