CellCept Side Effects

From Pharmacy Drug Guide

CellCept, (mycophenolate mofetil) is given to kidney, liver, or heart transplant patients. The prescription drug helps to prevent the body from rejecting the new organ. CellCept is an immunosuppressant drug, which means it weakens the body’s natural immunity so it will not attack and reject the transplanted organ.^[1] Patients with Crohn's disease, a disorder of the digestive system that leads to weight loss and fever, also take CellCept.^[2]

Because the drug hinders the immune system, patients who take CellCept are more prone to infections. Other side effects of the medicine include headache, throwing up, and bowel issues (constipation or diarrhea).^{[2] [3]}

Contents 1 Common CellCept Side Effects 2 About Drug Side Effects 3 CellCept Allergic Reactions 4 CellCept Precautions and Warnings 5 CellCept Coupons 6 CellCept Drug Recall 7 References

Common CellCept Side Effects

Patients taking CellCept may experience adverse reactions such as upset stomach, diarrhea, constipation, headache, insomnia, swelling of the stomach, joint pain, back pain, muscle pain, rash and shaking of the body.^{[2] [3]}

Some of the more serious CellCept side effects can include a lower white blood count, or leukopenia. Patients taking CellCept are also more susceptible to opportunistic infection due to immune suppression.

About Drug Side Effects

CellCept Allergic Reactions

CellCept side effects can include an allergic reaction with rash, difficulty breathing, or swelling of the throat, tongue, face or lips.^[4] These symptoms require immediate medical attention. Patients who have had a reaction to mycophenolate in the past are advised not take CellCept. Patients may also be allergic to any of the inactive ingredients that CellCept contains.

CellCept Precautions and Warnings

• CellCept carries a serious risk of miscarriage or birth defects, so it is not for pregnant women. Within a week before beginning the drug, women typically must have a negative pregnancy test before they will be prescribed CellCept.^[2] Women who may become pregnant are advised to use at least two kinds of contraceptive while taking CellCept.^[5]
• If a patient vomits blood that looks like coffee grounds or has blood-containing tarry stools, they require immediate medical treatment.^[4]
• Patients who take CellCept are at a higher risk for some forms of cancer, such as lymphoma.^[5]
• CellCept patients are more susceptible to skin cancer, and are advised to stay out of the sun as much as possible and abstain from tanning beds or other forms of UV light.^[4]
• CellCept patients are directed to avoid live vaccines. In addition, other types of vaccines may have reduced effectiveness for CellCept patients.^[2]
• The CellCept solution formula contains aspartame, which has phenylalanine. This may be dangerous for patients with phenylketonuria (PKU).^[2]
• Immune suppression can make patients vulnerable to progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a brain infection. Signs of this rare but potentially-fatal disease include escalating weakness, clumsiness, paralysis on one side of the body, personality changes, and altered speech or vision.^[3]

CellCept Coupons

Some patients may be eligible for a CellCept coupon card that discounts up to $100 of prescription and refill costs. The offer is only open to patients who have received a liver, heart or kidney transplant, do not have Medicaid or other public health care, are not part of the Genentech Access to Care Foundation and do not live in Massachusetts.^[6]

CellCept Drug Recall

In June 2011 Genentech announced a voluntary recall of some lots of CellCept liquid because of a problem with the bottle's adapter. The issue may cause leakage, interruption of treatment or incorrect dosing. All affected products carry an expiration date of 2/28/2013. The recalled lot numbers are:

• 896992
• 896993
• 904407
• 904408
• 905985
• 905986
• 905987^[1]

Also See: Patient Assistance Programs, Drug Side Effects, Drug Coupons, Vitamin Coupons, Birth Control Coupons, Birth Control Recall, Birth Control Pills

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} http://www.gene.com/gene/products/information/cellcept/
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7} http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000075/
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} http://www.cellcept.com/cellcept/
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} http://www.webmd.com/drugs/mono-2108-MYCOPHENOLATE+MOFETIL+-+ORAL.aspx?drugid=4067&drugname=CellCept+Oral
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/DrugSafety/UCM170919.pdf
6. ↑ http://www.cellceptforliving.com/cellceptforliving/ccard.htm