Imuran 25mg tablets

Imuran is an immunosuppressive medicine. In the treatment of auto-immune diseases, Imuran helps to suppress over activity in the immune system. This helps to reduce pain and swelling by limiting inflammation. Imuran needs to be taken for a few weeks or months before any improvement is noticed.

When used in people who have had organ transplants, Imuran prevents the body's immune system from rejecting donor organs.

Because of its effects on the immune system, people who take Imuran are prone to getting infections. Your prescriber will monitor you for infections and will tell you about the signs of infection you should look out for while you are take Imuran.

Other information about Imuran:

Do not share your medicine with other people. It may not be suitable for them and may harm them.

The pharmacy label on your medicine tells you how much medicine you should take. It also tells you how often you should take your medicine. This is the dose that you and your prescriber have agreed you should take. You should not change the dose of your medicine unless you are told to do so by your prescriber.

If you feel that the medicine is making you unwell or you do not think it is working, then talk to your prescriber.

Some medicines work best if they are taken at a specific time of day. Getting the most from your medicine can also be affected by what you eat, when you eat and the times at which you take other medicines. Make sure you follow any specific instructions given to you by your prescriber or that are in the Patient Information Leaflet that comes with this medicine.

Some medicines have specific instructions about how to take them. This is because they work better when taken correctly. These instructions can include getting the right dose and special instructions for preparing the medicine. Make sure you follow any specific instructions given to you by your prescriber or that are in the Patient Information Leaflet that comes with this medicine.

In the case of Imuran:

If you are having problems taking this form of Imuran, you should talk to your prescriber or pharmacist. They may be able to give you advice on other ways to take your medicine or other preparations that are easier for you to take.

Taking extra doses of some medicines can be harmful. In some cases even one extra dose can cause you problems. If you take extra doses of your medicine, you must get medical advice immediately. You may need a test to assess the effect of taking extra doses. This is because the effects of taking too much medicine are very complex so it is very important that you seek medical advice.

Contact your prescriber, pharmacist, specialist clinic or NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 for advice.

Make sure you take all of your medicine containers with you if you are advised to go to hospital.

Suddenly stopping your medicine may cause your original condition to return. This is why you must speak to your prescriber if you are having any problems taking your medicine.

If you are not having any problems taking this medicine then do not stop taking it, even if you feel better, unless advised to do so by your prescriber.

If you are in any doubt, contact your prescriber, pharmacist, specialist clinic or NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

The instructions on how you should keep your medicine are on the pharmacy label. It is a good idea to keep your medicine in the original container. This will help to keep your medicine in the best condition and also allow you to check the instructions. Do not take the medicine if the packaging appears to have been tampered with or if the medicine shows any signs of damage. Make sure that the medicine is out of the sight and reach of children.

In the case of Imuran:

You must not take the medicine after the expiry date shown on the packaging. If you have any unused medicine, return it to your pharmacist who will dispose of it safely.

Imuran is not suitable for everyone and some people should never use it. Other people should only use it with special care. It is important that the person prescribing this medicine knows your full medical history.

Your prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all if you:

As part of the process of assessing suitability to take this medicine a prescriber may also arrange tests:

Over time it is possible that Imuran can become unsuitable for some people, or they may become unsuitable for it. If at any time it appears that Imuran has become unsuitable, it is important that the prescriber is contacted immediately.

A medicine is only made available to the public if the clinical trials have shown that the benefits of taking the medicine outweigh the risks.

Once a medicine has been licensed, information on the medicine's effects, both intended and unintended, is continuously recorded and updated.

Some side-effects may be serious while others may only be a mild inconvenience.

Everyone's reaction to a medicine is different. It is difficult to predict which side-effects you will have from taking a particular medicine, or whether you will have any side-effects at all. The important thing is to tell your prescriber or pharmacist if you are having problems with your medicine.

Very common: More than 1 in 10 people who take Imuran:

• blood and bone marrow problems - seek immediate medical advice if you get unexpected bruising, bleeding, or any other signs of an infection. You can get information on the signs of infection and what you should look out for from your prescriber
• increased risk of getting infections such as chickenpox which may become severe - if you get any symptoms of an infection or are exposed to chickenpox or measles while taking Imuran, you must seek immediate medical advice. You can get information on the signs of infection and what you should look out for from your prescriber

Uncommon: More than 1 in 1000 people who take Imuran:

• abnormal laboratory test results
• gallbladder problems
• hypersensitivity reactions including kidney problems or lowered blood pressure - some of these hypersensitivity reactions may be fatal. Seek immediate medical advice if you get any of these symptoms: dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, rigors, skin rashes, joint pain, muscle pain or a general feeling of being unwell
• pancreatitis

Rare: More than 1 in 10,000 people who take Imuran:

• bowel problems in transplant patients
• cancers
• colitis
• hair loss
• liver problems - these may be fatal
• photosensitivity

Very rare: Fewer than 1 in 10,000 people who take Imuran:

• lung problems
• Stevens-Johnson syndrome
• toxic epidermal necrolysis

The frequency of these side-effects is unknown:

• abortion
• increased fertility in both males and females after a kidney transplant

If you feel unwell or if you have concerns about a side-effect, you will need to seek advice. If you feel very ill, get medical help straight away. Contact your prescriber, pharmacist, nurse or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

If you are taking more than one medicine they may interact with each other. At times your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, in other cases this may not be appropriate.

The decision to use medicines that interact depends on your specific circumstances. Your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, if it is believed that the benefits of taking the medicines together outweigh the risks. In such cases, it may be necessary to alter your dose or monitor you more closely.

Tell your prescriber the names of all the medicines that you are taking so that they can consider all possible interactions. This includes all the medicines which have been prescribed by your GP, hospital doctor, dentist, nurse, health visitor, midwife or pharmacist. You must also tell your prescriber about medicines which you have bought over the counter without prescriptions.

The following medicines may interact with Imuran:

The following types of medicine may interact with Imuran:

If you are taking Imuran and one of the above medicines or types of medicines, make sure your prescriber knows about it.

Medicines can interact with complementary preparations and vitamins. In general, there is not much information available about interactions between medicines and complementary preparations or vitamins.

If you are planning to take or are already taking any complementary preparations and vitamins you should ask your prescriber whether there are any known interactions with Imuran.

Your prescriber can advise whether it is appropriate for you to take combinations that are known to interact. They can also discuss with you the possible effect that the complementary preparations and vitamins may have on your condition.

If you experience any unusual effects while taking this medicine in combination with complementary preparations and vitamins, you should tell your prescriber.

When taking any medicine you should be aware that it might interfere with your ability to drive or operate machinery safely.

Like all medicines Imuran can cause side effects. You should see how this medicine affects you and then judge if you are safe to drive or operate machinery. If you are in any doubt, talk to your prescriber.

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your prescriber may advise you to avoid certain foods.

In the case of Imuran:

Alcohol can interact with certain medicines.

In the case of Imuran:

Most medicines, in some way, can affect the development of a baby in the womb. The effect on the baby differs between medicines and also depends on the stage of pregnancy that you have reached when you take the medicine.

In the case of Imuran:

You need to discuss your specific circumstances with your doctor to weigh up the overall risks and benefits of taking this medicine. You and your doctor can make a decision about whether you are going to take this medicine during pregnancy.

If the decision is that you should not have Imuran, then you should discuss whether there is an alternative medicine that you could take during pregnancy.

Certain medicines can pass into breast milk and may reach your baby through breast-feeding.

In the case of Imuran:

Before you have your baby you should discuss breast-feeding with your doctor or midwife. They will help you decide what is best for you and your baby based on the benefits and risks associated with this medicine. You should only breast-feed your baby while taking this medicine on the advice of your doctor or midwife.

Medicines contain active ingredients. They may also contain other, additional ingredients that help ensure the stability, safety and effectiveness of the medicine. They are also added to improve the medicine's taste and appearance and to make it easier to take. Some may be used to prolong the life of the medicine.

You should check that you are able to take the ingredients in your medicine, especially if you have any allergies.

Imuran contains:

If you are not able to take any of the ingredients in your medicine, talk to your prescriber or pharmacist to see if they can suggest an alternative medicine. If you have reacted badly to Imuran before, do not take Imuran. Talk to your prescriber, pharmacist or nurse as soon as possible.