Tiopronin (Thiola) works well at preventing cystine kidney stones. You have to drink plenty of water and limit salt and animal protein in your diet to get the maximum results from this medication.
Prevention of cystine kidney stones
Cystine doesn't dissolve well in your urine. Tiopronin (Thiola) attaches to cystine in your urine and goes through a chemical reaction that makes it dissolve more easily. By lowering the amount of cystine in your urine, tiopronin (Thiola) keeps cystine kidney stones from forming.
Source: DailyMed
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (Report these to your care team if they continue or are bothersome.):
Works well at preventing cystine kidney stones from coming back
Can be mixed with applesauce for people who have trouble swallowing pills or for children
Taken 3 times per day
To get the most out of tiopronin (Thiola), you’ll need to change your diet and drink more water.
Need to have regular urine tests done
Thiola EC isn't available in a generic form, so it can be more expensive.
To get the best results from this medication, it's important that you drink plenty of fluids and lower the amount of salt and animal protein in your diet. Try to drink around 4 liters of water per day and limit salt to around 2,300 mg per day.
If you're taking the immediate-release tablets (Thiola), take the medication 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal.
If you're taking the delayed-release tablets (Thiola EC), it can be taken with or without food, but it's important that you take it the same way consistently either with a meal or on an empty stomach. Also, don't drink alcohol 2 hours before or 3 hours after taking Thiola EC. Alcohol can cause the medication to be released faster in your body, which can raise your risk of side effects.
Swallow the tablet whole. For people who have trouble swallowing pills or for children, tiopronin (Thiola) can be crushed and mixed with applesauce. To mix it in applesauce, crush one tablet in a pill crusher or mortar and pestle. Pour about 1 tablespoon of applesauce into the container that you crushed the tablet in and mix well. It's best to take the applesauce mixture right away after it's mixed, but if that's not possible, the mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 hours maximum after the components were mixed. Toss any mixture that has not been taken within 2 hours. To make sure that you've taken all of the medication, rinse the container with a small amount of water and drink the remaining water.
Tiopronin (Thiola) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Risk factors: Children taking more than 50 mg/kg bodyweight per day of tiopronin (Thiola)
Tiopronin (Thiola) can cause kidney disorders that can lead to high protein levels in your urine. The risk of this is higher for children who take more than 50 mg/kg bodyweight per day of tiopronin (Thiola). Your healthcare provider will test your urine occasionally in order to watch for protein.
Risk factors: History of side effects from d-penicillamine
Tiopronin (Thiola) has a similar structure to d-penicillamine (also known as penicillamine), which is a medication used to treat kidney stones, rheumatoid arthritis, and copper buildup in your body. Because of this, your provider might prescribe a lower dose of tiopronin (Thiola) if you've had side effects from d-penicillamine in the past.
Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
---|---|---|---|
100mg | 100 tablets | $703.39 | $7.03 |
Adults: The typical starting dose is 800 mg by mouth daily, split into 3 separate doses.
Children (weighing 20 kg or more): The typical starting dose is 15 mg/kg bodyweight per day, split into 3 separate doses.
Allergy or sensitivity to tiopronin (Thiola)
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