Mycophenolate sodium
Introduction To Mycophenolate sodium
Mycophenolate sodium belongs to a group of medicines called immunosuppressants. It is used with other medicines to prevent your body from rejecting an organ (such as a kidney, heart, or liver) after a transplant. It works by weakening your body’s immune system, so it does not attack the transplanted organ.
The amount of Mycophenolate sodium you take depends on the type of transplant you have. Follow your doctor's instructions on this. You should take it on an empty stomach, at least one hour before or two hours after a meal. Swallow it as a whole, do not crush, chew, break, or open them. Take the medicine regularly to get the most benefit and keep taking it even if you feel well. If you stop taking it, you may increase the chances of rejecting your transplanted organ. The treatment will continue for as long as you need it to prevent rejection.
The most common side effects of Mycophenolate sodium are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, headache, high blood pressure, and changes in the number of white blood cells. Because it suppresses your immune system, you may catch more infections than usual. There is also an increased risk of developing some cancers for this reason. There is a long list of potential side effects. You should ask your doctor about them and what signs to look out for because some can be serious and need urgent medical attention.
This medicine can cause birth defects and miscarriages so do not take it if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. You should talk to your doctor before taking this medicine if you have any signs of infection, if you have any unexpected bruising or bleeding and if you have ever had a problem with your digestive system. Your doctor also needs to know what other medicines you are taking as there are many which interact with this medicine and affect the way it works. You will have regular tests to check for any changes in the number of your blood cells, inform your doctor if you notice unexplained bruising or bleeding, sore throat, mouth ulcers, or fever.
Uses of Mycophenolate sodium
- Prevention of organ rejection in transplant patients
Benefits of Mycophenolate sodium
Prevention of organ rejection in transplant patients
Mycophenolate sodium belongs to a group of medicines known as immunosuppressive agents.
It lowers your immune response and reduces the chance of your body attacking
the transplanted organ. Organ rejection happens when your immune system treats
the new organ as an invader and attacks it. This medicine may be used in
combination with other medicines to suppress the immune system and help your
body accept the new organ.
Side effects of Mycophenolate sodium
Most side effects do not require any medical attention and disappear as your body adjusts to the medicine. Consult your doctor if they persist or if you’re worried about them
Common side effects of Renodapt
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Headache
- High blood pressure
- Decreased white blood cell count (neutrophils)
How to use Mycophenolate sodium
Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor. Mycophenolate sodium may be taken with or without food, but it is better to take it at a fixed time.
How Mycophenolate sodium works
Mycophenolate sodium is an immunosuppressant. It reduces the action of body's own defense system (the immune system) and prevents rejection of the transplanted organ.
Quick tips
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Your doctor has prescribed Mycophenolate sodium to stop your body from rejecting a transplanted organ (e.g. kidney, heart or liver).
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It may take 6 to 12 weeks for Mycophenolate sodium to start working. Keep taking it as prescribed.
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Take it with food to minimize possible side effects like nausea and stomach pain.
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It makes you more susceptible to getting infections. Avoid contact with people who have an infection and consult your doctor immediately if you develop a sore throat, high temperature or any other signs of infections.
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It may cause birth defects so birth control is required in females of reproductive age.
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Protect yourself from direct sunlight by wearing protective clothing and applying a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF).
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Your doctor may get regular blood tests done to monitor the levels of blood cells in your blood. Inform your doctor if you experience symptoms such as unexplained bruising or bleeding, sore throat, mouth ulcers, or fever.
Safety Advice
PregnancyCONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
Can I take Mycophenolate sodium if I’m pregnant?
Mycophenolate sodium is unsafe to use during pregnancy as there is definite evidence of risk to the developing baby. However, the doctor may rarely prescribe it in some life-threatening situations if the benefits are more than the potential risks. Please consult your doctor.
BreastfeedingUNSAFE
Can I take Mycophenolate sodium if I’m breastfeeding?
Mycophenolate sodium is unsafe to use during breastfeeding. Data suggests that the drug may cause toxicity to the baby.
AlcoholSAFE
Is drinking alcohol while taking Mycophenolate sodium safe?
Consuming alcohol with Mycophenolate sodium does not cause any harmful side effects.
DrivingSAFE
Can I drive after taking Mycophenolate sodium?
Mycophenolate sodium does not usually affect your ability to drive.
KidneySAFE IF PRESCRIBED
Can I take Mycophenolate sodium if I have/had kidney diseases?
Mycophenolate sodium is probably safe to use in patients with kidney disease. Limited data available suggests that dose adjustment of Mycophenolate sodium may not be needed in these patients. Please consult your doctor.
LiverSAFE IF PRESCRIBED
Can I take Mycophenolate sodium if I have/had liver diseases?
Mycophenolate sodium is probably safe to use in patients with liver disease. Limited data available suggests that dose adjustment of Mycophenolate sodium may not be needed in these patients. Please consult your doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why has my doctor given me Mycophenolate sodium after I have had a kidney transplant?
Mycophenolate sodium is an immunosuppressant. Mycophenolate sodium has been prescribed to you to help your body accept the donor kidney. It does so by working on the cells of your immune system, which fight with any foreign substance and reject its presence. This helps in making the transplanted organ more acceptable to your body.
Q. How long does Mycophenolate sodium take to start working?
Mycophenolate sodium does not start working immediately and it may take about 8 to 12 weeks before you see any benefits. It is important to continue taking Mycophenolate sodium since it does not cure your condition. To ensure that your condition does not reappear, you may have to keep taking the medicine for several years.
Q. Can Mycophenolate sodium cause cancer?
Mycophenolate sodium may increase your chances of certain cancers like skin cancer and lymphoma (cancer of the lymph system). When outside, avoid unnecessary or prolonged exposure to sunlight, wear protective clothing, and apply sunscreen. Call your doctor if you experience a new skin sore or bump, a change in the size or color of a mole, a brown or black skin lesion (sore) with uneven edges, a sore whose one part does not look like the other, skin changes, sores that do not heal, unexplained fever, tiredness that does not go away, weight loss, or pain or swelling in the neck, groin, or armpits.
Q. Is Mycophenolate sodium a steroid or a chemotherapy drug?
Can it cause hair loss? Mycophenolate sodium is neither a steroid nor a chemotherapy medicine. It is an immunosuppressant which means that it acts on your immune system to suppress or weaken it so that your body does not reject the donated organ of another person. Hair loss is a common side effect of Mycophenolate sodium.
Q. Do I need any special tests while taking Mycophenolate sodium?
Since Mycophenolate sodium can affect blood count and affect the kidneys and liver, your doctor will ask you to have a blood test before you start the treatment. Once the treatment starts, you will be required to take regular blood tests to check for any changes in the blood. These blood tests will help monitor your response to the medicine and the development of any side effects.
Q. My doctor has asked me to stay away from a person who has chicken pox or shingles. Why?
Mycophenolate sodium is an immunosuppressant, which means that it decreases the activity of the immune system. Since your immune system is already weak, if you come in contact with a patient of chicken pox or shingles, you may develop it too. This is the reason that your doctor has advised you to be cautious. Therefore, follow your doctor’s advice and contact your doctor immediately if you get chicken pox or shingles as you may require special treatment.
Q. What precautions should a female follow while taking Mycophenolate sodium?
Do not take Mycophenolate sodium if you are pregnant or are planning a pregnancy. There is a high risk of miscarriage (loss of the pregnancy) during the first 3 months of pregnancy. It may even cause birth defects (problems that are present at birth) in the baby. Therefore, you must use two acceptable forms of birth control together for 4 weeks before you start taking Mycophenolate sodium, during the treatment, and for 6 weeks after you stop taking Mycophenolate sodium. Your doctor will suggest the two birth control methods which suit you the best. It is important to use a second form of birth control along with birth control pills as Mycophenolate sodium may decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills.
Q. What precautions should a male follow while taking Mycophenolate sodium?
It is recommended that either the man or her partner should use reliable contraception during treatment and for 90 days after the treatment. Men should not donate semen during the therapy or for 90 days following discontinuation of Mycophenolate sodium.
References
Written By:
Dr Advikka Ridhy
MBBS
RMO, Aster MIMS
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