Tretinoin : Before Using

Tretinoin - Systemic

Brand Names

Vesanoid Tretinoin *** Before Using *** How to Use *** Fore Safe Use *** Side Effects

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 tretinoin, the following must be considered

Allergic reaction

Tell your family doctor if you have any unusual or allergy to tretinoin or to acitretin, etretinate, isotretinoin, or vitamin A preparations. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy care

Tretinoin must not be taken during pregnancy because there is a very high risk of causing severe birth defects in the infant. In addition, tretinoin must not be taken if there is a risk that you may become pregnant during treat or within 1 month after treat is ended . Women who are able to have children and even some women who have started the menopause, must have a pregnancy test done within 1 week before starting tretinoin, to make sure they are not pregnant. The pregnancy test must be repeated once a month during treat During treat with tretinoin and for a month after treat is over, you must use two effective forms of birth control at the same time . If you have any questions about what kinds of birth control to use, check with your health care professional Be sure that you have discussed this information with your family doctor. You will be asked to sign an informed consent form stating that you have received and understand the above information .

Breast-feeding problem

It is not known whether tretinoin passes into the breast milk. However, because this drug can cause serious side effects, women must stop breast-feeding before starting treat.

Use for Children

Studies in a limited number of children between 1 and 16 years of age have shown that children may be especially sensitive to the effects of this drug and may be more likely than adults to experience severe headaches and some other side effects during treat.

Elderly care

Many medication have not been studied specifically in elderly people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in adults people or if they cause various side effects or problems in elderly people. There is no special info comparing use of tretinoin in the elderly with use in other age groups.

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 tretinoin, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

Corticosteroids - cortisone-like drug
Cimetidine - Tagamet
Cyclosporine - Sandimmune
Diltiazem - Cardizem
Erythromycin - E-Mycin, Ilotycin
Ketoconazole - Nizoral
Pentobarbital - Nembutal
Phenobarbital - Luminal
Rifampin - Rifadin
Verapamil - Calan These medication may increase or decrease the metabolism - breakdown of tretinoin, leading to higher-than-usual or lower-than-usual amounts of tretinoin in the body