Penicillamine (Systemic)

Brand Names : Cuprimine, Depen

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For penicillamine, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to penicillin or to penicillamine. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Penicillamine may cause birth defects if taken during pregnancy.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether penicillamine passes into breast milk. Use of this medicine is not recommended in women who are breast-feeding.

Children - Although there is no specific information about the use of penicillamine in children, it is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does in adults.

Older adults - Sore throat and fever, with or without chills; sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth; shortness of breath, troubled breathing, tightness in the chest, and/or wheezing; swollen and/or painful glands; black, tarry stools; blood in urine or stools; pinpoint red spots on skin; cough or hoarseness; lower back or side pain; painful or difficult urination; unusual bleeding or bruising; and unusual tiredness or weakness may be especially likely to occur in elderly patients, who are usually more sensitive than younger adults to some of the effects of penicillamine.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking penicillamine, it is important that your health care professional know if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine, especially:

• Gold compounds (e.g., Ridaura) or
• Phenylbutazone (e.g., Cotylbutazone) - The chance of serious side effects may be increased

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of penicillamine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Blood disease caused by penicillamine treatment, history of or
• Kidney disease or history of (only for patients with rheumatoid arthritis) - The chance of side effects may be increased