Gold Sodium Thiomalate, Injection gold SOH-dee-um thy-oh-MAL-ate

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: antirheumatic

Generic and brand names: gold sodium thiomalate, injection; Aurolate; Myochrysine

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is given by injection (shots) to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

It may be used to treat other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• an allergic reaction to any medicine or to gold salts
• a blood disorder such as anemia
• a weakened immune system from cancer chemotherapy or radiation therapy
• breathing problems or lung disease
• dermatitis or other skin disease
• diabetes
• heart disease
• inflammatory bowel disease or ulcerative colitis
• kidney or liver disease
• lupus

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I use it?

This is a very strong medicine. Only healthcare providers experienced with this drug should prescribe it. Make sure you understand what the risks and benefits of treatment are.

Shots are given once a week by your healthcare provider.

Keep all appointments for shots and lab tests so that your healthcare provider can monitor your progress and check for side effects.

What should I watch out for?

You need to have blood tests regularly to see how this medicine affects you. Keep all appointments for these tests.

You may notice increased joint pain for 1 or 2 days after an injection. This effect usually goes away after the first few injections.

Contact your healthcare provider right away if you have signs of an infection (such as persistent sore throat or fever), unusual tiredness or weakness, dark or pink-reddish urine, itching, rash, mouth sores or irritation, or constant diarrhea.

This medicine may make you more sensitive to the sun than you normally are. Wear protective clothing, a hat, and sunscreen lotion when you need to be outdoors. Do not use a sunlamp. The sun or ultraviolet light may cause your skin to turn gray or blue where it has been exposed to the sun.

This medicine may cause mouth sores. Use a soft bristle brush or mouth swab to brush your teeth.

If you need emergency care, surgery, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you are taking this medicine.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away). If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; chest pain or tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (report these to your healthcare provider right away): Unusual bleeding or bruising; metallic taste or sores in mouth or throat; swelling or soreness of tongue; severe skin rash or itching; bloody urine; chills and fever; sore throat; tingling or numbness in the hands or feet; black or tarry stools; unusual tiredness or weakness; constant diarrhea.

Other: Mild diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, loss of appetite, gas, constipation, hair loss, mild rash or itch, swelling or irritation of the eyes.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• ACE inhibitors such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril, enalapril (Vasotec), fosinopril, lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), quinapril (Accupril), and ramipril (Altace)
• corticosteroids such as betamethasone (Celestone), cortisone, dexamethasone, fludrocortisone (Florinef), hydrocortisone (Cortef), methylprednisolone (Medrol), prednisolone (Orapred), prednisone, and triamcinolone (Aristospan, Kenalog)
• hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil)
• immunosuppressants such as azathioprine (Imuran), cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Gengraf, Neoral), mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept), sirolimus (Rapamune), and tacrolimus (Prograf, Protopic)
• medicines used to treat cancer such as cisplatin, doxorubicin (Adriamycin), hydroxyurea (Hydrea), vinblastine, and vincristine (Vincasar)
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) such as diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam), ibuprofen (Motrin, Motrin IB, Advil), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen, ketorolac (Toradol), nabumetone (Relafen), naproxen (Naprosyn, Anaprox, Aleve, Naprelan), oxaprozin (Daypro), piroxicam (Feldene), and sulindac (Clinoril)
• penicillamine (Cuprimine, Depen)
• phenytoin (Dilantin)

If you are not sure if your medicines might interact, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider. Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.