omacetaxine
What is the most important information I should know about omacetaxine?
Omacetaxine can increase your risk of bleeding or infection. Call your doctor if you have unusual bruising or bleeding, blood in your urine or stools, confusion, problems with vision or speech, or new signs of infection (fever, chills, tiredness, body aches, feeling short of breath).
What is omacetaxine?
Omacetaxine is used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).
Omacetaxine is given after at least two other cancer treatments did not work or have stopped working.
Omacetaxine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using omacetaxine?
You should not use omacetaxine if you are allergic to it.
Tell your doctor if you have ever had:
- diabetes (in you or a family member); or
- bleeding problems.
Omacetaxine can harm an unborn baby or cause birth defects if the mother or the father is using this medicine.
- If you are a woman, do not use omacetaxine if you are pregnant. You may need to have a negative pregnancy test before starting this treatment. Use effective birth control to prevent pregnancy while you are using this medicine and for at least 6 months after your last dose.
- If you are a man, use effective birth control if your sex partner is able to get pregnant. Keep using birth control for at least 3 months after your last dose.
- Tell your doctor right away if a pregnancy occurs while either the mother or the father is using omacetaxine.
This medicine may affect fertility (ability to have children) in men. However, it is important to use birth control to prevent pregnancy because omacetaxine can harm an unborn baby.
Do not breastfeed while using this medicine, and for at least 2 weeks after your last dose.
How is omacetaxine given?
Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Use the medicine exactly as directed.
Omacetaxine is injected under the skin. A healthcare provider may teach you how to properly use the medication by yourself.
Omacetaxine is usually given every 12 hours. Do not change your dosing schedule or stop using this medicine unless your doctor tells you to.
Your healthcare provider will show you where on your body to inject omacetaxine. Use a different place each time you give an injection. Do not inject into the same place two times in a row.
Your injection will be prepared at the pharmacy and you will receive the medicine in prefilled syringes. Store these syringes in the refrigerator, do not freeze. If you need to transport the medicine, place the syringes in a cooler with ice packs.
Do not allow this medicine to come into contact with food or drinks inside your refrigerator.
The omacetaxine mixture does not contain a preservative. You must use a prefilled syringe within 6 days of when it was mixed at the pharmacy.
If a prefilled syringe reaches room temperature, you must use it within 12 hours after it was mixed.
Each vial (bottle) is for one use only. Throw it away after one use, even if there is still medicine left inside.
If this medicine accidentally gets on your skin, wash it thoroughly with soap and warm water. Anyone handling this medicine or giving you an injection should wear protective gloves and safety glasses.
Use a needle and syringe only once and then place them in a puncture-proof "sharps" container. Follow state or local laws about how to dispose of this container. Keep it out of the reach of children and pets.
If you need surgery or dental work, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using omacetaxine. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.
Omacetaxine can lower blood cells that help your body fight infections and help your blood to clot. Your blood will need to be tested often. Your cancer treatments may be delayed based on the results.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Skip the missed dose and use your next dose at the regular time. Do not use two doses at one time.
If you are receiving this medicine in a clinic or cancer center, call your doctor for instructions if you miss an appointment for your omacetaxine injection.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
What should I avoid while using omacetaxine?
If this medication gets in your eyes, rinse with water and call your doctor right away.
Avoid being near people who are sick or have infections. Tell your doctor at once if you develop signs of infection. Avoid activities that may increase your risk of bleeding or injury. Use extra care to prevent bleeding while shaving or brushing your teeth.
Avoid driving or hazardous activity until you know how this medicine will affect you. Your reactions could be impaired.
What are the possible side effects of omacetaxine?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- ongoing nausea, stomach pain, or diarrhea;
- easy bruising, unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum);
- confusion, vision changes, slurred speech;
- blood in your urine, bloody or tarry stools, coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds;
- severe skin rash or itching;
- low red blood cells (anemia) --pale skin, unusual tiredness, feeling light-headed or short of breath, cold hands and feet;
- high blood sugar --increased thirst, increased urination, dry mouth, fruity breath odor; or
- signs of infection --fever, chills, tiredness, body aches, feeling short of breath.
Common side effects may include:
- fever, low blood cell counts;
- feeling weak or tired;
- diarrhea;
- nausea; or
- pain, swelling, or redness where the medicine was injected.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect omacetaxine?
Other drugs may affect omacetaxine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every 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 outside 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 should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid 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.
Copyright 1996-2023 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 3.01. Revision date: 12/8/2020.
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.