Sandimmune (Cyclosporine Soft Gelatin Capsules)

• If you have an allergy to cyclosporine or any other part of Sandimmune.
• If you are allergic to any drugs like this one, any other drugs, foods, or other substances. Tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had, like rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat; or any other signs.
• If you have any of these health problems: Cancer, kidney problems, or high blood pressure.
• If you are taking any of these drugs: Aliskiren, amiloride, bosentan, dabigatran, orlistat, spironolactone, or triamterene.
• If you are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed.

This is not a list of all drugs or health problems that interact with this medicine.

Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all of your drugs (prescription or OTC, natural products, vitamins) and health problems. You must check to make sure that it is safe for you to take Sandimmune with all of your drugs and health problems. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor.

• Tell all of your health care providers that you take this medicine. This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.
• If you have high blood sugar (diabetes), you will need to watch your blood sugar closely.
• If you are taking a salt substitute that has potassium, potassium-sparing diuretics, or potassium, talk with your doctor.
• This medicine has alcohol in it. Talk with the doctor.
• This medicine interacts with many other drugs. The chance of Sandimmune's side effects may be raised or how well this medicine works may be lowered. The chance of the other drugs' side effects may also be raised. This may include very bad, life-threatening, or deadly side effects. Check with your doctor and pharmacist to make sure that it is safe for you to take Sandimmune with all of your other drugs (prescription or OTC, natural products, vitamins).
• There is a chance of skin cancer. Avoid sun, sunlamps, and tanning beds. Use sunscreen and wear clothing and eyewear that protects you from the sun.
• Have your skin checked as you have been told by your doctor. Talk with your doctor.
• Some people treated with this medicine have had very bad kidney problems caused by a certain viral infection (BK virus). In people who have had a kidney transplant, BK virus infection may cause loss of the kidney. Call your doctor right away if you have signs of kidney problems like change in the amount of urine passed, difficulty or pain when passing urine, or blood in the urine.
• A very bad and sometimes deadly brain problem called posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) has happened with Sandimmune. Call your doctor right away if you have signs like feeling confused, lowered alertness, change in eyesight, loss of eyesight, seizures, or very bad headache.
• Talk with your doctor before getting any vaccines. Use with this medicine may either raise the chance of an infection or make the vaccine not work as well.
• Take good care of your teeth. See a dentist often.
• Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice.
• Watch for gout attacks.
• If you are 65 or older, use Sandimmune (cyclosporine soft gelatin capsules) with care. You could have more side effects.
• Use with care in children. Talk with the doctor.
• This medicine may cause harm to the unborn baby if you take it while you are pregnant. If you are pregnant or you get pregnant while taking this medicine, call your doctor right away.

Use Sandimmune as ordered by your doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely.

• Take with or without food. Always take with food or always take on an empty stomach.
• If you are taking sirolimus, take it 4 hours after taking this medicine.
• To gain the most benefit, do not miss doses.
• Keep taking Sandimmune as you have been told by your doctor or other health care provider, even if you feel well.
• Take this medicine at the same time of day.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

• Take a missed dose as soon as you think about it.
• If it is close to the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your normal time.
• Do not take 2 doses at the same time or extra doses.

If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.