Prograf Side Effects
- headache
- uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body
- diarrhea
- constipation
- nausea
- vomiting
- heartburn
- stomach pain
- loss of appetite
- difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
- dizziness
- weakness
- back or joint pain
- burning, numbness, pain, or tingling in the hands or feet
- rash
- itching
There are more serious adverse side effects from Prograf:
- Decreased urination
- Pain or burning on urination
- Swelling of the arms, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
- Weight gain
- Unusual bleeding or bruising
- Seizures
- Coma (loss of consciousness for a period of time)
- Cancer
- Hypertension
- Lung damage
- Insomnia
- Hyperkalemia
- Hypomagnesemia
- Confusion
- Herpes Zoster
- Polyoma
- Hyperglycemia
- Diabetes mellitus
- Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome
Warnings & Recalls for Prograf
Before taking Prograf:
- Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you’re allergic to tacrolimus, which is the active ingredient in Prograf.
- Be sure to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medications you are taking, prescription as well as non-prescription, as well as what vitamins and supplements that you’re taking. Be sure to mention the following: amphotericin B; antacids; certain antibiotics including aminoglycosides such as amikacin, gentamicin, neomycin, streptomycin, and tobramycin, and macrolides such as clarithromycin, erythromycin; antifungal medications such as clotrimazole, fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole and voriconazole; bromocriptine; calcium channel blockers such as diltiazem, nicardipine, nifedipine, and verapamil; caspofungin; chloramphenicol; cimetidine; cisapride; cisplatin; danazol; certain diuretics; ganciclovir; hormonal contraceptives; HIV protease inhibitors such as indinavir, nelfinavir and ritonavir; lansoprazole; certain medications for seizures such as carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and phenytoin; methylprednisolone; metoclopramide; nefazodone; omeprazole; rifabutin; rifampin; and sirolimus.
- Be sure to tell your doctor if you’ve recently taken or stopped taking cyclosporine. If you were taking cyclosporine, your doctor will probably tell you not to start taking Prograf until 24 hours after you took your last dose of cyclosporine. If you stop taking Prograf, your doctor will also tell you to wait 24 hours before starting to take cyclosporine.
- Be sure to tell your doctor what herbal supplements you’ve been taking, especially St. John’s wort.
- Be sure to tell your doctor if you have or have ever had kidney, heart or liver disease.
- Tell your doctor if you’re pregnant or become pregnant while taking Prograf or are nursing.
- If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking Prograf.
- You should know that taking Prograf may increase the risk that you can develop skin cancer. Protect your skin from ultraviolet rays as well as the sun and do not go to tanning salons.
- You should know that Prograf may cause high blood pressure.
- You should know that there is a risk that you will develop diabetes during your treatment with Prograf. African American and Latino patients who have had kidney transplants have an especially high risk of developing diabetes during their treatment with Prograf. Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had diabetes. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: excessive thirst; excessive hunger; frequent urination; blurred vision or confusion.
- Do not have any vaccinations without talking to your doctor while taking Prograf.
- Do not drink grapefruit juice while taking Prograf.
- Do not take if you have oliguria.
Although there hasn’t been a recall by the FDA or a voluntary recall by Astellas Pharma regarding Prograf, in February 2012 the FDA had issued safety warnings on the labeling of Prograf prescriptions citing possible adverse effects. Prior to that, the FDA had issued a warning letter about this drug and had cited obvious cancer risks as being a factor and major adverse side effect.
Prograf Treatment and Use
Prograf | Tacrolimus is an immunosuppressive drug that is used after allogeneic organ transplant to reduce a patient’s immune system so that the risk of organ rejection is minimized. It can also be used as a topical preparation in the treatment of eczema, the risks of minimal change disease, vitiligo, and refractory uveitis after a patient goes through a bone marrow transplant. It has shown fruitful results in the treatment of Crohn’s disease as well. It was derived from the bacteria Streptomyces tsukubaensis which was collected from a Japanese soil sample in 1984. It reduces the production of interleukin-2 by T-cells. Tacrolimus was first approved by the FDA in 1994 for use in liver transplantation and this approval has also been extended to kidney, heart, pancreas, small bowel, trachea, lung, cornea, skin, bone marrow as well as limb transplants. The branded version of Tacrolimus is known as Prograf which has been owned and marketed by Astellas Pharma in capsules as well as a topical solution.
Other Names for Prograf
Tacrolimus
Lawsuits & Legal Information for Prograf
Author:
Lainee Hooks
Posted on May 21, 2012