Mycophenolate (Systemic)

Brand Names : CellCept

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 mycophenolate, the following should be considered:

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

Pregnancy - Mycophenolate has not been studied in pregnant women. However, mycophenolate causes birth defects in animals, and it may cause birth defects in people too. If you are taking mycophenolate, you should use two forms of reliable birth control before beginning treatment with mycophenolate, while being treated with mycophenolate, and for at least 6 weeks after discontinuing mycophenolate.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether mycophenolate passes into breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them can be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are taking this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children - Although there is no specific information comparing the use of mycophenolate 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 or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of mycophenolate in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Dental - The effects of mycophenolate may cause increased infections and delayed healing. Dental work, whenever possible, should be completed prior to beginning this medicine.

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 mycophenolate, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Antithymocyte globulin (e.g., Atgam) or
• Azathioprine (e.g., Imuran) or
• Chlorambucil (e.g., Leukeran) or
• Corticosteroids, glucocorticoid (e.g., Cortef, Decadron, Deltasone, Medrol) or
• Cyclophosphamide (e.g., Cytoxan) or
• Cyclosporine (e.g., Neoral, Sandimmune) or
• Mercaptopurine (e.g., Purinethol) or
• Muromonab-CD3 (e.g., Orthoclone OKT3) or
• Tacrolimus (e.g., Prograf) - There may be an increased chance of developing certain kinds of cancers and infections because of increased suppression of your immune system

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

• Delayed kidney function following kidney transplantation or
• Kidney problems, severe - Reduced elimination of mycophenolate and increased chance of developing fever and chills, cough or hoarseness, lower back or side pain, painful or difficult urination

• Digestive system disease, active - Risk of bleeding from the stomach