Tacrolimus for Myasthenia Gravis

Overview
Tacrolimus is a prescription drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent organ rejection for people receiving transplants, but it is also prescribed off-label to treat myasthenia gravis. Tacrolimus is sold under the brand names Prograf, Astagraf XL, and Envarsus XR.

Tacrolimus belongs to a class of drugs called calcineurin inhibitors. Tacrolimus is believed to work by suppressing the immune system, which can help relieve the muscle weakness caused by myasthenia gravis.

How do I take it?
Tacrolimus is available as a capsule, a time-release capsule, or an injection. Your doctor will instruct you on how to take it. People taking tacrolimus should avoid drinking alcohol and grapefruit juice.

Side effects
The FDA-approved label for tacrolimus lists common side effects such as headache, constipation, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, trouble sleeping, weakness, joint pain, dizziness, numbness, pain, or tingling in the hands and feet.

Rare but serious side effects of tacrolimus include painful or burning urination, a lack of urination, trouble breathing, rash or itching, fast heartbeat, fatigue, swelling, unusual bleeding or bruising, seizures, vision changes, confusion, uncontrollable shaking, loss of consciousness, fever, yellowing skin or eyes, and pinpoint-sized purple dots under the skin.

For more information on this treatment, visit:

Tacrolimus — MedlinePlus
https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a601117.html

Tacrolimus — Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America
https://myasthenia.org/Events/tacrolimus