INDICATIONS
Imuran is employed to avoid rejection of your transplanted kidney. It is one of the band of medicines referred to as immunosuppressive agents. Azathioprine will lower the body's natural immunity in patients who receive transplants to avoid rejection with the new kidney. It is also utilized to relieve pain and swelling for patients with arthritis rheumatoid.
INSTRUCTIONS
Use this medicine just as directed through your doctor. Do not take much more of it, or a smaller amount of it, than your doctor ordered. Taking too much might increase the potential for uncomfortable side effects, and taking inadequate won't help your problem.
This prescription medication is sometimes given as well as other medicines. If you are utilizing several medicines together, be sure to understand how to bring them during the day. Ask your physician that will help you plan a method to make sure to take your medicines in the right times.
Do not stop investing in this medicine without first checking with your physician.
Imuran sometimes causes queasiness. Taking this medicine after meals or at bed time may lessen stomach upset. Talk to your doctor when you have questions or continue to have problems with feeling sick.
If you miss a dose of the medicine, get it immediately. However, if it's almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and get back to your family dosing schedule. Do not double doses.
DOSAGE
The dose of the medicine changes for various patients. Follow your physician's orders or the directions for the label. The following information includes only the average doses on this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor notifys you to take action.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength with the medicine. Also, the volume of doses you are taking daily, enough time allowed between doses, as well as the period of time you are taking the medicine depend about the problem for which you are utilizing the medicine.
For oral dosage form (tablets):
For kidney transplant rejection:
For rheumatoid arthritis:
STORAGE
Store the medicine inside a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.
Keep out from the reach of kids.
Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine will no longer needed.
Ask your health care professional the way you should eliminate any medicine you do not use.
Along using its needed effects, medicines might cause some unwanted side effects. Although not many of these side effects may occur, should they happen they might need medical assistance.
Check with a medical expert immediately if any with the following unwanted side effects occur:
More common
Rare
Incidence mysterious
Some unwanted side effects may occur have a tendency to don't need medical help. These unwanted side effects might have to go away during treatment as the body adjusts on the medicine. Also, your quality of life care professional might be able to tell you about ways in order to avoid or reduce a few of these side effects. Check together with your health care professional if any in the following side effects continue or are bothersome or in case you have any queries about them:
More common
Nausea or vomiting (mild)
swollen joints
Incidence not known
Hair loss or thinning in the hair
Other side effects unpublished can also happen in some patients. If you notice some other effects, check with your medical practioner.
Call your doctor for health advice about negative effects.
If you will end up investing in this medicine for a long time, it's very important that your medical professional check you at regular visits for any problems or unwanted side effects that could be brought on by this medicine. Blood tests may be required to test for uncomfortable side effects.
Using this medicine while you are pregnant damages your baby. Use an effective way of birth control method to help keep from conceiving a child. If you think you've got become pregnant while using this medicine, tell your doctor straight away.
Do not employ this medicine in case you are also taking mercaptopurine (Purinethol®). Using these medicines together might lead to serious uncomfortable side effects.
If you are using azathioprine for arthritis, make certain a medical expert knows in case you received chlorambucil (Leukeran®), cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan®, Neosar®), or melphalan (Alkeran®) to help remedy your arthritis in the past. Using azathioprine after these medicines may enhance your risk for uncomfortable side effects. Talk to your doctor if you have queries about this.
This medicine may enhance your probability of getting certain types of cancer, especially from the skin, lymph system (lymphoma), or blood (leukemia). Talk to your physician if you have concerns relating to this risk.
Use sunscreen or sunblock lotions using a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 often when you are outdoors. Wear protective clothing and hats, and remain away from direct sunlight between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Avoid sunlamps and tanning beds.
While you're receiving care with azathioprine, and when you stop treatment with it, tend not to have any immunizations (vaccines) without your medical professional's approval. Azathioprine may decrease your body's resistance as well as the vaccine might not exactly be well or you may receive the infection the vaccine is meant to prevent. In addition, you should not be around other persons moving into your family who receive live virus vaccines while there is a possibility they can pass the herpes simplex virus on to you. Some examples of live vaccines include measles, mumps, influenza (nasal flu vaccine), poliovirus (oral form), rotavirus, and rubella. Do not get all-around them and usually do not stay within the same room using them for very long. If you've queries about this, talk to your physician.
Azathioprine can temporarily lower the number of white blood cells inside your blood, increasing the potential for getting an infection. It can also lower the number of platelets, which are essential for proper blood clotting. If this occurs, a number of precautions it is possible to take, especially when your blood count is low, to lessen the likelihood of infection or bleeding:
Check with your doctor straight away when you have several of the symptoms while you are using this medicine: severe nausea or vomiting; diarrhea; fever; rash; a general sense of discomfort or illness; muscle or pain; lightheadedness or dizziness; or unusual tiredness or weakness. These could be symptoms of a serious reaction for the medicine with your bowel (intestine).
Do not take other medicines unless to remain discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or nutritional vitamin supplements.
Airmail: 2-3 business weeks
EMS: 3-8 business days