I'm not from Canada, but I am taking Cellcept and I have not had any side effects from it.

I took it too. BEFORE it went generic (in the US) is was about $12,000 a year. Generic worked fine.

I was pretty side effect free to. Maybe some stomach issues BUT have trouble pinning it all on the drug. Best on empty stomach and the pills themselves are rather large.

I live in Alberta and I have just been diagnosed DM. The only med they mentioned to me besides prednisone that I have been taking for 4 months now. Down to 10 mg but yhey need to add something to the mix and methotrexate is the one they have mentioned so far. I was wondering how expensive that is? I also worry because I have problems with meds due to severe side effects and allergies. I am allergic to alot.

I hear you about being allergic to a lot of medications. I had serious problems with Methotrexate. I cannot remember how expensive it was but it wasn't bad, as far as I recall. Not one of these that costs thousands of dollars.

I wish you the best of luck with it!

Hi, I have DM and I'm on predisone 10mg and plaquenil 400mg. I stop taking methotrexate because of serious side effects. I don't know much about cellcept but have you mentioned IVIG treatments to your doctor? I've found it to be a blessing with my D"M.

Keep us posted.

Love and Hugs as Always - Valerie

Hi. Thanks . I just read up on IVIG treatments and now I know why no one would suggest that for me. I have antibodies in my blood (Anti-Jo1 syndrome) that relate to my PM, so blood products are a no-go. I was hospitalized for a loooong time last year and needed a couple of blood transfusions as I could not avoid them, but in general, any blood products are a no-go for me so I can 'save' them in case I undergo some major trauma (like a car accident or the lung transplant I'll probably eventually need). Sigh... this disease is not fun!

I had a miserable time on methotrexate. And it made my lung condition worse.

Hello, CellCept gave me terrible headaches, the same kind I would get when I drank a diet soda or chewed sugarfree gum. I have to avoid all aspertame and guess what CellCept uses as part of its formula? Yep, aspertame. The genaric may not, you'd have to check with the manufacter. No one warned me and I suffered for months because of it. Now I ask about all my medications... who knew? Aspertame in meds?! Its also in a lot of over the counter cold medicines...

Thank you JustG for the info as I am allergic to Aspartame!!!!!!! Oh I love this site......

Oh no, not aspartame! I had a Diet Coke addiction for YEARS and gave it up, wow, about 3 months before I got sick. Sometimes I tend to think that all of that fake sugar was what was holding me together - I was never sick before that. I was starting to have a hard time finding my car in a parking lot, but not sick. :o) How could they put something like that in a medication? That's ridiculous! I will surely ask the pharmacist - thank you!

It just show us all that we have to pay attention to what we are all taking!!!!!! To all be aware and careful!!!! Hugs!!!

I do not take Cellcept, but I've read this thread with interest. I never thought to check my medications for aspartame. Artificial sweeteners exacerbate my PM symptoms, so I hope that I never have to take Cellcept. But I will now check my meds for aspartame and other allergens. Thanks for the info, everyone!

I have just read the entire list of non-medicinal ingredients in Cellcept and it does NOT include aspartame. There are no artificial sweeteners of any kind listed, which would really not make any sense anyway since why would it matter what a pill you swallow tastes like? :o)

I do now know, however, that is indeed expensive! Just worked it out to be $4.50/pill - at 6 pills a day that is mighty expensive indeed! Good thing I have insurance - though I wish it would pay for it all! I'm hoping I didn't stupidly purchase an entire month's worth and then I have a bad reaction. Hope I haven't jinxed myself.

And no, I'm not taking a generic. It's Cellcept.

From the manufacturer: http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/datasheet/c/Cellceptcapsuspinf.pdf

Cellcept contains aspertame. It is not used for taste but to hold it together.

Here's a site that lists other medications that contain aspartame.
http://www.oasisadvancedwellness.com/learning/drugs-containing-aspartame.html

OK, I see where the discrepancy is now. The aspartame is only in the oral suspension, not the pills I am taking. So, stay away from the oral suspension and you're all good! Horse pills are good to go! You know, if you have a lot of extra cash kicking around.

CellCept tablets 500 mg: contains the excipients microcrystalline cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, povidone K90, magnesium stearate, hypromellose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, titanium dioxide,
macrogol 400, indigo carmine aluminium lake, red iron oxide.

CellCept Powder for Oral Suspension: contains the excipients silica colloidal anhydrous, xanthan gum, soybean lecithin, sorbitol, aspartame, citric acid anhydrous, sodium citrate dihydrate, methylparaben, mixed fruit flavour, purified water.