Before taking tacrolimus,
tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to tacrolimus or any other medications.
tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, and nutritional supplements you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: amphotericin B (Abelcet, Ambisome, Amphotec); antacids; certain antibiotics including aminoglycosides such as amikacin, gentamicin, neomycin (Neo-Fradin), streptomycin, and tobramycin (Tobi), and macrolides such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (EES, E-Mycin, Erythrocin), and troleandomycin (TAO) (not available in the US); antifungal medications such as clotrimazole (Lotrimin, Mycelex), fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral) and voriconazole (Vfend); bromocriptine (Parlodel); calcium channel blockers such as diltiazem (Cardizem), nicardipine (Cardene), nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), and verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin); caspofungin (Cancidas); chloramphenicol; cimetidine (Tagamet); cisapride (Propulsid) (not available in the U.S.); cisplatin (Platinol); danazol (Danocrine); certain diuretics ('water pills'); ganciclovir (Cytovene); hormonal contraceptives (birth control pills, patches, rings, inserts, or injections); HIV protease inhibitors such as indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), and ritonavir (Norvir); lansoprazole (Prevacid); certain medications for seizures such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenobarbital, and phenytoin (Dilantin); methylprednisolone (Medrol); metoclopramide (Reglan); nefazodone; omeprazole (Prilosec); rifabutin (Mycobutin); rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane); and sirolimus (Rapamune). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you more carefully for side effects. Many other medications may also interact with tacrolimus, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list.
tell your doctor if you are taking or have recently stopped taking cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune). If you were taking cyclosporine, your doctor will probably tell you not to start taking tacrolimus until 24 hours after you took your last dose of cyclosporine. If you stop taking tacrolimus, your doctor will also tell you to wait 24 hours before starting to take cyclosporine.
tell your doctor and pharmacist what herbal products you are taking, especially St. John's wort.
tell your doctor if you have or have ever had heart, kidney, or liver disease.
tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking tacrolimus, call your doctor.
if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking tacrolimus.
you should know that taking tacrolimus may increase the risk that you will develop skin cancer. Protect yourself from skin cancer by avoiding unnecessary or prolonged exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet light (tanning beds) and wearing protective clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen with a high skin protection factor (SPF).
you should know that tacrolimus may cause high blood pressure. Your doctor will monitor your blood pressure carefully, and may prescribe medication to treat high blood pressure if it develops.
you should know that there is a risk that you will develop diabetes during your treatment with tacrolimus. African American and Hispanic patients who have had kidney transplants have an especially high risk of developing diabetes during their treatment with tacrolimus. Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had diabetes. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: excessive thirst; excessive hunger; frequent urination; blurred vision or confusion.
do not have any vaccinations without talking to your doctor.