Neoral and/or Equivalents

Neoral

Neoral Drug description

Neoral is a medicine that belongs to a class of drugs called cyclosporines. This drug has a characteristic property that causes it to form a microemulsion in an environment that is aqueous. The active ingredient in this drug is cyclosporine which is a potent immunosuppressant agent that is comprised of 11 amino acids. The drug is supplied in the form of soft gelatin capsules and as an oral solution.

Conditions Treated by Neoral

Neoral is prescribed for patients who have undergone transplants of heart, lung, kidney, liver, bone marrow or pancreas. The drug is given to prevent incidence of organ or tissue rejection. In such cases it is given in combination with other steroids. Patients who are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and those who do not respond to methotrexate therapy are given Neoral along with methotrexate. Adult, nonimmunocompromised patients who have severe, recalcitrant psoriasis and those who do not respond to other conventional therapies are also indicated to receive Neoral therapy.

Neoral Dosage Information

a) Typical Dosage Recommendations

Doctors usually prescribe Neoral capsules to be taken twice daily with a small amount of water. The capsule must not be chewed or crushed into powdered form and must be taken as it is. The Neoral oral solution must be taken exactly as recommended by your doctor. In order to get maximum benefits out of this treatment, it is very important that the medicines must be taken as per the dosage schedule prescribed by the doctor. It is recommended that you take the medicine at the same time everyday.

b) Missing a Dose

You must take the medicine as per schedule and never miss taking a dose. Missing a dose will lead to decrease in the amount of drug in your bloodstream which can lessen the effects of the drug. In case you miss taking the medicine at the scheduled time and if it is almost time for the next dose by the time you remember, you must skip the missed dose. It is extremely important not to take extra doses to make up for the missed dose. This can cause you more harm than benefit.

c) Overdosing

Overdosing symptoms include drowsiness, vomiting, headache, giddiness etc. If you think you have consumed extra doses of the medicine, you must immediately contact the emergency medical centre or contact your doctor.

Neoral Warnings

You must inform your doctor of your medical history and also if you have had any surgeries or medical problems such as kidney problems, liver disorders, blood pressure related disorders, cancer, chickenpox, infections, lesions etc in the past. It is also important to discuss with your doctor if you have any allergies to any drugs or drug components. This will help the doctor decide whether the drug will cause any adverse effects on your body. Research on animals has shown that intake of this drug can cause toxicity and hence this drug has been classified as pregnancy category C. Female patients who are pregnant or are planning to have a baby during the course of this treatment must be counseled and the physician must take a decision whether the drug can be given to the patient. It is not known whether this drug can pass into mother’s milk while breastfeeding. Hence proper medical counseling is required for lactating mothers. No specific adverse events have been reported due to the use of this drug in pediatric or geriatric patients. It has been seen that since elderly patients are more prone to age-related kidney or liver disorders, it is important to exercise caution while prescribing this drug to special populations. You must never take any vaccines or immunizations without consulting your doctor. It is also very important that you must avoid contact with patients who have the flu or any other contagious infections. Some people may feel dizzy or giddy when they are on treatment with Neoral. Hence it is important to avoid activities such as driving or avoid using machinery or equipment that require concentration and mental alertness. Your medical practitioner may require you to conduct regular tests to observe whether the drug is benefitting you and to confirm that there are no adverse effects on your body. Hence you must visit your doctor regularly for medical check-ups and get all the tests done.

Neoral Side Effects

Sometimes when you start taking a drug, certain side-effects may occur. However, as your body gets used to the drug, these side effects reduce in intensity. But, if you notice that there are some side-effects which are persistent or have increased in intensity, you must immediately consult your doctor. Some of the side-effects that are known to be associated with Neoral are:

• Irregular heartbeat
• Nausea
• Vision changes
• Dizziness
• Yellowing of skin and eyes
• Mood changes
• Swollen glands
• Weakness/ fatigue
• Night sweats
• Unusual lumps
• Severe stomach ache
• Darkening of urine
• Fainting
• Tingling of the hands or feet
• Chest pain
• Painful urination
• Seizures
• Hearing problems
• Clumsiness
• Speech problems
• Fever
• Flu like symptoms
• Sore throat
• Changes in skin color
• Severe rash
• Breathing difficulty
• Swelling of the face, throat or tongue
• Muscle spasms
• Itching
• Unusual loss of weight or gain of weight

Neoral Drug Interactions

When you take multiple drugs, there are chances that these drugs may recat with each other and form a new component or chemical that may be harmful to your body. The drugs may interact such that they may decrease the activity of each other and hence not benefit your body and not succeed in treating the condition they are supposed to. It is very important that you must inform your doctor if you are taking any prescription or over the counter medicines, drugs, diet supplements, vitamin pills, herbal formulations etc. Your doctor will be able to tell you if taking will affect the potency Neoral. Drugs that can react with Neoral include:

• Nicardipine
• Temsirolimus
• Atorvastatin
• Amphotericin B
• Prednisone
• Vancomycin
• Rifampicin
• Metronidazole
• Sirolimus
• Pravastatin
• Sulfamethoxazole
• Nifedipine
• Colcichine
• Acyclovir
• Sulfadiazine
• Triamterene
• Nefazodone
• Amiloride
• Fluconazole
• Trimethoprim
• Terbinafine
• Amiodarone
• Melphalan
• Ketoconazole
• Phenobarbitol
• Cloramphenicol
• Digoxin
• Diltiazem
• Allopurinol
• Etoposide
• Repaglinide
• Spironolactone
• Dalfopristin
• Verapamil

If your doctor feels that any of the drugs or supplements you are taking may affect the potency of Neoral, the doctor may adjust the doses of the drug such that no drug interactions will occur. You may also be asked to stop taking some drugs to avoid any unwanted and harmful interactions. Hence it is important to let your doctor know of any medicines or therapies you are undergoing before you start taking Neoral.

If you have any questions about buying discount Neoral online or any other prescription products you can contact our team of professional Patient Service Representatives or one of our pharmacists 24-7 by calling 1-800-226-3784.

Notice: The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

Neoral and/or Equivalents warnings, side-effects and general information