Ticlopidine

Pronunciation

Brand Names

Therapeutic Categories

What is this medicine used for?

• This medicine prevents strokes.
• Other uses include protection of bypass grafts in the heart, protection of stents in the heart, reduction of graft loss after kidney transplant, and prevention of blood clots.

How does it work?

• Ticlopidine prevents stickiness of blood parts.

How is it best taken?

• Take with or without food. Take with food if this medicine causes an upset stomach.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

• Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
• If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Return to your regular schedule.
• Do not take a double dose or extra doses.

What are the precautions when taking this medicine?

• If you are 65 or older, you may have more side effects.
• Tell healthcare provider if you have ever had a blood problem or low blood counts.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are taking phenytoin, cyclosporine, or theophylline. These medicines may need to be decreased.
• If you have had a stomach ulcer or bleeding, tell healthcare provider.
• You will bleed easily. Be careful. Avoid injury.
• Tell dentists, surgeons, and other healthcare providers about this medicine.
• Avoid other aspirin-containing products, such as, ibuprofen or like products, other blood thinners (warfarin, ticlopidine, clopidogrel), garlic, ginseng, ginkgo, vitamin E.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, throat; or any other symptoms involved.
• Do not use in pregnancy and do not get pregnant. Use birth control that you can trust while taking this medicine.
• Do not use if you are breast-feeding.

What are the common side effects of this medicine?

• Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard candy, or chewing gum may help.
• Diarrhea.
• Belly pain, heartburn.
• Stomach bleeding or ulceration. Watch stools for dark, tarry black color. Talk with healthcare provider.

What should I monitor?

• Check blood work every 2 weeks. Talk with healthcare provider.

Reasons to call healthcare provider immediately

• Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing; tightness in the chest; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Fever, chills, or sore throat.
• Changes in thinking clearly and logically.
• Severe headaches.
• Blood in the stool and toilet bowl or vomiting blood.
• Any rash.
• No improvement in condition or feeling worse.

How should I store this medicine?

• Store at room temperature.

General statements

• Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's medicine.
• Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
• Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, herbal/supplements, vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, physician assistant).
• Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine, including over-the-counter or natural products (herbs, vitamins).

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