Brand Thiola

This medication is used to prevent kidney stones in patients with a certain inherited disorder (cystinuria). Cystinuria occurs when there is too much of a certain natural substance (the amino acid cystine) in the urine, leading to formation of kidney stones. Tiopronin works by making cystine more dissolvable in the urine. This medication is usually used only after other methods are not successful in preventing kidney stones (e.g., drinking plenty of water, alkali therapy, special diet) or when patients cannot take the usual medication (d-penicillamine) for cystinuria.

Take this medication by mouth 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals, usually 3 times daily or as directed by your doctor. Continue to drink plenty of water (e.g., 2 glasses of water with each meal, at bedtime, and during the night) and to take the alkali medication (e.g., potassium citrate) as directed by your doctor. Closely follow the diet recommended by your doctor. Dosage is based on your medical condition and response to therapy. In children, the dose is also based on weight. Use this medication regularly to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, take it at the same times each day. Inform your doctor if your condition persists or worsens.

Before taking tiopronin, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to this medication or have had very severe side effects (e.g., blood disorders) from it; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: blood disorders (e.g., anemia, low platelet count), liver disease, kidney disease. During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. This drug may pass into breast milk and could have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Therefore, breast-feeding is not recommended while using this drug. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor or pharmacist first. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.

Decreased sense of taste/smell, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, or diarrhea may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly. Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: signs of infection (e.g., fever, persistent sore throat), muscle/joint pain, swelling of lymph nodes, wrinkling/thinning skin, tiredness, fast/pounding heartbeat, easy bruising/bleeding, coughing up blood, change in the amount of urine, painful urination, dark/cloudy/bloody urine, shortness of breath, muscle weakness, seizures, numbness/tingling of the arms/legs. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: yellowing skin/eyes, persistent nausea/vomiting, severe abdominal/stomach pain. A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

Store at room temperature at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Brief storage between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) is permitted. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.