• This medicine does not mix well with many medicines. Serious reactions may occur. Check all medicines with healthcare provider.
• If you have an allergy to imatinib or any other part of this medicine.
• 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.
• Take this medicine at a similar time of day.
• Take this medicine with food.
• Take this medicine with a full glass of water.
• You may put tablets in 1/2 cup of water or apple juice, let sit for a few minutes. Mix and drink. Rinse with more water or juice and drink.
• Drink plenty of noncaffeine-containing liquid unless told to drink less liquid by healthcare provider.
• Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
• If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and return to your regular schedule.
• Do not take a double dose or extra doses.
• Do not change dose or stop medicine. Talk with healthcare provider.
• Change in condition being treated. Is it better, worse, or about the same?
• Check blood work (white blood cells, platelets, liver function). Talk with healthcare provider.
• Check weight weekly. Report a weight change to healthcare provider.
• Store at room temperature.
• Protect from moisture. Do not store in a bathroom or kitchen.
Created: 2005-04-07 16:49:18.0
Modified: 2010-03-09 08:28:55.0
Lexi-PALS TM © (1977)-(2007) Lexi-Comp, Inc. All rights reserved.
• This medicine is used to treat leukemia.
• This medicine is used to treat stomach cancer.
• This medicine is used to treat a variety of cancers.
• 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.
• If you have heart disease, talk with healthcare provider.
• If you have diabetes, talk with healthcare provider.
• If you have kidney disease, talk with healthcare provider.
• If you have liver disease, talk with healthcare provider.
• If you have lung disease, talk with healthcare provider.
• If you have thyroid disease, talk with healthcare provider.
• Do not take St John's wort with this medicine. It may make this medicine less effective.
• Check medicines with healthcare provider. This medicine may not mix well with other medicines.
• Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice.
• You may not be alert. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or activities until you see how this medicine affects you.
• Talk with healthcare provider before using aspirin, aspirin-containing products, other pain medicines, blood thinners, garlic, ginseng, ginkgo, or vitamin E.
• Use birth control that you can trust to prevent pregnancy while taking this medicine.
• Anemia, low white blood cell count, and low platelet count. Medicine may need to be stopped.
• Risk of infection. Avoid people with infections, colds, or flu.
• Feeling lightheaded, sleepy, having blurred vision, or a change in thinking clearly. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or activities that require you to be alert or have clear vision until you see how this medicine affects you.
• Belly pain.
• Cough.
• Headache.
• Hair loss. Hair usually grows back when medicine is stopped.
• Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard, sugar-free candy, or chewing sugar-free gum may help.
• Diarrhea.
• Runny nose.
• Muscle pain.
• Liver damage can rarely occur.
• 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.
• Difficulty breathing.
• Significant change in thinking clearly and logically.
• Swelling of legs or belly.
• Severe headache.
• Severe belly pain.
• Severe nausea or vomiting.
• Severe diarrhea.
• Not able to eat.
• Significant weight gain.
• Unusual bruising or bleeding.
• Dark urine or yellow skin or eyes.
• Feeling extremely tired or weak.
• Black, tarry, or bloody stools.
• Any rash.
• No improvement in condition or feeling worse.
