CALCITRIOL (VITAMIN D3)

(kal si TRYE ol) Brand: Rocaltrol

What is the most significant information I must know about calcitriol?

• You must not use this medicine if you have tall levels of calcium or vitamin D in your blood, or if you have ever had an allergic reaction to calcitriol or another forms of vitamin D.

• Drink plenty of fluids unless your doctor has told you to restrict your fluid intake.

• Call your doctor if you have ongoing vomiting or diarrhea, or if you are sweating more than normal. You can easily become dehydrated while taking this medicine, which can lead to a serious electrolyte imbalance.

• Do not take another vitamin or mineral supplements unless your doctor has told you to.

• Avoid using antacids without your doctor's advice. Use only the type of antacid your doctor recommends. Some antacids can create it harder for your body to absorb calcitriol.

• To be certain this medicine is helping your condition, your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

• Calcitriol is only part of a complete program of treatment that may also include a particular diet. Follow your diet and medicine routines very closely. You must become very familiar with the list of foods you should ate or avoid to help control your condition.

What is calcitriol?

• Calcitriol is vitamin D3. Vitamin D is significant for the absorption of calcium from the stomach and for the functioning of calcium in the body.

• Calcitriol is used to treat hyperparathyroidism (overactive parathyroid glands) and metabolic bone malady in people who have chronic kidney failure and are not receiving dialysis.

• Calcitriol is also used to treat calcium deficiency (hypocalcemia) and metabolic bone malady in people who are receiving dialysis.

• Calcitriol is also used to treat calcium deficiency in people with hypoparathyroidism (underactive parathyroid glands) caused by surgery, malady, or another conditions.

• Calcitriol may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.

What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking calcitriol?

• You must not use this medicine if you have tall levels of calcium or vitamin D in your blood, or if you have ever had an allergic reaction to calcitriol or another forms of vitamin D.

• To create certain you can safely take calcitriol, speak your doctor about all of your medical conditions.

• FDA pregnancy category C. This medicine may be deleterious to an unborn child. Speak your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

• Calcitriol can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing child. Do not use this medicine without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How must I take calcitriol?

• Take this medicine exactly as predesigned by your doctor. Do not take it in larger amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

• Your doctor may occasionally change your doze to create certain you get the excellent results from this medication.

• Measure liquid medication with a particular dose-measuring spoon or cup, not a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.

• Drink plenty of fluids unless your doctor has told you to restrict your fluid intake.

• Call your doctor if you have ongoing vomiting or diarrhea, or if you are sweating more than normal. You can easily become dehydrated while taking this medicine, which can lead to a serious electrolyte imbalance.

• To be certain this medication is helping your condition and is not causing deleterious effects, your blood will need to be tested often. Visit your doctor regularly.

• Calcitriol is only part of a complete program of treatment that may also include a particular diet. It is very significant to follow the diet plan created for you by your doctor or nutrition counselor. You must become very familiar with the list of foods you should ate or avoid to help control your condition.

• If you need to be on bed-rest or have any type of surgery, your doze or testing needs may change. Follow your doctor's instructions.

• Store at room temperature away from moisture, easy, and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. Skip the missed doze if it is nearly time for your following scheduled doze. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

• Overdose symptoms may include some of the serious side effects listed in this medicine guide.

What must I avoid while taking calcitriol?

• Do not take another vitamin or mineral supplements unless your doctor has told you to.

• Avoid using antacids without your doctor's advice. Use only the type of antacid your doctor recommends. Some antacids can create it harder for your body to absorb calcitriol.

What are the possible side effects of calcitriol?

• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Stop using calcitriol and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

· weakness, headache, drowsiness;

· nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, constipation;

· loss of appetite;

· dry mouth, heighten thirst;

· metallic taste in your mouth;

· urinating more than usual;

· quick, slow, or uneven heart rate;

· changes in behavior;

· muscle pain, bone pain, muscle weakness, loss of height;

· slow growth (in a baby taking calcitriol); or

· severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back.

• 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.

What another drugs will affect calcitriol?

• Speak your doctor about all another medicines you use, especially:

· digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps);

· cholestyramine (Questran, Prevalite);

· ketoconazole (Nizoral);

· lanthanum (Fosrenol);

· seizure medicine such as phenytoin (Dilantin) or phenobarbital (Solfoton);

· steroids such as prednisone, fluticasone (Advair, Flovent), mometasone (Asmanex, Nasonex), dexamethasone (Cortastat, DexPak, Decadron) and others; or

· a (water pill) diuretic such as hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, Esidrix, Hydrodiuril, Microzide,Oretic), chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone (Hygroton, Thalitone), indapamide (Lozol), metolazone (Mykrox, Zaroxolyn), and others.

• This list is not complete and another drugs may interact with calcitriol. 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.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about calcitriol.

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.

Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.