This information lists medications that are often used before, during, or after a pediatric stem cell transplant. Your healthcare provider will talk with you about the medications you’re taking, including their names and why you need to take them. In this resource, the word “you” means you or your child.
Supplements
- Folic acid: a vitamin your body needs to make normal blood cells.
- Potassium Chloride/Potassium Phosphorus: a potassium supplement. Your body needs potassium for your muscles (including your heart) to work properly.
- Magnesium Oxide/Magnesium Soy: magnesium supplements. Your heart needs magnesium to work properly.
- Multivitamin: a vitamin supplement that may or may not have iron.
- Vitamin K: a vitamin that your body needs so that your blood can clot.
GVHD Prevention
These medications are used to prevent or treat graft-verus-host disease (GVHD). Examples include:
- mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept®)
- cyclosporine (Neoral®)
- tacrolimus (Prograf®)
- sirolimus (Rapamune®)
- methotrexate (at a low dose)
Antivirals
These medications are used to prevent or treat viral infections (such as chicken pox and shingles). Other viral infections sometimes seen during transplant include cytomegalovirus (CMV), human herpes virus (HHV6), adenovirus, and BK virus. Examples include:
- acyclovir (Zovirax®)
- foscarnet (Foscavir®)
- ganciclovir (Cytovene®)
- cidofovir (Vistide®)
- letermovir (Prevymis®)
- valganciclovir (Valcyte®)
Antifungals
These medications are used to prevent or treat fungal infections. Examples include:
- fluconazole (Diflucan®)
- amphotericin (AmBisome®)
- voriconazole (Vfend®)
- micafungin (Mycamine®)
- posaconazole (Noxafil®)
- isavuconazonium (Cresemba®)
Antinausea
These medications are used to prevent or treat nausea (feeling like you’re going to throw up) and vomiting (throwing up). Examples include:
- ondansetron (Zofran®)
- hydroxyzine (Vistaril®)
- metoclopramide (Reglan®)
- granisetron (Kytril®)
- lorazepam (Ativan®)
- dronabinol (Marinol®)
- fosaprepitant (Emend®)
- diphenhydramine (Benadryl®)
Antacids
These medications are used to decrease stomach acid secretions. Examples include:
- pantoprazole (Protonix®)
- lansoprazole (Prevacid®)
- ranitidine (Zantac®)
- omeprazole (Prilosec®)
- esomeprazole magnesium (Nexium®)
Hormones (for females)
These medications are used to prevent vaginal bleeding when your platelet count is very low. Examples include:
- norgestrel (Ovral®)
- norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol (Lo-Ovral®)
- medroxyprogesterone acetate (Provera®)
- leuprolide (Lupron®)
- medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera®)
