Introduction
What XBIRA 250MG is used for?
- It is used to treat prostate cancer in adult men
Warning & Precautions
Talk to Doctor
Talk to your doctor before you take this medicine, if you:
- Are allergic to abiraterone acetate or any of the other ingredients of this medicine
- Have severe liver damage
- Have low blood potassium levels
- Have heart problem
- Have shortness of breath
- Have swelling in the feet, ankles, or legs
- Have high blood sugar or pressure
Pregnancy & Breast Feeding
- This medicine is not for use in women
- This medicine may cause harm to the unborn child if it is taken by women who are pregnant
- If you are having sex with a woman who can become pregnant, use a condom and another effective birth control method
Children & Adolescents
- This medicine is not for use in children and adolescents
Driving & Using Machines
- This medicine is not likely to affect your being able to drive and use any tools or machines
Interactions
Tell your doctor if you are taking,
- Medicines including tranquilisers, herbal medicines (e.g., st john’s wort)
- Androgen deprivation treatment
- Ketoconazole used for prostate cancer
- Quinidine, procainamide, amiodarone and sotalol used for heart rhythm problems
- Moxifloxacin used as an antibiotic
- Antipsychotics used for serious mental illnesses
How to Use
- Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you
- The recommended dose is 1,000 mg (two tablets) once a day
- Take this medicine by mouth
- It must be taken on an empty stomach. Don't eat any food for at least 2 hours before or 1 hour after your dose.
- Swallow the tablets whole with water
- Do not break the tablets
- It is usually taken with another medicine called prednisolone to reduce unwanted side effects.
- Always use effective birth control measures to prevent pregnancy while taking this medicine.
- Your doctor may regularly monitor your liver function, blood pressure, and the level of potassium in your blood while you are having treatment with this medicine.
If you take more XBIRA 250MG
- If you take more than you should, talk to your doctor or go to a hospital immediately
If you forget to take XBIRA 250MG
- If you forget to take XBIRA 250MG take your usual dose the following day
- If you forget to take XBIRA 250MG for more than one day, talk to your doctor without delay
If you stop taking XBIRA 250MG
- Do not stop taking XBIRA 250MG unless your doctor tells you to
Side Effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them
Serious
- Muscle weakness, muscle twitches or a pounding heart beat (palpitations)
Common
- High fat levels in your blood
- Liver function test increases
- Chest pain
- Irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation), heart failure or rapid heart rate
- Severe infections called sepsis
- Bone fractures
- Indigestion
- Blood in urine, rash
- Fluid in your legs or feet, low blood potassium, high blood pressure, urinary tract infection, diarrhoea
Uncommon
- Abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia), muscle weakness and/or muscle pain
Rare
- Lung irritation also called allergic alveolitis
- Acute liver failure
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 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
Xbira does not cure cancer but helps in prolonging and improving the life of the patient. Moreover, when prostate cancer is treated with Xbira then the frequency of fractures is relatively less. Similarly, the increase in pain is less common with Xbira.
Q. Is Xbira a chemotherapy drug?
Xbira is a hormonal treatment not a chemotherapy drug. It is used to treat prostate cancer in adult men that has spread to other parts of the body. Xbira stops your body from making testosterone. This can slow down the growth of prostate cancer.
Q. Why do I need to take prednisolone with Xbira?
Your doctor will always prescribe prednisolone with Xbira. Taking these two medicines together lowers the risk of getting high blood pressure, fluid retention (having too much water in your body), or having reduced levels of potassium in your blood, which can occur due to Xbira.
Q. Does Xbira affect liver?
Xbira can cause severe liver problems. In very rare cases, Xbira may even cause failure of the liver to function (called acute liver failure), which can even lead to death. Tell your doctor if you experience yellowing of the skin or eyes, darkening of the urine, or severe nausea or vomiting, as these could be signs or symptoms of liver problems.
Q. How frequently should the liver investigations be done?
Liver enzymes should be measured prior to starting the treatment, every two weeks for the first three months into the treatment, and monthly thereafter. If you develop clinical symptoms or signs suggestive of liver toxicity, liver enzymes should be measured immediately. If the liver enzyme levels are increased beyond certain levels, your doctor may temporarily discontinue the treatment with Xbira.
Q. How to take Xbira?
Xbira should be taken on an empty stomach with water 1 hour before eating or at least 2 hours after eating. Taking it with food may cause increased and variable levels of Xbira in your blood which can be harmful. Remember not to crush or chew the tablet.
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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