• If you are 65 or older, use this medicine with caution. You could have more side effects.
• If you have heart disease, talk with healthcare provider.
• If you have lung disease, talk with healthcare provider.
• Tell dentists, surgeons, and other healthcare providers that you use this medicine.
• Check medicines with healthcare provider. This medicine may not mix well with other medicines.
• Avoid sun, sunlamps, and tanning beds. Use sunscreen; wear protective clothing and eyewear while taking this medicine and for at least 2 months after treatment ends.
• Use birth control that you can trust to prevent pregnancy while taking this medicine.
• Flu-like symptoms. These include headache, weakness, fever, shakes, aches, pains, and sweating. Mild pain medicine may help.
• Feeling tired or weak.
• Cough.
• Belly pain.
• Diarrhea.
• Constipation. More liquids, regular exercise, or a fiber-containing diet may help. Talk with healthcare provider about a stool softener or laxative.
• Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard, sugar-free candy, or chewing sugar-free gum may help.
• Mouth irritation. Frequent mouth care with a soft toothbrush or cotton swabs and rinsing mouth may help.
• Inability to sleep.
• Dry mouth. Frequent mouth care, sucking hard, sugar-free candy, or chewing sugar-free gum may help.
• Dry skin.
• Skin irritation.
• If you suspect an overdose, call your local poison control center or emergency department immediately.
• Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Signs or symptoms of infection. These include a fever of 100.5 degrees or higher, chills, severe sore throat, ear or sinus pain, cough, increased sputum or change in color, painful urination, mouth sores, wound that will not heal, or anal itching or pain.
• Chest pain or pressure or fast heartbeat.
• Severe dizziness or passing out.
• Severe headache.
• Severe nausea or vomiting.
• Severe diarrhea.
• Unusual bruising or bleeding.
• Any rash.
• No improvement in condition or feeling worse.
Antineoplastic Agent, Monoclonal Antibody; Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Inhibitor
• Some patients experience severe reactions during the infusion.
• Heart attack and death have rarely occurred in people taking this medicine and receiving radiation therapy.
• If you have an allergy to cetuximab or any other part of this medicine.
• If you are allergic to mouse proteins, talk with healthcare provider.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat; or any other symptoms involved.
• If you are pregnant or may be pregnant.
• If you are breast-feeding.
• Use prescription as directed, even if feeling better.
• This medicine is given as a shot into a vein.
• Change in condition being treated. Is it better, worse, or about the same?
• Check blood work regularly. Talk with healthcare provider.
• Dry mouth may cause an increase in cavities. Take good care of your teeth. See a dentist regularly.
• Follow up with healthcare provider.
• This medicine will be given to you in a healthcare setting. You will not store it at home.
• If you have a life-threatening allergy, wear allergy identification at all times.
• Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's medicine.
• Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
• Most medicines can be thrown away in household trash after mixing with coffee grounds or kitty litter and sealing in a plastic bag.
• Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, natural products, supplements, vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider (doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner, pharmacist, physician assistant).
• Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or in Canada to Health Canada's Canada Vigilance Program at 1-866-234-2345.
• Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine, including over-the-counter, natural products, or vitamins.
Created: 2005-04-07 16:26:50.0
Modified: 2010-03-09 08:17:37.0
Lexi-PALS TM © (1977)-(2007) Lexi-Comp, Inc. All rights reserved.
