Mycophenolate
Are you a clinician? See the clinical version of this page.
Taken as capsules or tablets, usually twice a day. It is a strong medicine that must NOT be used in pregnancy, and reliable contraception is essential, because it can cause miscarriage and birth defects.
- Lupus nephritis and other severe autoimmune disease: Usually 1 to 1.5 g twice a day.
Tests while you take it
You will have regular blood tests, more often at first. Reliable contraception is required during treatment and for 6 weeks after stopping. Report signs of infection.
What to know
How it is used in lupus
Mycophenolate is used to bring lupus under control and to keep it settled, and it is one of the main choices when lupus affects the kidneys, sometimes together with another medicine.
Common side effects
The more common effects are stomach upset such as nausea or loose stools, which often settle or improve with a dose change. It can lower your blood counts and raise the chance of infections, which is why regular blood tests matter.
Tests and monitoring
You will have blood count tests when you start and about 2 weeks after any dose change, then regularly once your dose is steady. If you could become pregnant, you will have a pregnancy test before starting, again about 8 to 10 days later, and at later visits, because this medicine is not used in pregnancy.
Important cautions
Mycophenolate can harm a pregnancy and is generally stopped before trying to conceive, so reliable contraception is important while taking it. When someone is planning a pregnancy, azathioprine is often used instead. Your reviewed pregnancy guidance is on the separate pregnancy page.
What to watch for
- Signs of infection with a fever while on treatment. Contact your team.
- Unusual bruising or bleeding, or feeling very tired or breathless.
- Persistent stomach upset or diarrhoea that is hard to manage. Tell your team rather than stopping on your own.