thioguanine Oral

Upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, contact your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.
Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: easy bruising/bleeding, dizziness/fainting, joint pain/swelling, persistent nausea/vomiting, stomach/abdominal pain, tongue/mouth sores or pain, unusual tiredness, dark urine, yellowing eyes/skin.
This medication can lower the body\'s ability to fight an infection. Tell your doctor promptly if you develop any signs of an infection such as fever, chills, or persistent sore throat.
A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
In the US -
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

Before taking thioguanine, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
Before taking this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if a certain drug (mercaptopurine) did not work for you in the past. This may affect how well thioguanine works for you.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: other blood disorders (e.g., anemia, low blood cell counts), gout, kidney stones, liver disease.
Do not have immunizations/vaccinations without the consent of your doctor, and avoid contact with people who have recently received oral polio vaccine or flu vaccine inhaled through the nose.
Wash your hands well to prevent the spread of infections.
To lower your risk of getting cut, bruised, or injured, use caution with sharp objects like razors and nail cutters, and avoid activities such as contact sports.
If you need to have surgery or a dental procedure, tell your doctor or dentist that you are using thioguanine.
Drinking alcohol may increase the risk of stomach/esophagus irritation or liver damage. Limit alcoholic beverages.
People with a certain inherited problem (lack of thiopurine methyltransferase-TPMT enzyme) may be at increased risk for serious side effects from this medication and may require dosage adjustment. Consult your doctor for details and to discuss whether you should be tested for this inherited problem.
This medication is not recommended for use during pregnancy. It may harm an unborn baby. Consult your doctor for more details and to discuss reliable forms of birth control. If you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant, tell your doctor immediately.
It is not known whether this drug passes into breast milk. Because of the possible risk to the infant, breast-feeding while using this drug is not recommended. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.
This drug should not be used within 2 weeks of receiving a live vaccine. Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have recently received any vaccines. (See also Precautions section.)
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: aminosalicylates (e.g., olsalazine, mesalazine, sulphasalazine), drugs that may affect bone marrow (e.g., azathioprine, drugs that contain trimethoprim, other anti-cancer drugs), drugs that may affect the liver (e.g., amiodarone, erythromycin, busulfan).
This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.

If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call the US National Poison Hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center. Symptoms of overdose may include: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, unusually heavy sweating.

NOTES:
Do not share this medication with others.
Laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g., complete blood count, liver function tests, uric acid) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

MISSED DOSE:
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

STORAGE:
Store at room temperature between 59-77 degrees F (15-25 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.
Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.
MEDICAL ALERT: Your condition can cause complications in a medical emergency. For information about enrolling in MedicAlert, call 1-800-854-1166 (USA) or 1-800-668-1507 (Canada).
Information last revised May 2010. Copyright(c) 2010 First Databank, Inc.