Tacrolimus for Organ Transplant, Rejection Prophylaxis User Reviews

• Anonymous
• October 31, 2009

Prograf (tacrolimus) "My daughter had a liver transplant almost 15 year's ago. After 6 months Prograf was the only mediicine she was taking. Has had NO set backs, no problems. She has given birth to 3 beautiful, smart children with no problems or side effects. Thank God for Prograf. She is on 2mg twice a day."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 13, 2022

"My dr. increased prograf from normal 2 capsules twice per day to 3 twice per day, I immediately began to lose my hair by the handfuls. When she reduced my dose back to 2 caps per day, hair loss stopped. Have others experienced this problem?"

• NM8066
• January 8, 2011

Prograf (tacrolimus) "I am a grateful liver transplant recipient. 4-11-08. I have been taking Prograf and Myfortic since transplant with very few side effects that I am aware of. I have returned to work 12 months. The only side effect that I have a problem with is sleeping. I am a contractor, and many times it is a manual type of job, so I do need sleep, which I only get 5hrs/night if I am lucky. I feel in time this will take a negative effect on transplant. All liver functions and blood work is good. I go to transplant clinic semi-annually. The hepatologist are opposed to prescribing me any sleep aids. "

• Steph
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 24, 2019

Prograf (tacrolimus) "I just had the worst time with this medication! I had severe diarrhea, we are talking 20 times in one day. It gave me the worst migraines. They would last for days. They would cause me to vomit. When I was in the hospital they would give me IV pain meds and I still had the crippling migraines. All I wanted to do was lay in bed. It worked great as preventing rejection. However I felt so sick I was not living. I lost a ton of weight. I was never hungry.. and when I did eat it all just came right back out. I had a lot of edema in my legs and feet. I begged to be on something different and switched to cyclosporine. This medication was just plain awful. I'd rather live my whole life on dialysis than to ever take this again!"

• Anonymous
• June 19, 2008

Prograf (tacrolimus) "So far so good. Dosage has been reduced tremendously since my liver transplant 7 months ago. I have had very few side effects and the capsules are small and easy to swallow. I started at 18 caps /day and now down to 3 /day. Be sure to follow your doctors orders and take your medicines on time. I use a Timex Datalink watch and set 2 alarms for each dose to reduce the chance of missing a dose."

• Anonymous
• April 30, 2008

Prograf (tacrolimus) "Liver transplant 5 years ago. No rejection. Generally confortable drug. I have experienced small skin cancers easily treated, no problem. I itch from time to time not objectional and I don't blame it on the drug. Generally thankful for this drug. I am careful about infections because of reduced immunity. Thank you."

• Annon
• August 5, 2009

Prograf (tacrolimus) "I started taking 3mg/day Prograf almost a week ago for my heart transplant. I was on cyclosporin but was having lots of muscle pain and cramps from the cyclosporin. Since starting the Prograg I've been itching non stop. Its apparently one of the side effects. I've also gained some fluid in my legs and hands. Another side effect. I hope the itching goes away soon or I'll have to switch to something else. "

• Ashley
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 8, 2019

"I despise tacrolimus! It's caused me to go on insulin whereas I was in pills first. I shake often. And worst of all, it's destroying my kidneys. It's hard on that organ. I'm 9 years out from a Cystic Fibrosis double lung transplant and I truly hate this drug. If I ever need a second transplant, I'll think twice because I know what program has done to me."

• mph
• February 25, 2009

Prograf (tacrolimus) "I received my Liver Transplant 4 years ago and started with 6 x 1mg caps/day. It has been reduced to 3 x 1mg tabs/day since then and I have had no episodes of rejection. Prograf seems to do the trick. Love it. I don't know if this is a side effect from taking prograf, but I have gained weight over the course of 4 years."

• Anonymous
• February 7, 2009

Prograf (tacrolimus) "I have been taking Prograf for 3 years now. When I first got my kidney transplant, I was taking 6mgs a day. Now I'm down to 3mgs a day. I have had no reactions from the drug. I thank God and my brother for the second chance at life."

• Mayoc...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 14, 2017

Prograf (tacrolimus) "Itching was bad in lower legs especially my ankles for a few months after liver transplant in June 2016. I had hand trembling where it was hard to write or hold things steady like utensils for several months. These cleared up about 3 months out from transplant. Also, though lesser in degree was dizziness, confusion, tingling in legs, prickly feeling in legs, fatigue, loss of taste, urination about every hour at night. These decreased or ceased after 4 months. I have put back on weight (40 lbs) that I needed to put on and am now stable at a healthy weight. Overall, taking prograf now, one year out, is good. Though I am having trouble sleeping thru the night. I wake up around 3 am and do not get back to sleep until 5-6 am."

• Anonymous
• June 14, 2009

Prograf (tacrolimus) "I am 4 1/2 years post liver transplant. Take 2mg 2 x daily since initial year. Not aware of any particular side effects. Have had no incidence of rejection as far as I know. Overall, drug appears to do what it is supposed to do, thankfully."

• survi...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 14, 2019

Prograf (tacrolimus) "I've been on this since September 1, 2016 as an immunosuppressant for a kidney transplant. So far, it's working well. Side effects include continuous stomach distress, usually ranging from mild to moderate, with occasional severe flare-ups; mild tremors; mild blood glucose elevation; occasional mild numbness in hand. For me, the side effects are well worth keeping my kidney from rejecting."

• ginger...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 29, 2016

"I read where prograf does not work well on people of color. I started with 12 pills a day weakened my entire body. Now on 8 pills a day, every so often it weakens my body. Cant stand for long periods of time, I get tired and feel very weak. right now searching for an answer, dr. contacted today"

• PJano
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 24, 2020

"I’ve experienced that different manufacturers can effect your Tacrolimis (Tac) levels in bloodwork. I have to ask pharmacist for brand specific Tac. I’ve been on it 2 1/2 years post liver transplant and have had no problems except high levels when they changed the manufacturer at the pharmacy."

• 1DrMa...
• November 28, 2017

Prograf (tacrolimus) "All praises to program. I have not had any problems with rejections. Liver transplant Date 2011. I’ve had some itching and my sleeping is awful. But my main problem follows. I have developed NODM (New Onset Diabetes Management) and I simply cannot lose weight, instead , I am gaining and CANNOT LOSE. I EXERCISE AT LEAST 1 1/2 HRS DAILY, MY DIET IS EXCELLENT AND I'M A MODEL PATIENT. Yet my post transplant diabetes is out of control. I am hovering around 7.0 and I am literally killing myself exercising, eating right, taking meds correctly, etc. Been seen by 4 Endocrinologists....more oral meds and more insulin. Just this week, I’m been told to take Glipizide maximum daily dose, Novolog insulin, 9 units X3, Novolin 28Us/10Us & Junevia"

• Nakir...
• January 20, 2018

"I started taking tacrolimus 11 years ago, for the first 2 years no problems. but then I started having reactions to foods, breaking out in bright red rashes, super hypertensive episodes, like 190/100. shaking. itching. tongue burning which goes from bad to bloody awful some days. I start choking, unable to swallow and a severe rash that came on my face, had to call the ambulance. It has completely changed my metabolism where I can't take any other meds without serious reactions ."

• David
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 24, 2018

"Tacrolimus (aka FK506) saved my first renal graft in 1994. Second renal graft in 2016 and tacrolimus still working great. No side effects noted in 20+years of use except if dose gets to high some hand tremors."

• TKK
• February 10, 2012

"I have been using Tacrolimus for the past 2 years. Had a liver transplant on 1 Aug 2009, was on Prograf but I live in Kenya and it is difficult to find Prograf in the local market so I went generic. I started out on 6mg twice daily, I'm down to 4mg twice daily. There's been no difference for me between the Prograf and the generic version... but I have put on weight."

• morbius
• April 10, 2013

"I received a modified multi visceral transplant in 2008 due to a desmoid tumor, I had this surgery performed at U.P.M.C of Pittsburgh where I was blessed by God to have had amazing transplant doctors. I was on Prograf for the longest amount of time and had since been switched over to the generic. I had noticed for quite a while however that I do suffer from tremors and lately I have been having the feeling of eye twitching which is slightly annoying to me but I can not complain as without God and my medicine I would not be here to share this. I have heard of long term conditions down the road from others that I have come across and Lord willing that will not be my case, I have become diabetic. I hope this helps."

• Holly
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 26, 2021

"I’ve been taking prograf/tacro for a long time. Maybe started the pill when I was 5 years old? Cyclosporine made me look like an animal- from the pictures I've seen of myself! I’ve had my transplanted liver for just about 28 years, never had any complications. Glory to God! No side effects for me with this medication- taking 1 mg/2xday (both pills at night). That’s not how the meds was prescribed, but I had poor habits as a teen taking this and the routine stuck. I do not recommend anyone else to follow suite! Haha just giving my experience. I’m thankful for this medicine!"

• r00sty
• July 15, 2013

"Renal transplant 2000. No problems besides slight tremor in my hands. Cyclosporine caused terrible reactions for me, immediately post transplant. Had to have 6 plasma apheresis rounds to clear the cyclosporine and then smooth sailing on tacrolimus."

• Desiree
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 7, 2023

Envarsus XR (tacrolimus) "My mother is post-op 7 months liver transplant. She was switched to this medication after not tolerating Prograf. The nurse said that this was already FDA approved for kidney and heart transplant patients. But hadn't been approved for liver transplant patients. But they had a very promising trial going with recent liver transplant patients taking Envarsus and having awesome results. My mother was hospitalized for another issue and while she was there she mentioned how Prograf made her feel on a daily basis. They agreed to try her on Envarsus and she has tolerated it better than Prograf. She still experiences some of the same side effects but they are not as bad as when she was on Prograf."

• Anxiety
• January 26, 2013

Prograf (tacrolimus) "Prograf seems so far to be a great Immunosuppressive medication . Bad - tremors and anxiety."

• Anonymous
• September 24, 2009

Prograf (tacrolimus) "I have been using Prograf for 4 years now. 1 mg in the AM and 1 mg in PM. Last year or 3rd year into this treatment I had 2 episodes with squamous cell carcinoma, which were both removed."