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 also be needed to check for unwanted effects.

Using this medicine while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. If you are a woman who can bear children, your doctor may give you a pregnancy test before you start using this medicine to make sure you are not pregnant. Use an effective form of birth control during treatment and for at least 4 months after the last dose. Males who are taking this medicine, with female partners who can become pregnant, must use effective birth control during treatment and for at least 4 months after the last dose of this medicine. If you think you have become pregnant while using this medicine, tell your doctor right away.

This medicine may cause heart rhythm problems (eg, QT prolongation and torsades de pointes). Check with your doctor right away if you have chest pain or discomfort, fainting, irregular or slow heart rate, or trouble breathing.

Serious skin reactions (eg, Stevens-Johnson syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis) can occur with this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you have blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, chills, cough, diarrhea, itching, joint or muscle pain, red, irritated eyes, red skin lesions often with a purple center, sore throat, sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips, or unusual tiredness or weakness while you are using this medicine.

Avoid overexposing your skin to sunlight. Always use sunscreen or sun-blocking lotions and wear protective clothing and hats while you are using this medicine and for 4 months after the last dose.

Call your doctor right away if you have chest pain, chills, cough, fever, general feeling of discomfort or illness, thickening of bronchial secretions, or trouble breathing. These may be symptoms of a serious lung problem (eg, interstitial lung disease or pneumonitis).

Call your doctor right away if you have confusion, difficulty with speaking, slow speech, an inability to speak, an inability to move your arms, legs, or facial muscles, double vision, or a headache. These may be symptoms of a stroke.

This medicine may cause bleeding problems. Tell your doctor right away if you have bleeding gums, coughing up blood, difficulty in breathing or swallowing, dizziness, headache, increased menstrual flow or vaginal bleeding, nosebleeds, prolonged bleeding from cuts, red or dark brown urine, or red or black, tarry stools. To help with this problem, stay away from rough sports or other situations where you could be bruised, cut, or injured. Brush and floss your teeth gently. Be careful when using sharp objects, including razors and fingernail clippers.

Check with your doctor right away if you have chest pain or tightness, decreased urine output, dilated neck veins, extreme fatigue, irregular breathing, irregular heartbeat, swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs, trouble breathing, or weight gain. These may be signs of a heart condition called congestive heart failure (CHF).

This medicine may cause diarrhea. This may also increase your risk of having an electrolyte imbalance (eg, low potassium, magnesium, or calcium in the blood). Tell your doctor right away if you start having muscle cramps or twitching, mood or mental changes, or unusual tiredness or weakness while using this medicine.

This medicine may cause hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland). Check with your doctor right away if you have constipation, a depressed mood, dry skin and hair, feeling cold, hair loss, hoarseness or husky voice, muscle cramps and stiffness, a slow heartbeat, weight gain, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

Your blood pressure might get too high while you are using this medicine. This may cause headaches, dizziness, or blurred vision. You might need to measure your blood pressure at home. If you think your blood pressure is too high, call your doctor right away.

Check with your doctor if you have a headache, seizures, confusion, blurred vision or any other changes in vision. These may be symptoms of a rare and serious condition called reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome (RPLS).

This medicine may cause slow wound healing. Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you are using this medicine. You may need to stop using it for at least 1 month before and at least 2 weeks after having surgery.

This medicine may cause blurred vision, tiredness, or weakness. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you.

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