Get Informed: Cellcept
Active Ingredient(s)
Mycophenolate
What does it do?
This product is used to prevent organ transplant rejection. It works by suppressing the immune system, specifically the B- and T-cells.
- Last Text Update:
- 2009-Nov-07 2:27 PM
- Last Data Update:
- No data
Other Names
- Cellcept
- Mycophenolate
- Mycophenolate Mofetil
How Safe Is It?
- Your Risk Rating
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- Average Risk Rating
-
- Pregnancy Category:
- D
Black Box Warning
This product has a black box warning relating to prescribers needing to be familiar with complete prescribing information, the increased risk of infection due to immunosuppression, and risks of fetal harm or death.
Facts & Figures
- Date Approved
- 03 May 1995
- Est US Patients*
- 991,600
- Generic Available
- Yes
- OTC Available
- No
User Age Distribution*
< 21
21-39
40-59
60+
Age (Years)
* Estimated number of US people currently taking Cellcept or its active ingredient based on population adjusted patient numbers registered with iGuard.org.
Cellcept Safety Report
Learn more about iGuard's risk ratings
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Global Patient Feedback for Cellcept (Mycophenolate) ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
My grandson has recently started taking Cellcept for scladerma, he is 7 years old. He is very irritable and cries at the drop of a hat. Does anyone know how this medication affects other children. Do these side effects go away?
Worried Grandmother
62 year old Female
Posted: 2009-10-14 23:39:36
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
CellCept has a long list of side effects including neck and pelvic pain, headache, fever, swelling and general malaise (not feeling well). These could be contributing factors to your grandson's well being as well as many other side effects that may be caused by CellCept. In general, some of the side effects above may lessen with time but every patient will react differently. The best action is to speak with his doctors if his irritability and crying continues or worsens.
Posted: 2009-10-29 23:46:53
Question/Comment:
I had a kidney transplant over seven years ago. Now I'm having shakyness, insomina and tireness. NOT DEPRESS!!. I still itch where my transplant was did. I'm on predisone also, want to get off of it but my doctors are not agreeing with me. Funny thing, right after my transplant, the next month it was not a protocol after that. So I'm been trying to get rid of it.
45 year old Female
Posted: 2009-09-24 00:19:23
Question/Comment:
I have been using Cellcept for a kidney transplant since 2001 and have had minimal side effects, though i need to watch foods with high acidic content such as tomatos and peppers
49 year old Male
Posted: 2009-05-22 19:57:21
Question/Comment:
I Have CIDP and was on a high dosage of Prednisone for quite some time. My doctor waned me off Prednisone and started me on Cellcept. I have not experienced any problems from Cellcept usage so far. I would like to hear from any others who have CIDP and who are also on Cellcept.
73 year old Male
Posted: 2009-03-07 15:23:23
Answer/Reply:
Hi,
I have taken Cellcept for almost two years for autoimmune hepatitis. It works great, few side effects. I found that if I did not eat peppers, onions, or tomato based products I have fewer
stomach issues. Good luck.
55 year old Female
Posted: 2009-03-29 16:15:19
Answer/Reply:
Hello,
I have ILD and I'm a 39 year old female that started on predinsone a while back. Cellcept is helping me, but when i was told that it would be increased to three pills a day it got a little rough. I was having diarrhea and vomiting. This was because I was taking two pills instead taking them one at a time (spacing them). I do not have CIDP, but Iam taking one day at a time. Wishing you great health.
40 year old Female
Posted: 2009-04-02 14:22:16
Question/Comment:
Cellcept has helped my illness (Polymyositis with Interstitual Pulmonary Fibrosis) tremendously. However, the side effects have been bad. One of the side effects was that my hair stopped growing when I started taking Cellcept. Within a couple of months, my hair started falling out, and now I have very little hair left. What is left is very dead and does not resemble my old hair at all. I am wearing a wig and am curious when I will get my hair back. Has anyone else experienced this?
47 year old Female
Posted: 2009-02-15 18:14:09
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
I'm happy and sad that cell cept helped your condition but has left you with almost no hair. Sorry, I've been on Cell cept for since 2007 and just now my hair started to fall out it kind of feels like rubber and it breaks very easy. I hope you continue your recovery. God Bless you and good luck
Posted: 2009-03-02 21:02:45
Answer/Reply:
I'm a 72 year old female. I had a kidney transplant April 2009 and was taking CellCept - 500 mg twice a day. After the first month I noticed my hair started falling out. By the 3rd month post op., my hair was falling out at a faster/larger rate. I lose approx 75 - 100 hairs a day, and I didn't have that much to begin with. Now, because my white blood count is low, I'm just taking 250 mg twice a day and my Dr. stopped my Pepcid totally, as he said it can also lower my WBC. Haven't noticed my hair falling out at a slower rate
but my stomach bothers me now. Wished I knew how long this will continue.
74 year old Female
Posted: 2009-09-02 23:14:26
Answer/Reply:
Yes. I too an a 46 year old female. I am being treated for Chronic Uveitis. I am losing my hair at an alarming rate after being on four 250 mg capsules a day (I only weigh 112 lbs, 5', 7") for only 13 days. I do have other side effects, but as a woman, I am not ashamed to admit that the most traumatic one for me, is the loss of hair. My original dosage was 2 pills twice a day. Rashes and other problems has caused my rheumatologist to recommend 1 pill twice a day. I really, really hope this makes a difference.
46 year old Female
Posted: 2009-09-14 12:05:07
Answer/Reply:
I too am 46 years old and am losing hair among other side effects from taking Cellcept. As a woman, I consider hair loss the most traumatic. The Cellcept was prescribed to treat my Chronic Uveitis. It has helped the condition. The dosage; two 250 mg capsules taken twice daily has only been in place for 13 days and already, I am almost bald on my left side. After reporting other side effects, such as rash, headaches and nausea, my rheumatologist has recommended 1 pill twice a day. I really, really hope this helps, but am not too optimistic. Any advice would be greatly welcomed.
46 year old Female
Posted: 2009-09-14 13:52:49
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Patient Comments about
Cellcept