Precautions

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

Using this medicine while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. It may also cause birth defects if the father is using it when his sexual partner becomes pregnant. Female patients should use effective birth control during treatment with this medicine and for at least 7 months after the last dose. Male patients who have female partners should use effective birth control during treatment with this medicine and for at least 4 months after the last dose. If you think you have become pregnant while receiving this medicine, tell your doctor right away.

Tell your doctor right away if you are having burning, numbness, tingling, or painful sensations in the arms, hands, legs, or feet. These could be symptoms of a condition, called peripheral neuropathy.

Dizziness, lightheadedness, or even fainting may occur when you get up suddenly from a lying or sitting position. Getting up slowly may help lessen this problem. Also, lying down for a while may relieve dizziness or lightheadedness.

This medicine may cause some people to become dizzy, drowsy, tired, or less alert than they are normally. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you.

This medicine may cause serious heart problems. Tell your doctor right away if you have chest pain or discomfort, trouble breathing, irregular heartbeat, or swelling of the feet, ankles, or legs while you are receiving this medicine.

Tell your doctor right away if you have a cough, trouble breathing, chest tightness, or any type of breathing problem with this medicine. These could be symptoms of a serious lung problem.

This medicine may increase your chance of having a brain condition, called posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES). Check with your doctor right away if you start having headaches, seizures, extreme drowsiness, confusion, or problems with vision while you are receiving this medicine.

This medicine may cause nausea, vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea, so it is important to drink plenty of fluids. It may also cause stomach or bowel blockage. If you experience dizziness or lightheadedness, contact your doctor. These could be symptoms of dehydration (not enough water in your body).

Bortezomib can temporarily lower the number of white blood cells in your blood, increasing the chance of getting an infection. It can also lower the number of platelets, which are necessary for proper blood clotting. If this occurs, there are certain precautions you can take, especially when your blood count is low, to reduce the risk of infection or bleeding:

  • If you can, avoid people with infections. Check with your doctor immediately if you think you are getting an infection or if you get a fever or chills, cough or hoarseness, lower back or side pain, or painful or difficult urination.
  • Check with your doctor immediately if you notice any unusual bleeding or bruising, black, tarry stools, blood in the urine or stools, or pinpoint red spots on your skin.
  • Be careful when using a regular toothbrush, dental floss, or toothpick. Your medical doctor, dentist, or nurse may recommend other ways to clean your teeth and gums. Check with your medical doctor before having any dental work done.
  • Do not touch your eyes or the inside of your nose unless you have just washed your hands and have not touched anything else in the meantime.
  • Be careful not to cut yourself when you are using sharp objects, such as a safety razor or fingernail or toenail cutters.
  • Avoid contact sports or other situations where bruising or injury could occur.

This medicine may cause a serious reaction, called tumor lysis syndrome (TLS). Call your doctor right away if you have a change in how much or how often you urinate, muscle or joint pain, stiffness or swelling, lower back, side, or stomach pain, a rapid weight gain, swelling of the feet or lower legs, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

Check with your doctor right away if you have pain or tenderness in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, or yellow eyes or skin. These could be symptoms of a serious liver problem.

Thrombotic microangiopathy (damage in the smallest blood vessels), including thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura/hemolytic uremic syndrome (TTP/HUS) may occur while you are receiving this medicine. Tell your doctor right away if you have the following symptoms: dark or bloody urine, difficulty speaking, fever, increased or decreased urination, pinpoint red spots on the skin, seizures, stomach pain, swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs, unusual bleeding or bruising, unusual tiredness or weakness, or yellow eyes or skin.

If you plan to have children, talk with your doctor before receiving this medicine. Some men and women receiving this medicine have become infertile (unable to have children).

If you are diabetic and you are taking an oral antidiabetic medicine, you should check your blood sugar level often and report any unusual changes to your doctor.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal (eg, St. John's wort) or vitamin supplements.

Portions of this document last updated: April 01, 2024

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