Temozolomide : Before Using - Temodar, Temodal

Temozolomide - Systemic

Brand Names

Temodar, Temodal Temozolomide *** 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 temozolomide, the following must be considered

Allergic reaction

Tell your family doctor if you have any unusual or allergy to dacarbazine or temozolomide. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy care

There is a risk that this drug may cause birth defects if it is taken at the time of conception or if it is taken during pregnancy. You must wait for 6 months after the treat is finished before becoming pregnant. Studies in rats and rabbits have shown that temozolomide causes birth defects in the fetus and other problems - including miscarriages.

Be sure that you have discussed these possible effects with your family doctor before taking this drug. Before taking temozolomide, make sure your family doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant. It is best to use some kind of birth control while you are taking temozolomide. Tell your family doctor right away if you think you have become pregnant while taking temozolomide.

If you are a man taking temozolomide you must be very careful not to father a child up to 6 months after treat. Use a good form of birth control. Treatment with temozolomide may make you sterile. You may want to save and freeze your sperm before you start treat with temozolomide in case this happens.

Breast-feeding problem

It is not known whether temozolomide passes into human breast milk. However, temozolomide is not recommended during breast-feeding because it may cause unwanted effects in nursing babies.

Use for Children

Studies on this drug have been done only in adult diseaseds and there is no special info comparing the use of temozolomide in child with use in other age groups.

Elderly care

Elderly diseaseds may be more sensitive to the effects of temozolomide. Blood problems such as low platelet - the cell that helps blood to clot counts and low white blood cell - the cell that helps fight off infections counts may be especially likely to occur in diseaseds 70 years of age or older.

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 temozolomide it is especially important that your health care professional knows if you are taking any of the following:

Acyclovir - Zovirax
Anticonvulsants - seizure drug
Antidiabetics, oral - diabetes drug taken by mouth
Anti-infectives by mouth or by injection - drug for infection
Antipsychotics - drug for mental illness
Captopril - Capoten
Enalapril - Vasotec
Flecainide - Tambocor
Imipenem
Inflammation or pain drug, except narcotics
Lisinopril - Prinivil, Zestril
Maprotiline - Ludiomil
Penicillamine - Cuprimine
Pimozide - Orap
Procainamide - Pronestyl
Promethazine - Phenergan
Ramipril - Altace
Sulfasalazine - Azulfidine
Tiopronin - Thiola
Tocainide - Tonocard
Tricyclic antidepressants - drug for depression
Trimeprazine - Temaril Concurrent use of these agents with temozolomide may cause blood disorders
Alpha Interferons - Intron A, Roferon-A
Amphotericin B by injection - Fungizone
Antineoplastics, other - cancer drug
Antithyroid agents - drug for overactive thyroid
Azathioprine - Imuran
Chloramphenicol - Chloromycetin
Colchicine
Flucytosine - Ancoban
Ganciclovir - Cytovene
Zidovudine - AZT, Retrovir Concurrent use of these agents with temozolomide increases the risk of infection
If you have ever been treated with radiation or cancer medication Temozolomide may increase the effects that these medication or radiation therapy may have on the blood

Other Information for using

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

Bone marrow depression, existing
Infection There may be an increased risk of infections or worsening infections because of the body's reduced ability to fight them

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

Kidney disease
Liver disease Temozolomide must be using with caution