(e POE e tin AL fa) Brand: Epogen, Procrit
• You must not use this medicine if you have untreated or uncontrolled tall blood pressure, if you are allergic to epoetin alfa or darbepoetin alfa (Aranesp), or if you have ever had pure red cell aplasia (PRCA, a type of anemia) caused by using either of these two drugs.
• Till using epoetin alfa, speak your doctor if you have epilepsy or a history of seizures. Epoetin alfa may reason seizures. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.
• This medication can magnify your risk of life-threatening heart or circulation problems, including heart onslaught or stroke. This risk will magnify the longer you use epoetin alfa. Epoetin alfa may also shorten remission time or survival time in some people with determined types of cancer. Talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of using epoetin alfa.
• Seek abnormal medical help if you have symptoms of heart or circulation problems, such as chest pain or hard feeling, pain spreading to the hand or shoulder, shortness of breath, slurred speech, or problems with vision or balance.
• To be certain this medicine is helping your condition, your blood may need to be tested often. Your blood pressure will also need to be checked. Visit your doctor regularly.
• Contact your doctor if you feel weak, light-headed, or short of breath, or if your skin looks pale. These may be signs that your body has stopped responding to epoetin alfa.
• Some women using epoetin alfa have started having menstrual periods, even after not having a period for a long time due to a medical condition. You may be able to get pregnant if your periods restart. Conversation with your doctor about the need for birth control.
• Epoetin alfa is made from human plasma (part of the blood) which may contain viruses and another infectious agents. Donated plasma is tested and treated to reduce the risk of it containing infectious agents, but there is still a little possibility it could transmit malady. Conversation with your doctor about the risks and benefits of using this medication.
• Epoetin alfa is a man-made form of a protein that helps your body manufacture red blood cells. The amount of this protein in your body may be reduced when you have kidney failure or use determined medications. When fewer red blood cells are produced, you can develop a condition called anemia.
• Epoetin alfa is used to treat anemia (a lack of red blood cells in the body).
• Epoetin alfa may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.
• You must not use this medicine if you are allergic to epoetin alfa or darbepoetin alfa or (Aranesp), or if you have:
· untreated or uncontrolled tall blood pressure; or
· if you have ever had pure red cell aplasia (PRCA, a type of anemia) caused by using darbepoetin alfa or epoetin alfa.
• To create certain you can safely use epoetin alfa, speak your doctor if you have any of these another conditions:
· heart malady, congestive heart failure, or tall blood pressure (hypertension);
· kidney malady (or if you are on dialysis);
· a history of stroke, heart onslaught, or blood clots;
· a blood cell or clotting mess, such as sickle cell anemia or hemophilia;
· cancer; or
· epilepsy or other seizure disorder.
• Epoetin alfa is made from human plasma (part of the blood) which may contain viruses and another infectious agents. Donated plasma is tested and treated to reduce the risk of it containing infectious agents, but there is still a little possibility it could transmit malady. Conversation with your doctor about the risks and benefits of using this medication.
• FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether epoetin alfa will harm an unborn child. Speak your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.
• It is not known whether epoetin alfa passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing child. Do not use this medicine without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
• Some women using epoetin alfa have started having menstrual periods, even after not having a period for a long time due to a medical condition. You may be able to get pregnant if your periods restart. Conversation with your doctor about the need to use birth control while you are using epoetin alfa.
• Epoetin alfa may shorten remission time in some people with head and neck cancer who are also being treated with radiation. Epoetin alfa may also shorten survival time in determined people with breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, head and neck cancer, cervical cancer, or lymphoid cancer. Conversation with your doctor about your individual risk.
• 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.
• Your doctor may occasionally change your doze to create certain you get the excellent results.
• Epoetin alfa is injected under the skin or into a vein through an IV. You may be shown how to use an IV 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, IV tubing, and another items used to inject the medicine.
• This medicine comes with patient instructions for safety and effective use. Follow these directions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
• Do not shake the medicine bottle or you may ruin the medication. 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 doctor for a new prescription.
• 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.
• To be certain this medicine is helping your body manufacture red blood cells, your blood will need to be tested often. You may also need to check your blood pressure during treatment. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.
• If you need surgery, speak the surgeon onward of time that you are using epoetin alfa.
• Store in the refrigerator and protect from easy. Do not freeze epoetin alfa, and throw away the medicine if it has become frozen.
• Contact your doctor if you miss a doze of epoetin alfa.
• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
• Overdose symptoms may include headache, dizziness, itching (especially after bathing), fullness in your upper stomach, redness of the person, shortness of breath, and vision problems.
• This medicine may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.
• 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.
• Contact your doctor if you feel weak, lightheaded, or short of breath, or if your skin looks pale. These may be signs that your body has stopped responding to this medication.
• Epoetin alfa can magnify your risk of life-threatening heart or circulation problems, including heart onslaught or stroke. This risk will magnify the longer you use epoetin alfa. Search abnormal medical help if you have symptoms of heart or circulation problems, such as:
· chest pain or hard feeling, pain spreading to the hand or shoulder, nausea, sweating, common ill feeling;
· feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion;
· swelling, rapid weight gain;
· sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body;
· sudden severe headache, confusion, problems with vision, speech, or balance; or
· pain, swelling, warmth, or redness in one or both legs.
• Stop using epoetin alfa and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
· feeling light-headed, fainting;
· fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms, sores in your mouth and throat;
· pale skin, feeling short of breath, rapid heart course, trouble concentrating;
· light bruising, unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum), purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin;
· seizure (black-out or convulsions);
· low potassium (confusion, uneven heart course, extreme thirst, heighten urination, leg discomfort, muscle weakness or limp feeling); or
· dangerously tall blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, confusion, chest pain, shortness of breath, uneven heartbeats, seizure).
• Smaller serious side effects may include:
· cool symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, cough, sore throat;
· joint pain, bone pain;
· muscle pain, muscle spasm;
· dizziness, depression, mild headache;
· weight loss;
· sleep problems (insomnia);
· nausea, vomiting, trouble swallowing; or
· pain or tenderness where you injected the medication.
• 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.
• There may be another drugs that can affect epoetin alfa. Speak your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal commodity, and drugs predesigned by another doctors. Do not start using a new medicine without telling your doctor.
• Your pharmacist can provide more information about epoetin alfa.
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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