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| Other drug names: | A-Am An-Az B C-Ch Ci-Cz D-Dh Di-Dz E F G H I-J K-L M-Mh Mi-Mz N-Nh Ni-Nz O P-Pl Pm-Pz Q-R S-Sn So-Sz T-To Tp-Tz U-V W-Z 0-9 |
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Some commonly used brand names are:
In Canada--
Generic name product may be available in the U.S.
Thioguanine (thye-oh-GWON-een) belongs to the group of medicines known as antimetabolites. It is used to treat some kinds of cancer.
Thioguanine interferes with the growth of cancer cells, which are eventually destroyed. Since the growth of normal body cells may also be affected by thioguanine, other effects will also occur. Some of these may be serious and must be reported to your doctor. Other effects may not be serious but may cause concern. Some effects may not occur for months or years after the medicine is used.
Before you begin treatment with thioguanine, you and your doctor should talk about the good this medicine will do as well as the risks of using it.
Thioguanine is available only with your doctor's prescription, in the following dosage form:
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For thioguanine, the following should be considered:
Allergies--Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to thioguanine.
Pregnancy--Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or if you intend to have children. There is a chance that this medicine may cause birth defects if either the male or female is taking it at the time of conception or if it is taken during pregnancy. In addition, many cancer medicines may cause sterility which could be permanent. Although this has not been reported with this medicine, the possibility should be kept in mind.
Be sure that you have discussed this with your doctor before taking this medicine. It is best to use some kind of birth control while you are taking thioguanine. Tell your doctor right away if you think you have become pregnant while taking thioguanine.
Breast-feeding--Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding or if you intend to breast-feed during treatment with this medicine. Because thioguanine may cause serious side effects, breast-feeding is generally not recommended while you are receiving it.
Children--Although there is no specific information about the use of thioguanine in children, it is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does in adults.
Older adults--Many medicines have not been tested in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information about the use of thioguanine in the elderly.
Other medicines--Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking thioguanine, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:
Other medical problems--The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of thioguanine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor . Do not take more or less of it, and do not take it more often than your doctor ordered. The exact amount of medicine you need has been carefully worked out. Taking too much may increase the chance of side effects, while taking too little may not improve your condition.
Thioguanine is sometimes given together with certain other medicines. If you are using a combination of medicines, make sure that you take each one at the right time and do not mix them. Ask your health care professional to help you plan a way to take your medicine at the right times.
While you are using thioguanine, your doctor may want you to drink extra fluids so that you will pass more urine. This will help prevent kidney problems and keep your kidneys working well.
Thioguanine sometimes causes nausea and vomiting. However, it is very important that you continue to take this medicine, even if you begin to feel ill. Do not stop taking this medicine without first checking with your doctor . Ask your health care professional for ways to lessen these effects.
If you vomit shortly after taking a dose of thioguanine, check with your doctor. You will be told whether to take the dose again or to wait until the next scheduled dose.
Dosing--The dose of thioguanine will be different for different patients. The dose that is used may depend on a number of things, including what the medicine is being used for, the patient's weight, and whether or not other medicines are also being taken. If you are taking thioguanine at home, follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label . If you have any questions about the proper dose of thioguanine, ask your doctor.
Missed dose--If you miss a dose of this medicine, do not take the missed dose at all and do not double the next one. Instead, go back to your regular dosing schedule and check with your doctor.
Storage--To store this medicine:
It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects.
While you are being treated with thioguanine, and after you stop treatment with it, do not have any immunizations (vaccinations) without your doctor's approval . Thioguanine may lower your body's resistance and there is a chance you might get the infection the immunization is meant to prevent. Other people living in your household should not take or should not have recently taken oral polio vaccine since there is a chance they could pass the polio virus on to you. Also, avoid other persons who have taken oral polio vaccine. Do not get close to them and do not stay in the same room with them for very long. If you cannot take these precautions, you should consider wearing a protective face mask that covers the nose and mouth.
Thioguanine can lower the number of white blood cells in your blood temporarily, increasing the chance of getting an infection. It can also lower the number of platelets, which are necessary for proper blood clotting. If this occurs, there are certain precautions you can take, especially when your blood count is low, to reduce the risk of infection or bleeding:
Along with their needed effects, medicines like thioguanine can sometimes cause unwanted effects such as blood problems and other side effects. These and others are described below. Also, because of the way these medicines act on the body, there is a chance that they might cause other unwanted effects that may not occur until months or years after the medicine is used. These delayed effects may include certain types of cancer, such as leukemia. Discuss these possible effects with your doctor.
Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Less common
Black, tarry stools; blood in urine or stools; cough or hoarseness; fever or chills; lower back or side pain; painful or difficult urination; pinpoint red spots on skin; unusual bleeding or bruising
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
Less common
Joint pain; swelling of feet or lower legs; unsteadiness when walking
Rare
Sores in mouth and on lips; yellow eyes or skin
Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Less common
Diarrhea; loss of appetite; nausea and vomiting; skin rash or itching
After you stop taking thioguanine, it may still produce some side effects that need attention. During this period of time, check with your doctor if you notice any of the following side effects:
Black, tarry stools; blood in urine or stools; cough or hoarseness; fever or chills; lower back or side pain; painful or difficult urination; pinpoint red spots on skin; unusual bleeding or bruising
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.
Revised: 09/90
Interim revision: 08/11/93; 07/05/94
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