LEUCOVORIN (ORAL)
(loo koe VOR in) Brand:
What is the most significant information I must know about leucovorin?
• Do not take leucovorin if you have anemia that is caused by a lack of vitamin B12.
• Till taking leucovorin, speak your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have kidney, liver, or lung disease.
• Till taking leucovorin, speak your doctor if you are using fluorouracil (Adrucil), phenytoin (Dilantin), fosphenytoin (Cerebyx), ethotoin (Peganone), phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton), or primidone (Mysoline).
• When treating an accidental overdose, leucovorin must be started as soon as possible for excellent effect.
• To be certain this medicine is helping your condition, your blood will need to be tested often. This will help your doctor determine how long to treat you with leucovorin.
What is leucovorin?
• Leucovorin is a form of folic acid. Folic acid helps your body manufacture and sustain new cells, and also helps prevent changes to DNA that may lead to cancer. Folic acid is gift in much foods such as dried beans, peas, oranges, spinach, and others.
• Leucovorin is used to reduce the side effects of big doses or accidental overdose of medications that can reduce the effects of folic acid in the body. This includes methotrexate (Rheumatrex), pyrimethamine (Daraprim), trimethoprim (Trimpex, Proloprim), and others.
• Leucovorin may also be used to treat anemia (lack of red blood cells) caused by chemotherapy.
• Leucovorin may also be used for purposes another than those listed in this medicine guide.
What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking leucovorin?
• Do not take leucovorin if you have anemia that is caused by a lack of vitamin B12.
• Till taking leucovorin, speak your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
· kidney disease;
· liver malady; or
· lung disease.
• If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to take leucovorin, or you may need to use an injection form of leucovorin (given through a needle placed into a vein).
• 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.
• It is not known whether leucovorin passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing child. Do not take this medicine without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
How must I take leucovorin?
• Take this medicine exactly as it was predesigned for you. Do not take the medicine in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
• Take leucovorin with a full glass of water.
• When treating an accidental overdose, leucovorin must be started as soon as possible for excellent effect.
• You may also be treated with IV fluids to hold you from getting dehydrated during your treatment with leucovorin.
• To be certain this medicine is helping your condition, your blood will need to be tested often. This will help your doctor determine how long to treat you with leucovorin.
• Store this medicine at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.
What happens if I miss a dose?
• If you receive this medicine in a hospital, it is not likely that you will miss a doze. If you are taking the medicine at house and you miss a doze, call your doctor for instructions.
What happens if I overdose?
• An overdose of leucovorin is not likely to reason life-threatening symptoms. However, an overdose can create another medications smaller effective.
• Search abnormal medical attention if you think you have used too many of this medicine.
What must I avoid while taking leucovorin?
• There are no restrictions on food, beverages, or activities unless otherwise directed by your doctor.
What are the possible side effects of leucovorin?
• 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.
• Side effects another than those listed here may also occur. Conversation to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What another drugs will affect leucovorin?
• Till taking leucovorin, speak your doctor if you are using any of the next drugs:
· fluorouracil (Adrucil);
· phenytoin (Dilantin), fosphenytoin (Cerebyx), or ethotoin (Peganone);
· phenobarbital (Luminal); or
· primidone (Mysoline).
• If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to take leucovorin, or you may need dosage adjustments or particular trials during treatment.
• There may be another drugs not listed that can affect leucovorin. 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.
Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has information about leucovorin written for health professionals that you may read.
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.