Mycophenolate mofetil
Mycophenolate mofetil is an immunosuppressant that stops the immune system rejecting a transplanted kidney, heart or liver, stocked here as CellCept 500mg tablets taken by mouth.
What mycophenolate mofetil is used for
Mycophenolate mofetil is an immunosuppressant: it quietens the immune system so a donated kidney, heart or liver is not treated as an invader and rejected. Transplant patients take it for years, alongside other medicines that damp the immune response in different ways, so it becomes part of a daily routine rather than a short course. It also has a place in a few autoimmune conditions, where the immune system turns on the body's own tissues.
How it works
Swallowed as a tablet, the medicine is converted in the body into mycophenolic acid. That form blocks an enzyme which T and B lymphocytes — the white blood cells that lead the attack on a new organ — need in order to copy their DNA. Without it, those cells cannot multiply at their usual pace, so the rejection response loses much of its force. Normal defences are slowed as well, which is why infections become more common.
CellCept 500mg tablets
The mycophenolate mofetil sold here is CellCept, the branded form of the ingredient, as 500mg tablets. Each tablet holds 500mg of mycophenolate mofetil and is swallowed whole, and 500mg is the only strength on the page. Capsules and a powder that is mixed into a drink are made elsewhere, but the tablet is the version stocked for this ingredient.
How it is taken
The daily amount is usually split into two doses, one in the morning and one in the evening, and keeping to the same clock times helps hold a steady level in the body. Tablets go down whole with water rather than being chewed. A meal before or after the dose is fine.
Side effects and interactions
Loose stools, nausea, stomach cramps and headache are the ones people notice most. Blood counts are checked during treatment, because white cells and platelets can fall, and that shows up as bruising, bleeding or infections that hang around. A fever with chills, or sudden breathlessness, needs urgent attention. Years of treatment raise the risk of lymphoma (cancer of the lymph glands) and of skin cancer. Antacids containing magnesium or aluminium pull absorption down, and rifampicin lowers the level of the medicine in the blood. Mycophenolate is not used in pregnancy: it can cause miscarriage and birth defects.
Sources
- Autoimmune Diseases - MedlinePlus — MedlinePlus
- Autoimmune diseases – an overview - Healthdirect — Healthdirect Australia
Can I order Mycophenolate mofetil online in Hong Kong?
Mycophenolate mofetil can be ordered online from PockDose with delivery to Hong Kong. The page lists generic CellCept tablets in 500mg, an immunosuppressant taken by mouth. Payment is by Visa, Mastercard or American Express on a secure, encrypted payment page, or by Bitcoin or Ethereum.
How are Mycophenolate mofetil prices shown?
CellCept is priced per pack: its page lists every strength and pack size with the current price in HKD or your chosen currency.
Can I buy generic CellCept in Hong Kong?
Yes, generic CellCept is listed as 500mg tablets and contains mycophenolate mofetil, an immunosuppressant. It is the only mycophenolate mofetil product on the page, with no separate plain version beside it.
Can I take mycophenolate mofetil with food?
Food makes no difference to how much CellCept is absorbed, so a tablet can be taken with a meal or between meals. If the first weeks bring nausea, taking the dose with a light snack is one way to make it easier to keep up.
Does mycophenolate mofetil make infections more likely?
Yes. Damping the immune response is exactly what the medicine is for, and the same effect lets infections take hold more easily — most often in the chest, urinary tract and skin, and sometimes more severely than usual.
Is mycophenolate mofetil used for lupus?
Yes. It is used in lupus that inflames the kidneys, known as lupus nephritis, where the immune system attacks the kidney's own tissue. The purpose is the same as in transplant care: to slow the immune cells doing the damage.
Can I have vaccinations while taking mycophenolate mofetil?
Live vaccines, such as MMR and yellow fever, are avoided during treatment because the weakened organisms in them can cause infection when the immune response is lowered. Inactivated vaccines contain no live organisms and are not a concern.
How should I store CellCept tablets?
Keep them in their blister strips below 25°C. A shelf away from radiators and damp air keeps the pack in good condition for longer, and it is worth checking the date on the strip before starting a new pack.