Do you prefer Prograf or Neoral ?

[Gustavo]

Prograf or Neoral ? .
Give me your answer .
Thanks
Gustavo

[Jared Nickerson]

I was taking Classic Cyclosporine then it was to hard on my kidneys, so I got switch to Prograf and been on that for over 10 years.

[Kathryn]

I think all three are nephrotoxic- prograf, imuran and rappamune. My creatinine has stayed at about 1.1 for the 13 years. Not normal but not alarming.

[Robert]

Absolutely, Prograf is nephrotoxic.

Cellcept/Rapamune protocol is nephro-protective!
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Subject: Kidney failure after long-term use of Prograf (following Liver Transplant).

Patient's new kidney also began to slowly fail/decline (initially after transplant, while still on Prograf). The new kidney immediately began to recover after stopping the Prograf. Expert medical studies show that Prograf is toxic to the kidneys... Medical studies by experts at Albert Einstein Transplant Center support/promote the idea of stopping Prograf due to toxic effects on the kidney and using Cellcept (and Rapamune combo instead).

Additional Comments: In my opinion, Prograf should be taken off the market as soon as possible...as much better options are available (meds such as Cellcept and Rapamune that protect the kidney). I believe hundreds, if not thousands of other transplant patients have suffered untold harm due to this drug staying on the market. By 2003, the studies and experts were well aware of the issues with Prograf, yet little has been done in the interim to resolve the issues. Even today, Walter Reed transplant lists Prograf high on their list of protocols, well above the Cellcept/Rapamune protocol. This is a travesty and needs to be corrected so that other patients do not continue to suffer from the use of the drug (Prograf) and the harmful effects on the kidney.

[Mary Jo Lovely]

I have never been on Neoral. I have been on prograf since my lung tx in 2007. My problem with prograf is the servere headaches that I get since I started them. :(
MJ

[Kathryn]

Neoral gives you headaches as well. Migraine meds have worked for me. Also- I am very careful to eat before I take it.

[Kelly Rayman]

While I was still in the ICU recovering from my liver transplant, they gave me prograf. It put me in a comatosed state. I could see, hear and understand everything that was going on around me but could not respond in any way. Couldn't talk, blink, move........nothing.
It still gives me nightmares, it was the most horrible experience I've ever endoured.
It took them a few days to realize what the problem was, after many painful tests that I could not stop from happening.
Once they figured it out, it took a few more days for them to get the drug out of my system.
While the surgeon said it was extrememly rare, he had seen it occur a few times before.

So obviously I recommed neoral, it gives me no problems at all.

[Kathryn]

HI Kelly,
It is rare but I knew one man who died from his reaction to prograf during his first month. Go Cyclo!

[Retha Schoeman]

Ive used both with minor side affects. The smell of neoral made me sick so I changed to prograf, strange but true.

[Robert]

Avoid Prograf, it can slowly cause kidney failure. The effects are very subtle, over long period and often confound the specialists. Suggest switching to the Cellcept/Rapamune combo protocol. I have more than five years experience with prograf and gradual kidney failure leading up to kidney transplant. I donated the kidney to my spouse in 2002, so this the voiceofexperience speaking..see below.

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Subject: Kidney failure after long-term use of Prograf (following Liver Transplant).

Patient's new kidney also began to slowly fail/decline (initially after transplant, while still on Prograf). The new kidney immediately began to recover after stopping the Prograf. Expert medical studies show that Prograf is toxic to the kidneys... Medical studies by experts at Albert Einstein Transplant Center support/promote the idea of stopping Prograf due to toxic effects on the kidney and using Cellcept (and Rapamune combo instead).

Additional Comments: In my opinion, Prograf should be taken off the market as soon as possible...as much better options are available (meds such as Cellcept and Rapamune that protect the kidney). I believe hundreds, if not thousands of other transplant patients have suffered untold harm due to this drug staying on the market. By 2003, the studies and experts were well aware of the issues with Prograf, yet little has been done in the interim to resolve the issues. Even today, Walter Reed transplant lists Prograf high on their list of protocols, well above the Cellcept/Rapamune protocol. This is a travesty and needs to be corrected so that other patients do not continue to suffer from the use of the drug (Prograf) and the harmful effects on the kidney.

[Robert]

Subject: Kidney failure after long-term use of Prograf (following Liver Transplant).

Patient's new kidney also began to slowly fail/decline (initially after transplant, while still on Prograf). The new kidney immediately began to recover after stopping the Prograf. Expert medical studies show that Prograf is toxic to the kidneys... Medical studies by experts at Albert Einstein Transplant Center support/promote the idea of stopping Prograf due to toxic effects on the kidney and using Cellcept (and Rapamune combo instead).

Additional Comments: In my opinion, Prograf should be taken off the market as soon as possible...as much better options are available (meds such as Cellcept and Rapamune that protect the kidney). I believe hundreds, if not thousands of other transplant patients have suffered untold harm due to this drug staying on the market. By 2003, the studies and experts were well aware of the issues with Prograf, yet little has been done in the interim to resolve the issues. Even today, Walter Reed transplant lists Prograf high on their list of protocols, well above the Cellcept/Rapamune protocol. This is a travesty and needs to be corrected so that other patients do not continue to suffer from the use of the drug (Prograf) and the harmful effects on the kidney.

[Robert]

Avoid Prograf, it can slowly cause kidney failure. The effects are often very slow, subtle and can sneak up on you over a long period and this often confounds the specialists who are not aware that Prograf is the culprit in the slow decline of kidney function. Suggest switching to the Cellcept/Rapamune combo protocol.

I have more than five years experience with Prograf and gradual kidney failure leading up to kidney transplant (took over five years for kidneys to fail while taking Prograf). Note that the kidney function was reduced to begin with, so the decline could take longer for patients who begin Prograf with fully functioning kidneys...see above for additional posts.

[Robert]

The CEO of Astellas Pharma US, Inc., makers of Prograf were sent a WARNING LETTER (NDA #50-708 and 50-709 Prograf (tacrolimus capsules and injection).

You can read in an FDA warning letter about the specific Nephrotoxicity effects of Prograf:

"...neurotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, particularly when used in high doses. Nephrotoxicity was reported in approximately 52% of kidney transplantation patients and in 40% and 36% of liver transplantation patients receiving Prograf in the U.S. and European randomized trials, respectively (see ADVERSE REACTIONS). . . ."

Here's the Link to one of the FDA Warning Letters:

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInfo...