Mercaptopurine

It is an anticancer drug (antineoplastic agent) that is used for the treatment of acute lymphocytic leukemia. It belongs to the class of drugs called purine antagonists. Leukemia is a type of blood cancer indicated by the swift growth of abnormal blood cells. Acute leukemia cells swiftly divide up and the condition also progresses rapidly.

What Is Mercaptopurine and How It Works

It is the generic name of this drug and it is available under brand names Purixan and Purinethol. Both generic and brand-name versions of this drug are available with Heal Pharmacy. It works against the disease by precluding the growth and duplication of cancer cells.

Mercaptopurine Uses

This medicine is prescribed alone or in combination with other chemotherapy medicines to effectively treat acute lymphocytic leukemia (cancer of white blood cells). Other uses include the treatment of certain other kinds of cancer, ulcerative colitis (development of sores in the intestines accompanied by pain and diarrhea), and management of Crohn’s disease (when the body attacks the lining of the digestive tract causing diarrhea, pain, fever, and weight loss).

This medication is used in combination with other medications to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute promyelocytic leukemia, autoimmune hepatitis, and lymphoblastic lymphoma.

How Does It Work?

This product belongs to the group of chemotherapy medications called anti-metabolites. These medicines impede cells from developing and repairing DNA. Cancer cells are required to develop and restore DNA so that these can grow and multiply. This drug interferes with the progress of cancer cells.

How To Use This Medication

Carefully read the patient information leaflet before you start taking this product and every time you get a refill. It comes as an oral tablet and suspension form that should be taken by mouth only. The exact Mercaptopurine dosage depends on your body weight and your body’s response to this medicine. The dosage must be determined by your healthcare professional only.

Oral tablet:

Buy this tablet from Heal Pharmacy at inexpensive rates. Usually, it is prescribed as a tablet every day. This tablet should be taken orally with a glass of water. Swallow the tablets with water. You can take it before or after a meal as advised by your doctor. Try to take it every day at the same time and the way you started it (with or without food). Follow your doctor’s recommendations mentioned on the prescription label. Make sure you take this medication at even intervals. Do not take this medicine more or less than the prescribed dosage.

Oral suspension:

If your healthcare professional has prescribed oral suspension. Every time you take the medicine, shake the bottle well. Do not use your regular spoon to measure the dose. Always measure the Mercaptopurine dosage with the measuring spoon or syringe that comes with the medicine to ensure the correct dosage.

Try to take this medicine at the same time every day and drink some water after you take the medicine. Do not take the tablet and liquid with milk or other dairy products. Make sure you take this drug one hour before and two hours after dairy products.

If you have not received the measuring tool with your medicine, ask your pharmacist for one. Heal Pharmacy always makes sure that every customer gets the measuring tool with liquid medicines. After each use wash the measuring device well and let it dry. Take this drug for the prescribed time even if you feel well. Do not stop taking this medicine until your doctor asks you to do so and refill it on time from Heal Pharmacy.

While taking Mercaptopurine 25 mg, drink adequate water and plenty of fluids to help reduce the risk of side effects. If the liquid medicine comes in contact with your eye or skin, immediately rinse it with clean water. This drug is prescribed for certain conditions so you may need to follow some precautions when using this product in children. Take your pediatrician’s advice while using it for pediatric patients.

Missed dose

If you missed a dose, take it immediately as you remember it. However, if you remember about the missed dose when it is close to the next dose, you can skip the missed dose and go with your next dose. Do not take two doses together.

Overdose

Drug overdose can happen if someone consumes too much of this medicine. In that case, immediately call your healthcare professional or contact a nearby poison control center for medical help.

Warnings

Inform your healthcare provider if you are allergic to this drug other ingredients of this drug, or any other foods or ingredients. Do not take this drug if you ever have an allergic reaction to it.

Your healthcare provider should be aware if you have any active infection or if you have ever had a liver or kidney disease. Tell your doctor about your medical history and the prescription or nonprescription drugs, nutritional supplements, herbal products, or vitamins you are taking. Some medications may interact with this medicine and put you at risk of developing side effects. Avoid getting any vaccinations without consulting your healthcare provider. Avoid coming in contact with people with any kind of infections that can spread easily such as covid 19, flu, measles, or chickenpox.

Update your doctor if you have taken this medicine or Thioguanine in the past. Your doctor may change the dosage or prescribe other medicine if this medicine has not worked well for your cancer treatment in the past.

Make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to get pregnant. You should use effective birth control measures while getting this medication to avoid pregnancy. Tell your healthcare professional if you get pregnant during the treatment as this drug may harm the fetus.

This drug can make your skin more sensitive to skin. Avoid sun exposure, sunlamps, and tanning booths. If it is essential to go out make sure you use good sunscreen and wear sunglasses and protective clothes. Immediately inform your doctor if you get sunburned or develop redness on your skin or blisters.

If you have been prescribed this medicine for a longer period, make sure you refill it before you run out of medicine. Order your medicine from Heal Pharmacy and get doorstep delivery without any hassle.

Where To Buy Mercaptopurine

Many patients struggle to buy this drug at affordable rates, but Heal Pharmacy has made it laid-back for you. Now you do not need to make a big hole in your pocket to pay the Mercaptopurine price. You can buy this medicine online at Heal Pharmacy without any hassle. It is a reputed online pharmacy delivering quality medications at reasonable rates.

Online Pharmacies allow you not to visit physical pharmacies frequently and pay huge for your medicines. Submit your prescription at the Heal Pharmacy website and get this product without going out of your house. They offer exciting discounts and coupons so you can do great savings on your medicine purchase.

Mercaptopurine Side Effects

This medicine may cause side effects in some patients. Common side effects of this drug include:

• • • nausea
    • vomiting
    • temporary hair loss
    • loss of appetite
    • skin darkening

Tell your doctor promptly if any of these side effects do not go away or get severe and seek medical attention.

Drug Interactions

Drug interactions may alter the way your medicines work for you or put you at risk of experiencing side effects. Some medications that can interact with this drug include Febuxostat and other medicines that make your immune system weak and increase the risk of getting an infection such as Tofacitinib and Rituximab. This medicine is similar to Azathioprine so it is not recommended to use drugs containing Azathioprine while taking it. This drug may interfere with certain lab tests such as uric acid levels and may cause false results.

Conclusion

It is a successful anti-cancer medicine. Usually, this drug is considered safe as long as you take it accurately as prescribed by your healthcare professional. Follow your doctor’s directions carefully to get maximum benefits of this drug. Beware of cheap quality medications and get your medicines from Heal Pharmacy, a reputable online pharmacy delivering quality drugs. Heal Pharmacy ensures to delivery of genuine medicines at great prices.

FAQs

How to know that this medicine is working well?

Frequent blood tests should be performed to determine the impact of medicine on the liver and bone marrow. Your healthcare provider may ask you for blood tests to check the levels of drug metabolites.

Why no dairy products with this drug?

In vitro and in vivo studies show that taking milk or dairy products concurrently with this product can decrease the bioavailability of this drug. The interaction is clinically significant so doctors advise to separate the timing of taking dairy products and this medicine.

What are the symptoms of a drug overdose?

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weakness, and shortness of breath.

How long does Mercaptopurine stay in your system?

It stays in your body for many days after you start taking this medicine. Some amount of this drug may be present in stool, urine, sweat, and vomit

How long do I have to take this drug?

If your body responds well to this medicine, your healthcare provider may prescribe it for some years. The response of medicine is determined by monitoring blood tests and the possibility of adverse reactions or serious side effects. As per the research, most patients can take this medicine for 5 years or longer.