What is Cuprimine: Uses, Warnings & Interactions

Your doctor will tell you how much medicine to use. Do not use more than directed.

It is best to take this medicine on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before eating a meal or 2 hours after eating a meal. Do not eat food or drink milk within 1 hour of the time you take this medicine.

Oral routeCarefully follow your doctor's instructions about any special diet. This is especially important for both Wilson€™s disease and cystinuria.

For cystinuria, the dose you take at bedtime is the most important dose. You should also drink plenty of water every day. You will probably need to drink at least a pint of fluid at bedtime and another pint sometime during the night. A pint is 16 ounces or 2 cups.

Your doctor will tell you how much medicine to use. Do not use more than directed.

It is best to take this medicine on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before eating a meal or 2 hours after eating a meal. Do not eat food or drink milk within 1 hour of the time you take this medicine.

Oral routeCarefully follow your doctor's instructions about any special diet. This is especially important for both Wilson€™s disease and cystinuria.

For cystinuria, the dose you take at bedtime is the most important dose. You should also drink plenty of water every day. You will probably need to drink at least a pint of fluid at bedtime and another pint sometime during the night. A pint is 16 ounces or 2 cups.

You might need to take this medicine on an empty stomach. Take penicillamine or trientine at least 1 hour before eating a meal or 2 hours after eating a meal. Do not eat or drink milk within 1 hour of the time you take this medicine. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about what schedule to follow.

Oral routeCarefully follow your doctor's instructions about any special diet.

Your doctor will tell you how much medicine to use. Do not use more than directed.

Do not open or chew trientine capsule. If you get any of this medicine on your skin, wash it off right away.

If you cannot swallow the succimer capsule, you may open it and pour the medicine into a small amount of soft food such as pudding, yogurt, or applesauce. Stir this mixture well and swallow it without chewing. You can also pour the medicine beads into a spoon, swallow the beads, and then drink some fruit drink.

You might need to drink extra water while you are using this medicine.

Oral routeCarefully follow your doctor's instructions about any special diet.

Do not open or chew trientine capsule. If you get any of this medicine on your skin, wash it off right away.

If you cannot swallow the succimer capsule, you may open it and pour the medicine into a small amount of soft food such as pudding, yogurt, or applesauce. Stir this mixture well and swallow it without chewing. You can also pour the medicine beads into a spoon, swallow the beads, and then drink some fruit drink.

Your doctor will tell you how much medicine to use. Do not use more than directed.

You might need to take this medicine on an empty stomach. Take penicillamine or trientine at least 1 hour before eating a meal or 2 hours after eating a meal. Do not eat or drink milk within 1 hour of the time you take this medicine. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about what schedule to follow.

You might need to drink extra water while you are using this medicine.

Ask your pharmacist, doctor, or health caregiver about the best way to dispose of any outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Take a dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then and take a regular dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.

Keep all medicine out of the reach of children. Never share your medicine with anyone.

People using this medicine for different reasons will have different schedules for when to take each dose. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about what to do if you miss a dose or forget to use your medicine. Most people should take the missed dose as soon as possible, but your specific schedule might be different.

Do not use extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.

Keep all medicine out of the reach of children. Never share your medicine with anyone.

You should not use this medicine if you have ever had an allergic reaction to penicillamine, or if you are breastfeeding. Do not use this medicine if you have had blood problems caused by penicillamine in the past. The medicine should not be used by a pregnant woman unless she is being treated for Wilson€™s disease. You should not use this medicine for rheumatoid arthritis if you also have kidney disease.

Make sure your doctor knows if you have had an allergic reaction to any chelating agent such as penicillamine, succimer, or trientine. Make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Tell your doctor if you have kidney disease.

Make sure your doctor knows if you have kidney disease or problems with your blood. Tell your doctor if you are allergic to penicillin.

Call your doctor if you think you have become pregnant while using this medicine. If you have Wilson€™s disease, you and your doctor will need to decide if you should keep using this medicine during the pregnancy. For some women, it is important to keep using the medicine so the mother and baby stay healthy. If you have rheumatoid arthritis or cystinuria, you will need to stop using this medicine.

Your doctor will do lab tests at regular visits to check on the effects of this medicine. Keep all appointments. You might also need to have other tests, such as x-rays.

For Wilson€™s disease and cystinuria, you might need to use this medicine for one to three months before you notice any improvement. The symptoms of Wilson€™s disease might get worse when you first start using this medicine. If your symptoms get very bad or keep getting worse, tell your doctor.

For rheumatoid arthritis, you might still sometimes have flare-ups of arthritis symptoms. If you notice new symptoms, or your symptoms come back or get worse, tell your doctor.

Do not stop using this medicine without talking to your doctor first. If you need to start using it again, you are more likely to have an allergic reaction.

Your skin might be more fragile while you are using this medicine, especially on your shoulders, elbows, knees, toes, or buttocks. Your skin might also heal more slowly than usual. Talk to your doctor before you have any kind of surgery, because your dose of this medicine might need to be changed.

Skin rash, itching, redness (at any time during treatment, or after treatment stops).

Trouble breathing, coughing up blood, unexplained cough or wheezing.

Unusual bleeding, bruising, or weakness.

Your skin might be more fragile while you are using penicillamine, especially on your shoulders, elbows, knees, toes, or buttocks. Your skin might also heal more slowly than usual. Talk to your doctor before you have any kind of surgery, because your dose of this medicine might need to be changed.

You might need to take your temperature every night when you first start using this medicine.

For people who have diabetes: Succimer may affect the results of some urine tests for ketones (such as Ketostix®). Ask your doctor what kind of ketone test you should use while you are using succimer.

For Wilson€™s disease, you might need to use this medicine for one to three months before you notice any improvement. The symptoms of Wilson€™s disease might get worse when you first start using this medicine. If your symptoms get very bad or keep getting worse, tell your doctor.

Some people have too much heavy metal in their bodies because they were exposed to it, such as in the home or at work. The metal could still be in their surroundings. If this is your situation, then you must get rid of the metal or learn how to protect yourself. This medicine will not protect you from a heavy metal that you are still being exposed to. Find out how you were exposed. Ask your health caregiver about the best ways to get rid of or avoid the heavy metal that caused the problem.

Tell your doctor if you have ever used a chelating agent before.

Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you are using this medicine.

Do not stop using this medicine without talking to your doctor first.

Your doctor will do lab tests at regular visits to check on the effects of this medicine. Keep all appointments.

Make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have kidney disease, liver disease, or problems with your blood. Tell your doctor if you are allergic to penicillin.

You might need to take your temperature every night when you first start using this medicine.

Your skin might be more fragile while you are using penicillamine, especially on your shoulders, elbows, knees, toes, or buttocks. Your skin might also heal more slowly than usual. Talk to your doctor before you have any kind of surgery, because your dose of this medicine might need to be changed.

For people who have diabetes: Succimer may affect the results of some urine tests for ketones (such as Ketostix®). Ask your doctor what kind of ketone test you should use while you are using succimer.

For Wilson€™s disease, you might need to use this medicine for one to three months before you notice any improvement. The symptoms of Wilson€™s disease might get worse when you first start using this medicine. If your symptoms get very bad or keep getting worse, tell your doctor.

Some people have too much heavy metal in their bodies because they were exposed to it, such as in the home or at work. The metal could still be in their surroundings. If this is your situation, then you must get rid of the metal or learn how to protect yourself. This medicine will not protect you from a heavy metal that you are still being exposed to. Find out how you were exposed. Ask your health caregiver about the best ways to get rid of or avoid the heavy metal that caused the problem.

Tell your doctor if you are also using any vitamin, mineral, or iron supplements.

Do not take any other medicine at the same time you take penicillamine. Always allow at least 1 hour between the time you take penicillamine and the time you take other medicines. If you are using a different chelating medicine, ask your doctor.

Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using phenylbutazone or medicine to treat malaria, such as mefloquine, quinine, quinidine, chloroquine, atovaquone/proguanil, Lariam®, Malarone®, Aralen®.

Tell your doctor if you have ever used a chelating agent before.

Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using any other medicines to lower the amount of metal in your body.

Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using a gold compound medicine, such as auranofin, gold sodium thiomalate, Myochrysine®, Ridaura®.

Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using phenylbutazone or medicine to treat malaria, such as mefloquine, quinine, quinidine, chloroquine, atovaquone/proguanil, Malarone®, Lariam®, Aralen®, Quinaglute®.

Do not take iron supplements within 2 hours of the time that you take penicillamine.

Do not take any other medicine at the same time you take penicillamine. Always allow at least 1 hour between the time you take penicillamine and the time you take other medicines.

You should not use mineral supplements while you are using penicillamine.

Do not stop using this medicine without talking to your doctor first. If you need to start using it again, you are more likely to have an allergic reaction.

Your skin might be more fragile while you are using this medicine, especially on your shoulders, elbows, knees, toes, or buttocks. Your skin might also heal more slowly than usual. Talk to your doctor before you have any kind of surgery, because your dose of this medicine might need to be changed.