Gemcitabine : Before Using

Gemcitabine - Systemic

Brand Names

Gemzar Gemcitabine *** Before Using *** How to Use *** Fore Safe Use *** Side Effects *** Additional Information

Before Using

In deciding to using a medication, the chance of taking the drug must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you will make. For gemcitabine, the following must be considered

Allergic reaction

Tell your family doctor if you have any unusual or allergy to gemcitabine.

Pregnancy care

Tell your family doctor if you are pregnant. Studies in mice and rabbits have shown that gemcitabine causes birth defects and death of the fetus, as well as problems in the mother.

Be sure that you have discussed this with your family doctor before starting treat with this drug. It is best to use birth control while you are receiving gemcitabine. Always tell your family doctor right away if you think you have become pregnant during treat.

Breast-feeding problem

It is not known whether gemcitabine passes into breast milk. However, because this drug may cause serious side effects, breast-feeding is generally not recommended while you are receiving it.

Use for Children

There is no special info comparing use of gemcitabine in child with use in other age groups.

Elderly care

Gemcitabine has been tested in elderly diseaseds and has not been shown to cause various side effects or problems in elderly people than it does in adults people. However, seriously low blood counts tend to occur more often in elderly diseaseds.

Drug interactions

Although certain medication must not be using together at all, in other cases two various medication may be using together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your family doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking gemcitabine, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

Amphotericin B by injection - Fungizone
Antithyroid agents - drug for overactive thyroid
Azathioprine - Imuran
Chloramphenicol - Chloromycetin
Colchicine
Flucytosine - Ancobon
Ganciclovir - Cytovene
Interferon - Intron A, Roferon-A
Plicamycin - Mithracin
Zidovudine - AZT, Retrovir
If you have ever been treated with radiation or other cancer medication The risk of developing seriously low blood counts may be increased. Always gemcitabine can cause problems, sometimes serious, in areas treated by radiation

Azathioprine - Imuran
Chlorambucil - Leukeran
Corticosteroids - cortisone-like drug
Cyclosporine - Sandimmune
Mercaptopurine - Purinethol
Muromonab-CD3 - monoclonal antibody - Orthoclone OKT3 or
Tacrolimus - Prograf There may be an increased risk of infection because gemcitabine decreases your body's ability to fight it

Other Information for using

The presence of other medical problems may effect the use of gemcitabine. Make sure you tell your family doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

Chickenpox - including recent exposure
Herpes zoster - shingles chance of severe disease spreading to other parts of the body

Infection Gemcitabine can decrease your body's ability to fight infection

Kidney disease
Liver disease, severe These conditions sometimes increase the effects of medication by causing them to be removed from the body more slowly