Brand Names

How to Use

Methoxsalen usually comes with patient directions. Read them carefully before using this drug.

This drug may take 6 to 8 weeks to really help your condition Do not increase the amount of methoxsalen you are taking or spend extra time in the sunlight or under an ultraviolet lamp . This will not make the drug act any more quickly and may result in a serious burn.

If this drug upsets your stomach:

• Patients taking the hard gelatin capsules may take them with food or milk.
• Patients taking the soft gelatin capsules may take them with low-fat food or low-fat milk.

Dosage

The number of capsules that you take depends on the strength of the drug. Always the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses and the length of time you take the drug depend on the medical problem for which you are taking methoxsalen .

• For oral dosage form - hard gelatin capsule:
  • For treating mycosis fungoides and psoriasis:
    • Adults and children 12 years of age and over Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your family doctor. However, the usual dose is 0.6 mg per kilogram - kg - 0.27 mg per pound of body weight taken two hours before UVA exposure. This treat - methoxsalen and UVA is given two or three times a week with the treat spaced at least forty-eight hours apart.
    • Children up to 12 years of age Dose must be determined by your family doctor.
  • For vitiligo:
    • Adults and children 12 years of age and over 20 milligrams - mg per day taken two to four hours before ultraviolet light A - UVA exposure. This treat - methoxsalen and UVA is given two or three times a week with the treat spaced at least forty-eight hours apart.
    • Children up to 12 years of age Dose must be determined by your family doctor.
• For oral dosage form - soft gelatin capsule:
  • For psoriasis:
    • Adults and children 12 years of age and over Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your family doctor. The usual dose is 0.4 mg per kg - 0.18 mg per pound of body weight taken one and one-half to two hours before UVA exposure. This treat - methoxsalen and UVA is given two or three times a week, with the treat spaced at least forty-eight hours apart.
    • Children up to 12 years of age Dose must be determined by your family doctor.

Missed dose If you are late in taking, or miss taking, a dose of this drug, notify your family doctor so your light treat can be rescheduled. Remember that exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet light must take place a certain number of hours after you take the drug or it will not work. For diseaseds taking the hard gelatin capsules, this is 2 to 4 hours. For diseaseds taking the soft gelatin capsules, this is 11/2 to 2 hours. If you have any questions about this, check with your family doctor.

Storage To store this drug:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the drug to break down.
• Do not keep outdated drug or drug no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded drug is out of the reach of children.