Cyclosporine
Drug Class: DMARDs
Brand Names: Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune
Dosages
2.5 to 4 mg per kilogram of body weight per day, in two doses.
Potential Side Effects
Abdominal pain; high blood pressure; increase in hair growth; inflammation of the gums; kidney problems; loss of appetite; nausea; numbness; tingling.
Special Instructions
You should not take grapefruit and grapefruit juice while taking this drug, because doing so affects the levels of the drug in your body.
You should not take St. John’s wort while taking this drug.
Take at the same time every day.
Be Aware
Cyclosporine is an immunosuppressant. Do not use if you have an eye infection. Do not wear contact lenses while using this medication. Cyclosporine may make you more likely to get infections and certain cancers.
Your doctor should order periodic blood and urine tests to check for unwanted effects. Before taking any DMARD, tell your doctor if you are planning to become pregnant.
LAST UPDATED: 07/07/2015