Pentostatin Contributions by FoundHealth

(pen toe STAT in)

Nipent®

Nipent®

Antineoplastic Agent, Antibiotic; Antineoplastic Agent, Antimetabolite (Purine Antagonist)

• This medicine is very strong. It can cause brain, kidney, liver, or lung damage at very high doses. Do not take this medicine with fludarabine. Serious reactions can occur.

• 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 pentostatin 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.

• Pentostatin injures cancer cells causing their death.

• This medicine is given as a shot into a vein.

• Call healthcare provider for appointment.

• Change in condition being treated. Is it better, worse, or about the same?

• Check blood work regularly. Talk with healthcare provider.

• 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 16:50:07.0

Modified: 2010-03-09 08:30:07.0

Lexi-PALS TM © (1977)-(2007) Lexi-Comp, Inc. All rights reserved.

• This medicine is used to treat leukemia.

• This medicine is used to treat lymphoma.

• This medicine may be used to treat graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD).

What are the precautions when taking this medicine?

• Talk with healthcare provider before receiving any vaccinations. Use with this medicine may either increase the risk of serious infection or make the vaccination less effective.

• If you have kidney disease, talk with healthcare provider.

• Check medicines with healthcare provider. This medicine may not mix well with other medicines.

• You may bleed more easily. Be careful. Avoid injury. Use soft toothbrush, electric razor.

• Talk with healthcare provider before using aspirin, aspirin-containing products, other pain medicines, blood thinners, garlic, ginseng, ginkgo, or vitamin E.

• Tell dentists, surgeons, and other healthcare providers that you use this medicine.

• Use birth control that you can trust to prevent pregnancy while taking this medicine.

What are some possible side effects of this medicine?

• Risk of infection. Avoid people with infections, colds, or flu.

• Anemia, low white blood cell count, and low platelet count.

• Flu-like symptoms. These include headache, weakness, fever, shakes, aches, pains, and sweating. Mild pain medicine may help.

• Nausea or vomiting.

• Diarrhea.

• Belly pain.

• Not hungry.

• Cough.

• Runny nose.

• Itching.

• Mouth irritation. Frequent mouth care with a soft toothbrush or cotton swabs and rinsing mouth may help.

• Rash.

Reasons to call healthcare provider immediately

• 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.

• Difficulty breathing.

• Significant change in thinking clearly and logically.

• Significant weight loss.

• Severe belly pain.

• Severe nausea or vomiting.

• Severe diarrhea, even after medicine is stopped.

• Unusual bruising or bleeding.

• Unable to pass urine.

• Feeling extremely tired or weak.

• Dark urine or yellow skin or eyes.

• Severe swelling.

• Any rash.

• No improvement in condition or feeling worse.