INDICATIONS
Hydroxyurea is employed to take care of skin cancer (melanoma), a cancer in the white blood cells called chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML), and metastatic cancer (cancer containing spread) from the ovaries. This medicine may also be given in addition to radiation strategy for head and neck cancer (primary squamous cell cancer).
Hydroxyurea is additionally found in adult patients with sickle cell anemia to prevent painful episodes and lower the need for blood transfusions. It works by making the red blood cells more flexible.
INSTRUCTIONS
Before you commence treatment with hydroxyurea, both you and your doctor should speak about the good this medicine will do along with the perils of deploying it.
Take this medicine the same manner directed from your doctor. Do not use much more of it, avoid the use of it more regularly, and avoid using it for a longer time than your medical professional ordered.
This medicine has a patient information insert. Read and do as instructed in the insert carefully. Ask your physician when you have any questions.
Hydroxyurea should be handled with pride and people who usually are not investing in this medicine ought to be careful to avoid touching it. To decrease the chance of touching the medicine:
Wear disposable gloves when handling hydroxyurea or bottles containing hydroxyurea.
Wash both hands before and after connection with the bottle or capsules.
If powder from your capsule is spilled, you should wipe it immediately using a damp disposable towel and discard it in a closed container, such as a plastic bag.
You need to keep medicine from children and pets.
You should contact a medical expert for instructions on how to dump capsules which can be after dark expiration date.
If you miss a dose of this medicine, get it as soon as possible. However, whether it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and get back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.
DOSAGE
The dose on this medicine vary for various patients. Follow your medical professional's orders or the directions for the label. The following information includes merely the average doses of the medicine. If your dose differs from the others, do not change it out unless your physician informs you for this.
The amount of medicine that you simply take depends on the strength from the medicine. Also, the quantity of doses you are taking on a daily basis, enough time allowed between doses, as well as the period of time you are taking the medicine depend about the medical problem that you are choosing the medicine.
For oral dosage form (capsules):
For cancer from the head and neck, ovaries, or skin:
For chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML):
For sickle cell anemia:
STORAGE
Store the medicine inside a closed container at room temperature, from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.
Keep out with the reach of youngsters.
Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no more needed.
Ask your medical practioner how you ought to dump any medicine you don't use.
Along having its needed effects, a medicine might cause some unwanted effects. Although not these negative effects may occur, if they happen they will often need medical attention.
Check with a medical expert immediately if any from the following negative effects occur:
More common
Less common
Rare
Incidence not known
Get emergency help immediately if any in the following symptoms of overdose occur:
Some unwanted side effects may occur that usually don't need medical attention. These negative effects might go away during treatment as the body adjusts on the medicine. Also, your health care professional might be able to tell you about ways in order to avoid or reduce some unwanted side effects. Check together with your health care professional if any of the following unwanted side effects continue or are bothersome or when you have any queries about them:
More common:
Less common:
Other negative effects not listed might also exist in some patients. If you notice some other effects, check with your health care professional.
Call your physician for medical health advice about unwanted side effects.
It is essential that your physician look at the progress at regular visits to be sure that this medicine is functional. Blood tests may be required to check on for unwanted side effects.
Make sure your physician knows if you are pregnant before you use this medicine. Using this medicine while you're pregnant may damage your developing fetus. If you think you might have become pregnant with the medicine, tell your physician right away.
While you are being treated with hydroxyurea, and when you stop deploying it, don't have any immunizations (vaccines) without a medical expert's approval. Hydroxyurea may lower your body's resistance and there is an opportunity you might get the infection the vaccine is meant to prevent. In addition, other persons living in all your family members must not get live vaccines (eg, nasal flu vaccine, measles, mumps, or rubella) as there is the opportunity they might pass chlamydia to you. Also, avoid persons who have had a live vaccine. Do not get close to them and do not stay within the same room with them for too long. If you cannot take these precautions, you need to consider wearing a protective breathing filter that covers the nose and mouth.
Hydroxyurea can temporarily lower the quantity of white blood cells in your blood, increasing the risk of getting contamination. It can also lower the amount of platelets, that are essential for proper blood clotting. If this occurs, there are specific precautions it is possible to take, specially when your blood count is low, to relieve the chance of infection or bleeding:
Using this medicine for years may raise your likelihood of developing cancer with the blood (leukemia). Talk to your physician if you have concerns about it risk.
This medicine could potentially cause temporary decrease of hair in some people. After treatment has ended, normal growth of hair should return, even though the new hair might be a slightly different color or texture.
Do not take other medicines unless they've been discussed with your medical professional. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamins.
Airmail: 2-3 business weeks
EMS: 3-8 business days