Precautions
Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®
It is very important that your doctor check your progress closely at regular visits to see if the medicine is working properly and to allow for a change in the dose. Blood tests may be needed to check for any unwanted effects.
Using this medicine while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. If you are a woman who can bear children, your doctor may give you a pregnancy test before you start using this medicine and 8 to 10 days after using this medicine to make sure you are not pregnant. Your birth control pills may not work as well while you are using this medicine. You must use two forms of birth control together for the entire time that you are being treated, and for 6 weeks after you receive your last dose of this medicine. Use birth control pills together with another form of birth control, such as a condom, diaphragm, or contraceptive foam or jelly. Male patients with female partners should use an effective form of birth control and avoid donating sperm during treatment and for at least 90 days after the last dose. If you think you have become pregnant while using the medicine, tell your doctor right away.
Do not donate sperm during treatment and for at least 90 days after the last dose.
Using this medicine may increase your risk of getting skin cancer or cancer of the lymph system (lymphoma). Talk to your doctor if you have concerns about this risk.
Use sunscreen or sunblock lotions with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 on a regular basis when you are outdoors. Wear protective clothing and hats and stay out of direct sunlight, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Avoid sunlamps and tanning beds.
Mycophenolate can temporarily lower the number of white blood cells in your blood, which increases the chance of getting an infection. If you can, avoid people with infections. Check with your doctor immediately if you think you are getting an infection or if you have a fever or chills, cough or hoarseness, lower back or side pain, or painful or difficult urination.
This medicine may increase your risk of developing a serious and rare brain infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Check with your doctor right away if you have vision changes, loss of coordination, clumsiness, memory loss, difficulty speaking or understanding what others say, and weakness in the legs.
This medicine may increase your risk of developing rare and serious virus infections, such as shingles, herpes, cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, BK virus-associated nephropathy (BKVAN), polyoma virus-associated nephropathy (PVAN), or SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection. CMV can cause serious tissue and blood infections. The BK virus may affect how your kidneys work and cause a transplanted kidney to fail. Check with your doctor right away if you have bloody urine, a decreased frequency or amount of urine, fever, increased thirst, loss of appetite, lower back or side pain, nausea, painful cold sores or blisters, sore throat, swelling of the face, fingers, or lower legs, trouble breathing, unusual tiredness or weakness, vomiting, or weight gain.
This medicine may cause reactivation of hepatitis B or C infection. Check with your doctor right away if you have dark-colored urine or pale stools, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, pain in your upper stomach, yellow skin or eyes.
Mycophenolate may cause pure red cell aplasia (PRCA). This is a very rare condition where the body no longer makes red blood cells and the patient has severe anemia. Check with your doctor right away if you have a fever and sore throat, pale skin, unusual bleeding or bruising, or unusual tiredness or weakness.
Check with your doctor right away if you have bloody or black, tarry stools, vomiting of blood or material that looks like coffee grounds, severe stomach pain, constipation. These could be symptoms of a serious stomach or bowel problem (eg, ulcers, bleeding).
Check with your doctor right away if you have difficulty in moving, fever, muscle pain or stiffness, or pain, swelling, or redness in the joints. These may be symptoms of acute inflammatory (swelling) syndrome.
While you are using this medicine, and after you stop, do not have any immunizations (vaccinations) without your doctor's approval. Mycophenolate will lower your body's resistance and there is a chance you might get the infection the immunization is meant to prevent.
Do not donate blood during treatment and for at least 6 weeks after the last dose.
Do not stop taking this medicine without checking first with your doctor. Doing so may cause rejection of your transplanted organ. Your doctor will decide how long you should take this medicine.
Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.
Portions of this document last updated: April 01, 2024
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