Details for: APO-AZATHIOPRINE

To help avoid side effects and ensure proper use, talk to your healthcare professional before you take APOAZATHIOPRINE. Talk about any health conditions or problems you may have, including if:

• you have rheumatoid arthritis and have been previously treated with alkylating agents (such as cyclophosphamide, chlorambucil, melphalan or others)
• you suffer from liver or kidney disease
• you have been told you have any type of cancer
• you have a condition where your body produces too little of a natural chemical called thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT)
• you have been told you have an inherited mutation in the NUDT15 gene
• you have never had chickenpox or shingles
• you have had chickenpox or hepatitis B (a liver disease caused by a virus) in the past
• you are going to have an operation. Medicines including tubocurarine, or succinylcholine that are used as muscle relaxants during surgery may interact with APO- AZATHIOPRINE. You should tell your doctor you are taking APO- AZATHIOPRINE before your surgery.
• you are pregnant. You should not take APO- AZATHIOPRINE while pregnant. It can cause harm to your unborn baby.
• you are planning to have a baby - discuss this with your doctor whether you are male or female
• you are breast feeding. The ingredient in APO- AZATHIOPRINE can be transferred through your breast milk.
• you are planning to get a vaccine. You should not receive live vaccines while taking APO-AZATHIOPRINE
• you have had an allergic reaction to a medicine used to treat certain cancers called mercaptopurine.

Other warning you should know about: General: If you are receiving immunosuppressive therapy, taking APO- AZATHIOPRINE could put you at a greater risk of developing certain types of cancers called lymphoproliferative disorders. These are cancers that affect the blood and immune system.

Exposure to Sunlight: Patients taking immunosuppressive medicines may have an increased risk for developing tumours, including skin cancer. While you are taking APO- AZATHIOPRINE, you should avoid too much exposure to sunlight. You should wear sunscreen with a high protections factor and wear protective clothing.

Use with other immunosuppressant, particularly corticosteroids: Patients taking APO- AZATHIOPRINE alone or in combination with other immunosupressants, particularly corticosteroids are at a greater risk for infections.

Chickenpox or shingles: Infection with chickenpox or shingles can become severe in patients taking immunosuppressive medicines. You should therefore avoid contact with anyone who has chickenpox or shingles. Tell your doctor right away if you do come into contact with someone with chickenpox or shingles.

Gastrointestinal hypersensitivity: Severe nausea and vomiting have been reported in patients taking APOAZATHIOPRINE.

Infections You are more likely to get a viral, fungal, or bacterial infection while you are taking APOAZATHIOPRINE. If you do get an infection, it may become more severe. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about infections while taking or receiving APO- AZATHIOPRINE.

NUDT15 gene mutation Tell your doctor before you start taking APO- AZATHIOPRINE if you have an inherited mutation in the NUDT15 gene. The NUDT15 gene is involved in the break-down of azathioprine in the body, you have a higher risk of getting infections and hair loss if you have this mutation. Your doctor may need to give you a lower dose of APO- AZATHIOPRINE.

Fertility: It is not known if APO- AZATHIOPRINE affects fertility in humans. When tested in animals, APO- AZATHIOPRINE decreased fertility in animals that mated. It also decreased sperm viability and count in male animals. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about your fertility while taking or receiving APO- AZATHIOPRINE.

Vaccines: You should not receive live vaccines while taking or receiving APO- AZATHIOPRINE. They can cause you get an infection. You should wait at least 3 months after you stop taking APOAZATHIOPRINE before getting a live vaccine. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about receiving vaccines while taking APO- AZATHIOPRINE.