Precautions

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure 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. If you are a woman who can get pregnant, your doctor may do tests to make sure you are not pregnant before starting treatment. Female patients should use effective birth control during treatment with this medicine and for at least 45 days after the last dose. Male patients who have female partners should use effective birth control during treatment with this medicine and for at least 90 days after the last dose. If you think you have become pregnant while using this medicine, tell your doctor right away.

This medicine may cause swelling of the lungs (pneumonitis), which can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Check with your doctor right away if you have a cough with or without mucous, trouble breathing, or a fever.

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

Contact your doctor right away if you have any changes to your heart rhythm. You might feel dizzy or faint, or you might have a slow, fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat. Make sure your doctor knows if you or anyone in your family has ever had a heart rhythm problem including QT prolongation.

This medicine may cause serious stomach or bowel problems. Check with your doctor right away if you have black, tarry stools, colicky or burning stomach pain, constipation, diarrhea, loss of appetite, nausea, pain in the back of throat or chest when swallowing, or vomiting blood or material that looks like coffee grounds.

Cancer medicines can cause constipation, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting in most people, sometimes even after receiving medicines to prevent it. Ask your doctor or nurse about other ways to control these side effects.

This medicine may cause dizziness, tiredness, blurred vision, or other vision problems (eg, flashes of lights, floaters, sensitivity of the eyes to light). If any of these occur, do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you. Check with your doctor if visual changes occur. Your doctor may want your eyes be checked by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor).

This medicine may cause an increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight (photosensitivity). Check with your doctor right away if you have itching, redness or other discoloration of the skin, severe sunburn, or skin rash. Use sunscreen or sunblock lotions with a sun protection factor (SPF) on a regular basis when you are outdoors. Wear protective clothing and hats and avoid sunlamps and tanning beds.

Talk with your doctor before using this medicine if you plan to have children. Some men and women who use this medicine have become infertile (unable to have children).

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.