General Information on Neoral
Neoral is medication given for lowering the intensity of a body’s immune system. The generic name for this medication is cyclosporine.
The immune system is responsible for protecting your body from infections. It is also responsible for the rejection of a newly transplanted organ, like a kidney or a liver. This is because the newly transplanted organ is seen as a foreign invader by the immune system. By reducing the action of the immune system, Neoral reduces the chance of rejection after the completion of heart, kidney or liver transplant.
In some cases, you may also buy Neoral as a treatment for severe rheumatoid arthritis or severe psoriasis. Apart from this, your doctor may prescribe this medication after a complete evaluation, even the condition is not mentioned above.
Side effects of Neoral
You may not be prescribed to buy Neoral if you suffer from uncontrolled and untreated high blood pressure, kidney disease or any form of cancer. If Neoral has been given to you for treating psoriasis, you must avoid receiving radiation or light therapy during the course of this medication. The doctors involved in your case have to aware of the fact that you are taking Neoral.
You must inform your doctor if you begin to see signs of kidney failure. These signs include reduced or no urination, confusion, drowsiness, increased thirst, unusual mood changes, swelling, nausea, weight gain, vomiting and falling short of breath. You must avoid getting live vaccines while you are on Neoral, since your immune system would not be able to fight the infection.
You may not be able to take this medication if you are taking an NSAID, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, as it may cause adverse side effects on interaction.
Dosage of Neoral
You must take Neoral exactly as per the dosage prescribed for your condition. Do not take a dosage of Neoral that is larger than what was prescribed for you, as it may result in an overdose. Do not share this medication with others, even though they may seem to have the same condition as yours. Neoral is available as a soft gelatin capsule with strengths 25mg and 100mg, as well as an oral solution with cyclosporine 100mg/ml.
The dosage of Neoral prescribed is dependent on the patient’s condition. However, irrespective of what the condition may be, Neoral is recommended to be split into 2 equal daily doses. Grapefruits and products made of grapefruit, like its juice, needs to be avoided since it may affect the body’s metabolism.
For transplant patients, Neoral can be administered 4 to 12 hours before the operation. Alternatively, it can also be administered as part of post-operative treatment. For the treatment of severe rheumatoid arthritis, the initial dosage is recommended to be kept at 2.5mg per kg body weight of the patient. This initial dosage remains the same for the treatment of severe psoriasis as well. Neoral oral solution can be made easier to consume by diluting it with apple or orange juice at room temperature, if required. However, patients are not recommended to switch the diluents.