Mercaptopurine (Purinethol, 6-MP, 6-mercaptopurine)

• Oral mercaptopurine should not be given with food, milk, or citrus products.
• Mercaptopurine effect is enhanced if given at bedtime.
• Should be given at least 2 hours after evening meal or 1 hour prior to a meal.

Methotrexate (Trexall, MTX)

• Oral methotrexate should preferentially be given on an empty stomach 1 hour before or 2 hours after food or milk and at the same time each day.

Dexamethasone (Decadron, Hexadrol, Baycadron, Dexameth)

• Oral dexamethasone should be taken with meals.

Prednisone

• Oral prednisone should be take with meals.

Prednisolone (pediapred, orapred, flopred)

• Oral prednisolone should be taken with meals.
• If substituting oral prednisolone for prednisone, the doses are the same.

Atavaquone (Mepron)

• Take oral atovaquone with food at same time each day.

Sulfamethoxazone/trimethaprim (Bactrim, SMZ-TMP, Septra, sulfatrim, cotrim)

• Drink plenty of water when taking sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim.
• Co-trimoxazole may make your skin sensitive to sunlight.
• Avoid unnecessary or prolonged exposure to sunlight and wear protective clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen.

Dapsone

• Dapsone may make your skin sensitive to sunlight.
• Avoid unnecessary or prolonged exposure to sunlight and to wear protective clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
• Do not take dapsone if you have G-6PD deficiency (may worsen anemia).
• Take dapsone with food or milk if causes upset stomach.

Hydroxyuria

• When giving the medicine to your child, do not touch it with your hands.
• Do not let other people living at home or visiting (other than the patient) touch the medicine with their skin.

Ondansetron (Zofran)

• Take ondansetron 30 minutes before chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Thioguanine (6TG, 6-Thioguanine)

• Administer thioguanine dose at bedtime on an empty stomach.

Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec)

• Take imitinib mesylate with plenty of water.
• May take with food if upsets stomach.
• If you can not swallow the tablets dissolve 100 milligrams tablet in 50 milliliters water or apple juice.