Tasigna For Parkinsons Disease
Tasigna isnt FDA-approved to treat Parkinsons disease, but it has been tested for this purpose. Parkinsons disease is a condition that affects your nervous system. It can cause tremor, stiffness, and problems with body movements.
In one clinical study , researchers looked at using either Tasigna or a placebo in people with Parkinsons disease. The study showed that Tasigna was safe for use in people with this condition, but that it didnt help improve their symptoms. At this time, its not known if there will be continued testing of Tasigna for Parkinsons disease treatment.
If youd like to know more about options for treating Parkinsons disease, talk with your doctor.
Tasigna And Other Medications
Below are lists of medications that can interact with Tasigna. These lists do not contain all the drugs that may interact with Tasigna.
Before taking Tasigna, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter , and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Tasigna and medications used to treat heartburn or GERD
Taking Tasigna with certain medications used to treat heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease can reduce the level of Tasigna in your body. This can lower the effectiveness of Tasigna in treating your condition.
Below we describe certain classes of heartburn or GERD medications that may or may not be taken with Tasigna.
Tasigna and proton pump inhibitors
Taking Tasigna with proton pump inhibitors is not recommended. PPIs are used to treat conditions such as GERD and peptic ulcer disease .
Examples of PPIs include:
- dexlansoprazole
If youre taking Tasigna, ask your doctor about options other than the PPIs listed above to treat your GERD or PUD. Some safer alternative medications for these conditions are described below.
Tasigna and H2 blockers
Examples of H2 blockers include:
- ranitidine
- famotidine
- nizatidine
Tasigna and antacids
Examples of commonly used OTC antacids include:
Tasigna and certain antidepressants
Life After Stopping Tkis
The Life After Stopping TKIs study enrolled 172 adults with CML from 14 university medical centers and cancer centers across the United States. Participants had CML that was well controlled with one of four TKIs used to treat the disease: imatinib, dasatinib , nilotinib, or bosutinib .
To be included in the study, patients had to have been taking a TKI for at least 3 years and to have stayed in a deep molecular response for at least 2 years, meaning that their test results showed almost no cells in the blood containing the genetic alteration that causes CML.
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Raised Levels Of Uric Acid
Rarely, nilotinib may cause the cancer cells to break down very quickly. This releases a waste product into the blood called uric acid. The kidneys usually get rid of uric acid but may not be able to cope with large amounts. Too much uric acid can cause swelling and pain in the joints. This is called gout. It may also cause other effects such as:
- kidney problems
Questions To Ask The Health Care Team
You may want to ask your cancer care team the following questions.
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Is my specific cancer treatment plan likely to cause hair loss?
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If so, when will my hair loss happen? Will I lose hair over time or all at once?
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How should I care for my hair and scalp during hair loss?
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When will my hair grow back? What can I expect when my hair does return?
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Is there a counselor, oncology social worker, or other team member who can help me cope with hair loss?
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Are there any programs that provide free or low-cost wigs or other head coverings?
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I Am So Glad I Never Took Fosamax
This popular bisphosphonate was prescribed to me back when I was first diagnosed with osteoporosis in 2004.
After I collected myself from the shock of being told I had a serious disease that could only be managed with drugs, I tore up the prescription and resolved to get at the root cause of osteoporosis. This is what brought about the Osteoporosis Reversal Program.
Its a good thing I never took Fosamax, because baldness is only one item on a long list of frightening side effects that Fosamax can cause, including the irreversible condition known as osteonecrosis of the jaw.
How Long Does It Take To Work
Tasigna begins working shortly after you take your first dose. However, you may not notice that Tasigna is working to make you feel better until youve had treatment for several months.
Each persons response to Tasigna will be unique. Your doctor will monitor your blood cell levels to see how well Tasigna is working for you.
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Does Tasigna Cause Long
Yes, Tasigna can cause long-term side effects. For example, its possible for long QT syndrome, which is a type of abnormal heart rhythm, to be long term. Tasigna has a boxed warning for this side effect. This is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration .
For more information on long QT syndrome and Tasigna, see the Side effects explained section below. Your doctor can also tell you about long-term side effects with Tasigna.
Can Stopping Tasigna Treatment Cause Withdrawal Symptoms
No, withdrawal symptoms havent been reported with Tasigna. These are symptoms that can occur after you stop taking a drug that your body has become dependent on. But its possible for signs of your cancer to come back or get worse if you stop Tasigna.
If youve taken Tasigna for at least 3 years and your leukemia is in remission , your doctor may talk with you about stopping Tasigna. This is called treatment-free remission . Your doctor will monitor you for loss of remission if you stop taking Tasigna.
Its possible to experience pain or an increase in pain during TFR, after you stop taking Tasigna. This includes pain in your bones, joints, muscles, spine, arms, or legs. If youre having pain or possible cancer symptoms, be sure to talk with your doctor. Together you can discuss treatments.
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Tasigna Use With Other Drugs
Some people may need to take other medications along with Tasigna to help manage their side effects during treatment.
For example, blood disorders are a common side effect of Tasigna that are often treated with other therapies. Blood disorders can include anemia , neutropenia , and thrombocytopenia .
Therapies that may be used with Tasigna to treat blood disorders include the following:
- Growth factors. In some cases, blood disorders caused by Tasigna can become very serious. If that happens, your doctor may prescribe medications called growth factors to increase your white blood cell and platelet levels. Growth factors work by telling your bone marrow to make more of these blood cells.
- Transfusion. If your red blood cell level becomes severely low during Tasigna treatment, your doctor may prescribe a blood transfusion for you. With a transfusion, youll receive blood from a donor or blood that was previously collected from your body.
During treatment with Tasigna, your doctor will recommend whether youll need to use other therapies, such as those mentioned above.
Theres no known interaction between Tasigna and alcohol. However, Tasigna and alcohol can each cause liver problems when used alone. Drinking alcohol while youre taking Tasigna could further increase your risk of liver damage.
Talk with your doctor about whether its safe for you to drink alcohol during Tasigna treatment.
What Is Ph+ Cml
Ph+ CML is a form of cancer that develops in bone marrow cells. Its caused by a mutation that forms a gene called BCR-ABL. This mutation forms the Philadelphia chromosome.
As cancer cells grow in your bone marrow, they crowd out the healthy cells in your bone marrow. The cancer cells also spread into your bloodstream, where they can travel to and affect your organs.
The more cancer cells you have, the worse your CML symptoms will be. The number of cancer cells that are found in your bone marrow and blood stream determine the phase of CML that you have. The phases of CML are described as follows.
- Chronic phase. This phase of CML is the first phase of the disease. In this phase, people typically have fewer cancerous cells than they do in other phases. People also generally have very few symptoms, which are mild. Symptoms can include fatigue and a feeling of fullness below your ribs on the left side of your torso. Some people dont have any symptoms during the chronic phase.
- Accelerated phase. This phase of CML is the second phase of the disease. In this phase, people have an increased number of cancer cells in their blood. People generally have more symptoms in this phase than they do in the chronic phase. Symptoms can include fever, weight loss, and bone pain.
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Serious Side Effects Of Tasigna
Tasigna may cause serious side effects. The list below may not include all possible serious side effects of the drug. For more information, you can refer to Tasignas prescribing information.
If you develop serious side effects while taking Tasigna, call your doctor right away. If the side effects seem life threatening or you think youre having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.
Serious side effects that have been reported with Tasigna and their symptoms include:
- Pancreatitis . Symptoms can include:
- upper abdominal painthat may spread to your back
Tasigna And Birth Control
Tasigna may cause serious harm to a growing fetus. Because of this, pregnancy should be avoided while youre taking Tasigna. If youre sexually active and you or your partner can become pregnant, talk with your doctor about your birth control needs while youre using Tasigna.
Note: The terms female and male are used below. Sex and gender exist on spectrums. Use of these terms in this article refers to sex assigned at birth.
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Low Blood Cell Counts
As with many cancer treatments, you may have low blood cell counts while taking Tasigna. Tasigna can cause neutropenia , thrombocytopenia , and anemia .
In clinical trials, low blood cell counts were common in people who took Tasigna. However, keep in mind that chronic myeloid leukemia can also cause low blood cell counts.
White blood cells help your body fight germs that can cause infection. Symptoms of low white blood cell counts can include:
- skin, gums, or nailbeds that are paler than usual
What you can do
Your doctor will order blood tests to check your blood cell counts before and during Tasigna treatment. This can help make sure Tasigna is safe for you. Youll typically have blood tests every 2 weeks for the first 2 months of treatment. After this, youll typically have blood tests every month and whenever your doctor considers it necessary. Be sure to keep your appointments for these tests.
While taking Tasigna, take extra care to avoid infections, as your immune system may be weakened. Wash your hands with soap frequently and avoid close contact with people who are unwell.
If you have symptoms of low blood cell counts during your treatment, talk with your doctor. They may order a blood test to check your blood cells. If you have low blood cell counts, your doctor may ask you to stop treatment until your blood cells recover. If your doctor recommends restarting treatment, they may prescribe a lower dosage of Tasigna than you took before.
Tasigna Side Effects List For Healthcare Professionals
The following serious adverse reactions can occur with Tasigna and are discussed in greater detail in other sections of labeling:
- Myelosuppression
- Fluid Retention
Clinical Trials Experience
Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.
In Adult Patients With Newly Diagnosed Ph+ CML-CP
The data below reflect exposure to Tasigna from a randomized trial in patients with newly diagnosed Ph+ CML in chronic phase treated at the recommended dose of 300 mg twice daily .
- The median time on treatment in the Tasigna 300 mg twice daily group was 61 months .
- The median actual dose intensity was 593 mg/day in the Tasigna 300 mg twice daily group.
The most common non-hematologic adverse drug reactions were
- rash,
- myalgia, and
- upper abdominal pain.
Constipation, diarrhea, dry skin, muscle spasms, arthralgia, abdominal pain, peripheral edema, vomiting, and asthenia were observed less commonly and have been of mild-to-moderate severity, manageable and generally did not require dose reduction.
Increase in QTcF greater than 60 msec from baseline was observed in 1 patient in the 300 mg twice daily treatment group. No patient had an absolute QTcF of greater than 500 msec while on study drug.
The most common hematologic adverse drug reactions were myelosuppression including:
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When To Contact Your Team
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will go through the possible side effects. They will monitor you closely during treatment and check how you are at your appointments. Contact your advice line as soon as possible if:
- you have severe side effects
- your side effects arent getting any better
- your side effects are getting worse
Early treatment can help manage side effects better.
We haven’t listed all the side effects here. Remember it is very unlikely that you will have all of these side effects, but you might have some of them at the same time.
Dosage For Ph+ Cml In Adults
The usual dosage of Tasigna for adults with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia is based on whether or not theyve had treatment in the past.
Dosage in adults who are newly diagnosed
The usual dosage of Tasigna for adults with newly diagnosed Ph+ CML that hasnt been treated in the past is 300 mg twice daily.
Dosage in adults who didnt improve with or couldnt tolerate certain past treatments
The usual dosage for adults with Ph+ CML who didnt improve with or couldnt tolerate certain past treatments is 400 mg twice daily.
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Warning Disclaimer Use For Publication
WARNING: Please DO NOT STOP MEDICATIONS without first consulting a physician since doing so could be hazardous to your health.
DISCLAIMER: All material available on eHealthMe.com is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment provided by a qualified healthcare provider. All information is observation-only. Our phase IV clinical studies alone cannot establish cause-effect relationship. Different individuals may respond to medication in different ways. Every effort has been made to ensure that all information is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. The use of the eHealthMe site and its content is at your own risk.
If you use this eHealthMe study on publication, please acknowledge it with a citation: study title, URL, accessed date.
Research Shows Bisphosphonates Can Cause Hair Loss
A group of Dutch researchers reviewed 53 reports of bisphosphonate-induced alopecia. Participants took alendronate or risendronate the vast majority of alopecia reports concerned alendronate.
While the exact mechanism of bisphosphonate induced alopecia is unknown,1 the researchers concluded that its most likely due to the fact that bisphosphonates block a particular enzyme, thereby interfering with an enzymatic pathway.1
Sounds familiar? If it does, its because Ive devoted many pages of the Osteoporosis Reversal Program to give an explanation of
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Pregnancy And Breastfeeding While Taking Tasigna
Tasigna can cause fetal harm if taken during pregnancy. If you can become pregnant, your doctor will likely have you take a pregnancy test to make sure youre not pregnant before prescribing Tasigna. And youll need to use effective birth control while taking the drug and for at least 14 days after your last dose.
Its not known if its safe to breastfeed while taking Tasigna. Due to the risk of side effects in a breastfed child, its recommended that you not breastfeed while taking Tasigna. And you should avoid breastfeeding for at least 14 days after your last dose of treatment.
Side effects of Tasigna are typically mild, but serious side effects can happen. If you have questions about Tasignas side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Here are a few questions that could be helpful to ask:
- Can other medical conditions I have increase my risk of side effects from Tasigna?
- How often will I need to have lab tests to check for Tasignas side effects?
- Does my age increase my risk of side effects with Tasigna?
Side Effects And Risks
Tasigna and Sprycel both belong to the same class of drugs. Therefore, these medications can cause very similar side effects. Below are examples of these side effects.
Mild side effects
These lists contain examples of the mild side effects that are more common with Tasigna, with Sprycel, or with both drugs .
- Can occur with Tasigna:
from the FDA regarding these risks. A boxed warning is the strongest warning the FDA requires. It alerts doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous.
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How Nilotinib Is Given
You have nilotinib as a capsule, which you can take at home.
You will be given nilotiniib as an outpatient. The nurse or pharmacist will give you the tablets to take home.
During treatment you usually see a leukaemia doctor , a cancer nurse or specialist nurse, and a specialist pharmacist. This is who we mean when we mention doctor, nurse or pharmacist in this information.
Nilotinib can reduce the number of blood cells in your blood. You will have regular blood tests during treatment to check this. A nurse or person trained to take blood will take the blood samples from you. This is to check that your blood test results are at a safe level to continue treatment. If they are not, your treatment may be delayed for a short while, to let blood cells levels to recover.
You carry on taking nilotinib for as long as it is working for you and the side effects can be managed. It is important that you do not stop taking it without talking to your doctor.