Description
Miltefosine is used to treat certain types of leishmaniasis, including visceral leishmaniasis (affects the internal organs), cutaneous leishmaniasis (affects the skin), or mucosal leishmaniasis (affects the nose, mouth, or throat).
This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.
This product is available in the following dosage forms:
- Capsule
Before Using
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Pediatric
Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of miltefosine in children younger than 12 years of age. Safety and efficacy have not been established.
Geriatric
Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of miltefosine in the elderly.
Breastfeeding
There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.
Drug Interactions
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.
Other Interactions
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.
Other Medical Problems
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Eye or vision problems or
- Kidney disease or
- Liver disease—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.
- Sjögren-Larsson-Syndrome (a rare disease)—Should not be used in patients with this condition.
Proper Use
Take this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. To do so may increase the chance of side effects.
This medicine should come with a Medication Guide. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.
Swallow the capsule whole. Do not crush, break, dissolve, or chew it.
Take this medicine with food to help prevent stomach problems.
Keep using this medicine for the full treatment time, even if you feel better after the first few doses. Your infection may not clear up if you stop using the medicine too soon.
Dosing
The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
- For oral dosage form (capsules):
- For leishmaniasis:
- Adults and children 12 years of age and older weighing 45 kilograms (kg) or more—50 milligrams (mg) 3 times a day for 28 days.
- Adults and children 12 years of age and older weighing 30 to 44 kg—50 mg 2 times a day for 28 days.
- Children younger than 12 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
- For leishmaniasis:
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.
Storage
Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.
Keep out of the reach of children.
Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.
Precautions
It is very important that your doctor check your or your child's progress at regular visits to see if the medicine is working properly and to decide if you should continue to take it. Blood and urine tests will be needed every week during treatment and for 4 weeks after the last dose of this medicine to check for unwanted effects.
Using this medicine while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. If you can get pregnant, your doctor may do tests to make sure you are not pregnant before taking this medicine. Use an effective form of birth control to keep from getting pregnant during treatment and for 5 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 vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration. Check with your doctor right away if you have severe vomiting and diarrhea that does not go away. Drink a lot of fluids to help prevent dehydration or kidney problems.
Diarrhea and vomiting may occur while taking this medicine. These side effects may prevent birth control pills from working properly. You may use other forms of birth control (eg, condoms, diaphragms, or contraceptive foams or jellies).
This medicine lowers the number of some types of blood cells in your body. Because of this, you may bleed more easily. 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.
Serious skin reactions, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome can occur with this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have blistering, peeling, or loose skin, red skin lesions, severe acne or skin rash, sores or ulcers on the skin, or fever or chills while you are using this medicine.
This medicine may cause eye or vision problems. Check with your doctor right away if you have blurred or changes in vision, difficulty seeing at night, eye redness, irritation, tenderness, or pain, increased tearing, sensitivity to light, or watering of the eyes. Your doctor may want you to have your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor).
This medicine may decrease sperm count, semen quality, or semen volume (amount of fluid released upon ejaculation) in some males and may also cause abnormal changes in menstrual cycles in females. Some men and women who use this medicine have become infertile (unable to have children). Talk with your doctor before using this medicine if you plan to have children.
Side Effects
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Incidence not known
- Black, tarry stools
- bleeding gums
- bloating or swelling of the face, arms, hands, lower legs, or feet
- blood in the urine or stools
- blurred vision or other change in vision
- chills or fever
- clay-colored stools
- cough or hoarseness
- dark urine
- decreased vision
- dizziness
- eye redness, irritation, pain, or tenderness
- headache
- increased tearing
- itching or rash
- loss of appetite
- lower back or side pain
- pain in the scrotum
- painful or difficult urination
- pinpoint red spots on the skin
- seizures
- sensitivity to light
- severe diarrhea or vomiting
- smaller amount of semen ejaculated than usual
- sore throat
- sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
- stomach pain
- unpleasant breath odor
- unusual bleeding or bruising
- unusual tiredness or weakness
- vomiting of blood
- yellow eyes or skin
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common
- Decreased appetite
- diarrhea
- lack or loss of strength
- vomiting
Less common
- General feeling of discomfort or illness
- itching skin
- sleepiness or unusual drowsiness
Incidence not known
- Bloody nose
- joint stiffness or swelling
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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