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 (eg, condoms, spermicide) along with their pills during treatment with this medicine and for at least 4 months after the last dose. Male patients who have female partners should use effective birth control during treatment and for at least 3 months after the last dose. If you think you or your partner becomes pregnant while using the medicine, tell your doctor right away.

This medicine may cause swelling of the lungs (pneumonitis) or interstitial lung disease. These are life-threatening conditions and require immediate medical attention. The symptoms may be similar to the symptoms from lung cancer. Check with your doctor right away if you have new or worsening cough, fever, or trouble breathing.

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.

Check with your doctor right away if you have any changes to your eyes, such as eye pain or redness, or vision changes while you are using this medicine. Your doctor may want your eyes be checked by an eye doctor (ophthalmologist).

This medicine may cause muscle damage. Check with your doctor right away if you have muscle pain, tenderness, and weakness.

Check with your doctor right away if you have loss of appetite, nausea, or pains in the stomach, side, or abdomen, possibly radiating to the back. These could be symptoms of pancreatitis (swelling of the pancreas).

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.

This medicine may increase your blood sugar levels. Check with your doctor right away if you have confusion, nausea or vomiting, increased hunger, thirst or urination, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

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. Limit your time in the sun during treatment and for at least 5 days after the last dose. 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.

If you plan to have children, talk with your doctor before using this medicine. Some men using 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 or vitamin supplements.