Sandimmune

Use a barrier method of contraception, such as diaphragms or condoms, during Sandimmune therapy. Do not use oral contraceptive pills without your doctor's approval.

Do not try to change dosage forms without consulting your doctor.

If you take Neoral for arthritis or psoriasis, the condition will eventually return when you stop taking the drug, generally within 1 or 2 months. Neoral treatments for psoriasis should be replaced with other types of therapy after 1 year.

Possible food and drug interactions when taking Sandimmune

Avoid getting immunizations while you are taking Sandimmune. The drug may make vaccinations less effective or increase your risk of contracting an illness from a live vaccine.

If taking Neoral for psoriasis, remember to avoid other psoriasis treatments.

Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice while taking Sandimmune. Also avoid the antidepressant herb St. John's Wort. This over-the-counter herbal remedy reduces the effect of Sandimmune and Neoral, and can lead to organ rejection.

If Sandimmune is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Sandimmune with the following:

Allopurinol (Zyloprim)
Amiodarone (Cordarone)
Amphotericin B (Fungizone, Abelcet)
Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
Bromocriptine (Parlodel)
Calcium-blocking heart and blood pressure medications such as Adalat, Calan, Cardene, Cardizem, and Procardia
Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
Cimetidine (Tagamet)
Clarithromycin (Biaxin)
Colchicine
Danazol (Danocrine)
Diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam)
Digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps)
Erythromycin (E.E.S., Erythrocin, others)
Fluconazole (Diflucan)
Fluvastatin (Lescol)
Gentamicin (Garamycin)
Indinavir (Crixivan)
Itraconazole (Sporanox)
Ketoconazole (Nizoral)
Lovastatin (Mevacor)
Melphalan (Alkeran)
Methotrexate
Methylprednisolone (Depo-Medrol, Medrol, Solu-Medrol)
Metoclopramide (Reglan)
Nafcillin (Unipen)
Nelfinavir (Viracept)
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Clinoril and Naprosyn
Octreotide (Sandostatin)
Orlistat (Xenical)
Phenobarbital
Phenytoin (Dilantin)
Potassium-sparing diuretics (Dyrenium, Midamor, Aldactone)
Pravastatin (Pravachol)
Prednisolone (Delta-Cortef, Prelone)
Quinupristin (Synercid)
Ranitidine (Zantac)
Rifampin (Rifadin, Rifamate, Rimactane)
Ritonavir (Norvir)
Saquinavir (Fortovase)
Simvastatin (Zocor)
Ticlopidine (Ticlid)
Tacrolimus (Prograf)
Tobramycin (Nebcin)
Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra)
Vancomycin (Vancocin)