Like all medicines, CellCept can have side effects, although not everybody gets them. Some of the more usual problems are diarrhoea, fewer white cells and/or red cells in your blood, infection and vomiting. Your doctor will do regular blood tests to monitor any changes in the number of your blood cells or changes in the levels of any of the substances carried in your blood, e.g. sugar, fat, cholesterol.
CellCept reduces your body?s own defence mechanisms to stop you rejecting your transplanted kidney or liver. Consequently your body will not be as good as normal at fighting infections. People receiving CellCept 500 mg powder for concentrate for solution for infusion therefore catch more infections than usual, such as infections of the brain, skin, mouth, stomach and intestines, lungs and urinary tract. As can happen in patients taking this type of medicine, a very small number of CellCept patients have developed cancer of the lymphoid tissues and skin.
General unwanted effects affecting your body as a whole could include hypersensitivity (such as anaphylaxis, angioeodema), fever, lethargy, difficulty in sleeping, pains (such as abdominal, chest, joint/muscle, pain on passing urine), headache, flu symptoms and swelling.
Other unwanted effects may include:
Disorders of the skin such as acne, cold sores, shingles, hair loss, rash,itching.
Urinary disorders such as kidney problems or the urgent need to pass urine.
Disorders of the digestive system and mouth such asconstipation, nausea, indigestion, pancreas inflammation, intestinal disorders including bleeding, inflammation of the stomach, liver problems, inflammation of the colon, loss of appetite, flatulence, swelling of the gums and mouth ulcers.
Disorders of the nerves and senses such as convulsions, tremor, depression, drowsiness, numbness, muscle spasms, changes in thinking or mood.
Metabolic, blood and vascular disorders such as weight loss, high blood sugar, bleeding, clots and bruises, change in blood pressure and abnormal heart beat may be seen. Other unwanted effects caused by the intravenous infusion include local inflammation of the veins.
Disorders of the lungs such as pneumonia, bronchitis, shortness of breath, cough, fluid on the lungs/chest cavity, sinus problems.
If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet during your treatment with CellCept, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.