1. < Transplants

Prograf versus Adoport

Posted by wildcat @wildcat, Sep 30, 2019

Hello from Scotland everyone!

I have been on Prograf, without any major problems, since my liver transplant five years ago. My hospital, The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, has decided to move all patients from Prograf to Adoport. They have been honest in telling us that the cost benefits are significant for our national Health Service.

I wonder if any of our members have any thoughts/comments/ information on the differences between these two drugs?

Of course, I trust my hospital to make wise choices on my behalf but I am also anxious about changing from a drug which has served me very well since my transplant.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Transplants Support Group.

wildcat | @wildcat | Sep 30, 2019
In reply to @rosemarya "I have both a liver and a kidney transplant. My own experience is that my kidney..." + (show)
@rosemarya

I have both a liver and a kidney transplant. My own experience is that my kidney requires that I am on a highter dose of tacrolimus than if I hade only a liver transplant. Both kidney and liver teams have agreed on my therapeutic dosage.
@wildcat, One of my antirejection drugs after my transplant was Prograf. Then I was switched to the generic tacrolimus. My doctors alerted me that they would keep an eye on it to be certain that it worked for me. I did / and still do have good results with the generic brand.

When will you begin the new medication?

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Thank you for your response. It is really good to know that Adoport seems to work just as well as Prograf.

I will change to Adoport when I have used up my existing stock of Prograf and I'll be closely monitored with additional blood tests etc

Can I take this time to thank all of you who have taken the time to respond to me today. Your positive responses mean I have no concerns about the change at all.

This is what Mayo Connect is all about and it is wonderful to have links to you all.

REPLY
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Sep 30, 2019
In reply to @rogerhorton "Good Morning from Georgia in the USA, I just passed my two year mark post liver..." + (show)
@rogerhorton

Good Morning from Georgia in the USA,
I just passed my two year mark post liver transplant at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. I did a quick search and found an article covering a study doing an actual comparison between the two. The study can be found at "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5094386/&#034;. Results showed no overall issues. Good luck with everything.
Best regards

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Congrats on your 2-year transplant-versary @rogerhorton. I see that you joined Connect around the time you were waiting or getting your transplant. So nice that your first post was to help a fellow liver transplant recipient. It's always a curious interest to me when, why and what topic entices members to make their first post.

How are you doing? What does post-transplant life look like for you?

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1 reply
cmael | @cmael | Sep 30, 2019
In reply to @contentandwell "@rosemarya @wildcat One thing my transplant doctor saiy, was that generics were fine, but to stay..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@rosemarya @wildcat One thing my transplant doctor saiy, was that generics were fine, but to stay with the same generic. So my pharmacy knows that I want one made by a specific pharmaceutical company and complies with that.
JK

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I order my immunosuppressants from Mayo, Rochester. The prices are close to the prices of my online ins pharmacy. I can get them in 2 days and they are generics as prescribed....tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednizone. My other meds, I order from my online insurance pharmacy, which can take longer.

REPLY
1 reply
JK | @contentandwell | Sep 30, 2019
In reply to @cmael "I order my immunosuppressants from Mayo, Rochester. The prices are close to the prices of my..." + (show)
@cmael

I order my immunosuppressants from Mayo, Rochester. The prices are close to the prices of my online ins pharmacy. I can get them in 2 days and they are generics as prescribed....tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednizone. My other meds, I order from my online insurance pharmacy, which can take longer.

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@cmael. I get mine from a CVS Specialty pharmacy in Boston. It works out well because they need a signature at delivery so I have them delivered to the CVS in our town so I don’t have to wait at home for them.
JK

REPLY
rogerhorton | @rogerhorton | Oct 2, 2019
In reply to @colleenyoung "Congrats on your 2-year transplant-versary @rogerhorton. I see that you joined Connect around the time you..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

Congrats on your 2-year transplant-versary @rogerhorton. I see that you joined Connect around the time you were waiting or getting your transplant. So nice that your first post was to help a fellow liver transplant recipient. It's always a curious interest to me when, why and what topic entices members to make their first post.

How are you doing? What does post-transplant life look like for you?

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Hi Colleen, All is going great with my post transplant life, thank you for asking. I was very active before the transplant and have continued at the same pace. I ran a half-marathon 14 months after transplant and completed a full marathon at the 18 month mark. I am currently training for another half-marathon in early January.
I have met my donor's family and we have a very close relationship. We only live about 90 minutes apart so we are able to visit on a regular basis. I was at Mayo-Jax last week for my two year follow up and everything is perfect. The only med. i am on is the Tacrolimus 2mg twice a day. Bloodwork is every two months and my next check up is in a year.
I am very appreciative of everyone at Mayo and enjoy seeing them when i make my visits.

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1 reply
Mentor
Rosemary, Volunteer Mentor | @rosemarya | Oct 2, 2019

@rogerhorton, Congratulations on your 2nd transplant anniversary. And Bravo on the perfect check-up. During one of my annual checkups, my doctor said that my liver was happy and now, that term has become a common 'Mayo medical term' in our house!
Running was never my thing, but I do enjoy some hiking and was able to do some at 9 months after my transplant. My doctors always stressed that I stay physically active as much as possible before my surgery and I am going to guess that you have been a serious runner before the transplant.
I have not met my donor family, but have had some brief written communication with them. My transplant was 10 yr ago. How were you able to locate your donor family?

Rogerhorton, I invite you to take a look at some transplant discussions and become part of the discussions. You can join in anywhere.
Liver transplant support group - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/liver-support-group/
Self-Care Tips for Transplant Patients - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/prograf-versus-adoport/?pg=1#comment-334796

REPLY
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Oct 2, 2019
In reply to @rogerhorton "Hi Colleen, All is going great with my post transplant life, thank you for asking. I..." + (show)
@rogerhorton

Hi Colleen, All is going great with my post transplant life, thank you for asking. I was very active before the transplant and have continued at the same pace. I ran a half-marathon 14 months after transplant and completed a full marathon at the 18 month mark. I am currently training for another half-marathon in early January.
I have met my donor's family and we have a very close relationship. We only live about 90 minutes apart so we are able to visit on a regular basis. I was at Mayo-Jax last week for my two year follow up and everything is perfect. The only med. i am on is the Tacrolimus 2mg twice a day. Bloodwork is every two months and my next check up is in a year.
I am very appreciative of everyone at Mayo and enjoy seeing them when i make my visits.

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Woah, @rogerhorton! A half-marathon 14 months after transplant and a full marathon at the 18 month mark? That's beyond amazing. As someone who runs a 5K and complains the whole time, I am in awe.

REPLY
wildcat | @wildcat | Oct 7, 2019
In reply to @rogerhorton "Good Morning from Georgia in the USA, I just passed my two year mark post liver..." + (show)
@rogerhorton

Good Morning from Georgia in the USA,
I just passed my two year mark post liver transplant at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. I did a quick search and found an article covering a study doing an actual comparison between the two. The study can be found at "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5094386/&#034;. Results showed no overall issues. Good luck with everything.
Best regards

Jump to this post

Thank you to everyone who responded to my question about Prograf versus Adoport. I have now seen my doctors at The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and they have explained the changes in full. I was very pleased to pass on the positive report from Mayo Connect!

REPLY
virginiefrance | @virginiefrance | Feb 11, 2023

Hello, I have been transplanted with both lungs since 2008 and 2010: I have always had Prograf that I could bear very well. For financial reasons the hospital has put me under Adoport for 3 days: I can't stand this generic at all: fever, diarrhea and redness on the face: has this happened for some of you? Thank u by advance Friendship to all from Paris 🇫🇷

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6 replies
hello1234 | @hello1234 | Feb 12, 2023
In reply to @virginiefrance "Hello, I have been transplanted with both lungs since 2008 and 2010: I have always had..." + (show)
@virginiefrance

Hello, I have been transplanted with both lungs since 2008 and 2010: I have always had Prograf that I could bear very well. For financial reasons the hospital has put me under Adoport for 3 days: I can't stand this generic at all: fever, diarrhea and redness on the face: has this happened for some of you? Thank u by advance Friendship to all from Paris 🇫🇷

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Hi @virginiefrance 😊
Congrats on your lung transplant! I am not familiar with the generic version of Prograf that you mentioned. I am also not familiar with the health insurance rules in France regarding generics.
But I can tell you that a friend experienced "the mandatory switch to generic brand" to save money (for the insurance companies) and it did not work well.
The good news is that my friend's doctor appealed to the insurance company for her, siting the adverse reactions caused by the generic and the brand name was reinstated as her prescription (after her unsuccessful attempt at the generic). Have you reported your adverse symptoms to your doctor since starting the new generic brand drug?

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