Introduction
What VOTRIENT 400MG is used for?
It is used to treat people with,
- Advanced Renal cell cancer (RCC)
- Advanced Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) who have received chemotherapy in the past
Warning & Precautions
Talk to Doctor
Talk to your doctor before you take this medicine, if you:
- Have or had liver problems
- Have high blood pressure
- Have heart problems or an irregular heartbeat including QT prolongation
- Have a history of a stroke
- Have headaches, seizures, or vision problems
- Have coughed up blood in the last 6 months
- Had bleeding of your stomach or intestines in the last 6 months
- Have a history of a tear (perforation) in your stomach or intestine, or an abnormal connection between two parts of your gastrointestinal tract (fistula)
- Have had blood clots in a vein or in the lung
- Have thyroid problems
- Had recent surgery (within the last 7 days) or are going to have surgery
Pregnancy & Breast Feeding
- Do not take this medicine during Pregnancy and breast-feeding
Children & Adolescents
- It is not known if VOTRIENT 400MG is safe and effective in children under 18 years of age
Interactions
Tell your doctor if you are taking,
- Certain antibiotics (used to treat infections)
- Medicines used to treat HIV,depression or irregular heartbeats
- Simvastatin to treat high cholesterol levels
How to Use
- Take VOTRIENT 400MG exactly as your doctor tells you
- Take VOTRIENT 400MG on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after food(preferably at the same time each day)
- Do not crush VOTRIENT 400MG tablets
- Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice during treatment with VOTRIENT 400MG
- Diarrhea may occur as a side effect. Drink plenty of fluids and inform your doctor if it doesn't stop or if you find blood in your stools.
- Use a reliable contraceptive method to prevent pregnancy while you are taking this medicine and for a month after you stop taking it.
- Do not take it with medication lowering the stomach acid (such as antacids, H2 blockers including ranitidine), as it may affect the working of medicine.
- It may affect wound healing time. Be careful while shaving, cutting fingernails or toenails, or using sharp objects.
- Monitor your blood pressure regularly while taking this medication. Inform your doctor if you notice symptoms of very high blood pressure such as severe headache, confusion, problems with your eyesight, nausea or vomiting.
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Inform your doctor about the consumption of Votrient 400mg Tablet before going for surgical procedure.
- It may cause serious bleeding problem. Inform your doctor if you get headaches, stomach pain or if you notice blood in your urine or stools.
- Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant, planning to conceive or breastfeeding.
If you take more VOTRIENT 400MG
- If you take more VOTRIENT 400MG than you should contact your doctor immediately
If you forget to take VOTRIENT 400MG
- Take it as soon as you remember it
- However, if it is nearly time for the next dose, skip the missed dose
- Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose
- Never take two doses on the same day
If you stop using VOTRIENT 400MG
Do not stop taking VOTRIENT 400MG without first consulting your doctor
Side Effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them
Serious
- Yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes (jaundice)
- Dark urine, protein in your urine
- Tiredness, nausea or vomiting, loss of appetite
- Pain on the right side of your stomach area (abdomen)
- Irregular or fast heartbeat or fainting, shortness of breath, heart attack or stroke
- Bleeding or thyroid problems
- Collapsed lung (pneumothorax)
Common
- Feeling tired
- Decreased weight
- Tumor muscle or bone pain
- Headache
- Taste changes
- Trouble breathing
- Change in skin or hair color
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
HOW TO COPE WITH SIDE EFFECTS?
The occurrence of side effects varies from person to person. The following are a few ways of dealing with some of the common side effects. However, consult your doctor if these persist.
Coping with Headache
Make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids. Rest in a quiet, dimly lit room. Do not sleep more than you normally would. Do not strain your eyes (for example by looking at a screen). Do not drink alcohol. Headaches are usually temporary and usually go away with time. Ask your doctor to recommend a painkiller if they last longer than a week or get worse.
Coping with Nausea and Vomiting
You can help yourself by eating small, frequent meals rather than large ones and drinking plenty of fluids. Eat slowly. Avoid fatty, fried, spicy and very sweet foods. Eat cold or slightly warm food if the smell of cooked or cooking food makes you feel sick. Get plenty of fresh air. You could also try chewing ginger or drinking ginger tea. Eat bananas to replace potassium in your blood which can drop if you are sick (vomit). Use oral rehydration salts to replace vitamins and minerals lost through being sick. There are some medicines that can help you stop feeling sick. Speak to your doctor if your condition does not improve.
More Information
Storage
- Keep this medicine out of reach of children
- Store at room temperature (15-25°C)
- Do not use this medicine after the expiry date
FAQs
Votrient is not a conventional chemotherapy medicine. It belongs to a class of medicine called a protein kinase inhibitor. Votrient works by preventing the activity of proteins that are involved in the growth and spread of cancer cells.
Q. How should I take Votrient?
Votrient should be taken orally by mouth once a day or as directed by your doctor. Swallow the tablets whole with water, do not break or crush the tablets. This affects the way the medicine is absorbed and may increase the chance of side effects.
Q. Can Votrient be taken with food?
Votrient should be taken on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after food. If it is taken with food, the dosage may need to be increased. Doing this will in turn cause more side effects.
Q. How will I know if Votrient is helping me?
The duration for which you have to continue taking Votrient varies from person to person. The doctor monitors you closely and will be able to better estimate how long the medicine needs to be taken. Do not stop taking it without telling your doctor. It needs to be taken as long as it is effective and you can tolerate it.
Q. Are there any food restrictions while I’m taking Votrient?
Yes, it is best to avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice while on Votrient, as it may affect how the medicine works in your body. Ask your doctor about any additional foods you should avoid.
Q. How long I have to take Votrient?
The duration for which you have to continue taking Votrient varies from person to person. The doctor monitors you closely and will be able to better estimate how long the medicine needs to be taken. Do not stop taking it without telling your doctor. It needs to be taken as long as it is effective and you can tolerate it.
Q. What is the most important information I need to know about Votrient?
Votrient may cause severe or life-threatening liver damage. Inform your doctor if you have or had liver disease. If you experience any of the following symptoms such as discoloration of the skin or eyes (yellowing), dark urine, extreme tiredness, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, pain in the upper right part of the stomach, or unusual bleeding or bruising, call your doctor immediately. Your doctor may ask you to take some lab tests before you start taking Votrient. After you start taking Votrient, you may need to take those lab tests at weeks 3, 5, 7 and 9 and then at months 3 and 4. Your doctor may also prescribe additional tests if necessary. Periodic testing should then continue after 4 months.
Disclaimer:The contents of this website are for informational purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
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