(ah LEH fa cept) Brand: Amevive
You must not use this medicine if you are allergic to alefacept, or if you have HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).
Till using alefacept, speak your doctor if you have an active or chronic infection, liver malady, a history of cancer, or if you are receiving phototherapy or using drugs that weaken the immune system.
Do not receive a "live" vaccine while using alefacept. Live vaccines include measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), oral polio, rotavirus, smallpox, typhoid, yellow fever, varicella (chickenpox), H1N1 influenza, and nasal flu vaccine.
Alefacept can lower blood cells that help your body fight infections. Your blood may need to be tested often. Avoid being around people who are sick or have infections. Speak your doctor at once if you develop signs of infection.
Using alefacept may magnify your risk of developing determined types of cancer. Conversation with your doctor about your specific risk.
Serious and sometimes fatal infections may occur during treatment with alefacept. Call your doctor right away if you have signs of infection such as: fever, chills, flu symptoms, mouth sores, swelling or warmth, skin redness or oozing, stabbing chest pain, feeling short of breath, or cough with yellow or green mucus.
Alefacept is a protein that reduces specific actions of the immune system that are involved in causing psoriasis.
Alefacept is used to treat plaque psoriasis (raised, silvery flaking of the skin) in adults.
Alefacept may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.
You must not use this medicine if you are allergic to alefacept, or if you have HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).
To create certain you can safely take alefacept, speak your doctor if you have another medical conditions, especially:
· an active or chronic infection;
· a history of cancer;
· liver disease;
· if you are receiving phototherapy (light therapy); or
· if you use drugs that weaken the immune system (such as cancer medication, steroids, and medication to prevent organ transplant rejection).
Using alefacept may magnify your risk of developing determined types of cancer. Conversation with your doctor about your specific risk.
FDA pregnancy category B. Alefacept is not expected to harm an unborn child. However, speak your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment or within 8 weeks after you stop using alefacept.
It is not known whether alefacept passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing child. You must not breast-feed while you are using alefacept.
Use exactly as predesigned by your doctor. Do not use in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Alefacept is generally given once each week for 12 weeks. Follow your doctor's dosing instructions very carefully.
Alefacept is injected into a muscle. You may be shown how to use injections at house. Do not self-inject this medication if you do not fully understand how to give the injection and properly dispose of used needles and syringes.
Alefacept is a powder medication that should be mixed with a liquid (diluent) till using it. If you are using the injections at house, be certain you understand how to properly mix and store the medication.
Do not shake the mixed medication or it may foam. Prepare your doze in a syringe only when you are ready to give yourself an injection. Do not use the medicine if it has changed colors or has particles in it. Call your pharmacist for new medication.
After mixing alefacept with a diluent, store in the refrigerator and use it within 4 hours. Do not freeze.
Your care provider will show you the excellent places on your body to give your injection (shot). Give every shot at least 1 inch away from where the recent shot was injected. Do not inject into the same seat two times in a row. Do not inject alefacept into skin that is tender, bruised, red, or heavy (including an active psoriasis lesion).
Use a disposable needle only once. Throw away used needles in a puncture-proof container (ask your pharmacist where you can get one and how to dispose of it). Hold this container out of the reach of children and pets.
Every single-use vial (bottle) of this medication is for one use only. Throw away after one use, even if there is still some medication left in it after injecting your dose.
Alefacept can lower blood cells that help your body fight infections and help your blood to clot. This can create it easier for you to bleed from an injury or get sick from being near others who are ill. Serious and sometimes fatal infections may occur during treatment with alefacept. Your blood may need to be tested often. Visit your doctor regularly.
Store this medication in its original container in the refrigerator. Do not freeze. Protect from easy.
Call your doctor for instructions if you miss a doze of alefacept.
Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
Overdose symptoms may include severe forms of some of the side effects listed in this medicine guide.
Avoid being around people who are sick or have infections. Speak your doctor at once if you develop signs of infection.
Do not receive a "live" vaccine while using alefacept. The vaccine may not work as well during this time, and may not fully protect you from malady. Live vaccines include measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), oral polio, rotavirus, smallpox, typhoid, yellow fever, varicella (chickenpox), H1N1 influenza, and nasal flu vaccine.
Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop using alefacept and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:
· fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms, sores in your mouth and throat;
· cough with yellow or green mucus, stabbing chest pain, wheezing, feeling short of breath;
· nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
· swelling, warmth, redness, itching, or oozing from the skin;
· new skin lesions, or a sunburn-like skin rash; or
· worsening or no improvement of your skin condition.
Smaller serious side effects may include:
· sore throat, cough;
· dizziness;
· mild nausea;
· headache;
· itching;
· muscle pain;
· pain or swelling where the medication was injected.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Speak your doctor about all another medicines you use, especially:
· a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven);
· cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune);
· digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps);
· fentanyl (Abstral, Actiq, Fentora, Duragesic, Lazanda, Onsolis);
· levothyroxine (Synthroid, Levothroid);
· lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid);
· pimozide (Orap);
· sirolimus (Rapamune) or tacrolimus (Prograf);
· theophylline (Elixophyllin, Theo-24, Theochron, Uniphyl);
· ergot medication such as ergotamine (Ergomar, Cafergot) or dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45, Migranal Nasal Spray);
· seizure medicine such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol), divalproex (Depakote), ethosuximide (Zarontin), phenytoin (Dilantin), or valproic acid (Depakene, Stavzor); or
· heart rhythm medicine such as disopyramide (Norpace), procainamide (Procan, Pronestyl), or quinidine (Quin-G).
This list is not complete and another drugs may interact with alefacept. Speak your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal commodity. Do not start a new medicine without telling your doctor.
Your pharmacist can provide more information about alefacept.
Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.
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