Certican (Everolimus)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Certican Used For?
Certican contains everolimus, an immunosuppressant medicine that helps control your body’s immune system to prevent rejection of transplanted organs.
Primary Uses
Certican is used to treat adult patients who have had kidney, heart, or liver transplants. It helps prevent your body from rejecting the transplanted organ.
How It Works
Certican belongs to a group of medicines called immunosuppressants. These medicines help control your body’s immune system to prevent it from attacking and rejecting your transplanted organ.
How to Take Certican
Always take Certican exactly as prescribed by your doctor. The dose and timing depend on which organ you received and other medications you’re taking.
Dosage Instructions
For kidney and heart transplant: The usual starting dose is 0.75 mg twice daily with ciclosporin, starting as soon as possible after transplantation. For liver transplant: The recommended dose is 1 mg twice daily with tacrolimus and corticosteroids, starting approximately four weeks after transplantation. Take doses 12 hours apart if possible (morning and evening). Swallow tablets whole with a full glass of water – do not crush or chew. Can be taken with or without food, but always take the same way. Do not take with grapefruit or grapefruit juice.
What If You Miss a Dose?
If it’s almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, then return to your normal schedule. If you miss more than one dose, ask your doctor for advice.
Important: Never take a double dose to make up for a missed dose – this may increase your chance of side effects.
Available Tablet Strengths
Side Effects
Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.
Common Side Effects
These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:
- General pain, muscle or joint pain
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
- Headache
- Nosebleeds
- Acne
- Weakness
- Bruising
- Frequent infections
- Cough, sore throat, fever
- Trouble sleeping
- Feeling more worried than normal
- Rash, cold sores, mouth sores
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Swelling of hands, feet or limbs
- Burning sensation when urinating
- Unusual bleeding or bruising
- Persistent or worsening lung/breathing problems
- Signs of allergic reaction (shortness of breath, swelling of face/lips/tongue/throat, rash, hives)
- Constant flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, sore throat, aching joints)
- Slow wound healing or wound infection
- Severe upper stomach pain with nausea and vomiting
- New lumps or moles, changes to existing moles
- Signs of anemia (tiredness, headaches, shortness of breath, dizziness, pale appearance)
- Severe sudden headache, loss of coordination, vision problems, slurred speech, numbness
- Yellowing of skin and eyes with darkened urine
- Sudden reduction in urine output
Important Warnings
Certican can cause serious side effects and may not be suitable for everyone. It’s important to discuss your medical history with your doctor.
Who Should Not Take Certican
Do not use Certican if you are allergic to everolimus, any ingredients in the tablets, or sirolimus (Rapamune). Do not use if you are intolerant to certain sugars (glucose, galactose, lactose) as tablets contain lactose.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have liver problems, high cholesterol, recent major surgery or unhealed wounds (Certican may increase wound-healing problems), or allergies to medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Certican is not recommended during pregnancy. Use highly effective contraception during treatment and for 8 weeks after stopping. Breastfeeding is not recommended while taking Certican. In male patients, Certican may reduce sperm production, affecting ability to father children (generally reversible).
Cancer Risk: Immunosuppressant medicines like Certican may increase the risk of developing certain cancers, including skin cancer and lymphoma.
Drug Interactions
Many medicines can interfere with Certican and affect how it works. Always tell your doctor about all medicines you’re taking.
Grapefruit interaction: Do not take Certican with grapefruit or grapefruit juice as this can affect how the medicine works.
- Ciclosporin (often taken with Certican)
- Antibiotics (rifampicin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, rifabutin)
- Antifungal medicines (ketoconazole, fluconazole, itraconazole)
- Blood pressure/heart medicines (diltiazem, verapamil)
- HIV/AIDS medicines (efavirenz, nevirapine)
- Cholesterol medicines (atorvastatin, pravastatin, fibrates)
- Midazolam (sedative)
- Epilepsy medicines (carbamazepine, phenobarbitone, phenytoin)
- Cannabidiol
- Stomach medicines (cimetidine, cisapride)
- Anti-nausea medicines (metoclopramide)
- Danazol (for endometriosis)
- Bromocriptine (for Parkinson’s disease)
- St John’s wort
Alcohol & Driving
Be cautious with activities that require alertness until you know how Certican affects you.
Alcohol
No specific alcohol warnings mentioned in the source material. Consult your doctor about alcohol consumption.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Certican affects you.
Sun Exposure
Limit sun exposure by wearing protective clothing, hat, and sunscreen. Do not use sun lamps. This helps prevent skin cancer development.
Storage
Keep tablets in original packet and foils until time to take them. Store in a cool, dry place at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and sunlight. Do not store in bathroom, near sink, in car, or on window sills. Keep out of reach of children in a locked cupboard at least 1.5 meters above ground.
Overdose Information
If you think you have taken too much Certican, seek urgent medical attention immediately. Phone the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26), contact your doctor, or go to the nearest hospital Emergency Department, even if you feel fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
You will need to take Certican for as long as you have your transplanted organ, or until your doctor changes your immunosuppressive medication. This is typically a lifelong treatment.
Yes, Certican can be taken with or without food, but you should always take it the same way (either always with food or always without food). Do not take it with grapefruit or grapefruit juice.
If it’s almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember. Never take a double dose to make up for a missed dose. If you miss more than one dose, contact your doctor.
Your doctor will take regular blood tests to measure the amount of Certican in your blood and assess your transplanted organ function. Your dose may be adjusted based on these results.
Tell your doctor you are taking Certican before any vaccination. Certican may affect your response to vaccines, and some vaccines may not be suitable for you.
Limit sun exposure by wearing protective clothing, a hat, and sunscreen. Do not use sun lamps. This helps prevent skin cancer, as immunosuppressants like Certican may increase cancer risk.
Tell your doctor immediately if you develop any lumps anywhere on your body, new moles, or notice changes in existing moles. These may be early signs of skin cancer.
Important Disclaimer
This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.