Procarbazine Capsules
Procarbazine Capsules 50mg
Procarbazine hydrochloride 58.3mg (equivalent to procarbazine 50mg)
1. WHAT PROCARBAZINE CAPSULES 50mg ARE AND WHAT THEY ARE USED FOR
Procarbazine is one of the group of medicines known as alkylating agents, which interfere with the growth of certain types of cells in the body. Procarbazine is used as one of the chemotherapy drugs in the treatment of some cancers. Specifically, it is used for the treatment of cancers such as Hodgkin’s disease (a cancer of the lymph glands).
2. BEFORE YOU TAKE PROCARBAZINE CAPSULES 50mg
Do not take Procarbazine Capsules 50mg if:
• You know you are allergic to any of the ingredients in this medicine
• You have anything wrong with your blood, in particular, too few white cells or platelets (your doctor will be able to advise you).
• You suffer from any severe kidney or liver disorder
• You have a non-cancerous tumour
Make sure your doctor knows if you suffer from any of the above.
Before you take Procarbazine Capsules 50mg, your doctor will take special care if any of the following situations apply to you. If procarbazine has been prescribed for your child, then of course some of these warnings may not apply to him or her.
Make sure your doctor is aware of these situations if it is not already obvious:
• if you suffer from any kidney or liver disorder
• if you have any disorder of the heart or circulation
• if you are, or could be, pregnant or may want to become pregnant in the future
• if you have a tumour on the adrenal gland (near the kidney), causing high blood pressure.
• if you suffer from epilepsy
• if you are breast-feeding
• if you have had a stroke
Tell your doctor if any of these apply to you.
If you need any other medical treatment or surgery whilst taking Procarbazine Capsules 50mg, remember to tell the doctor or dentist treating you that you are taking this medicine.
Try to avoid people with infections whilst taking procarbazine. Check with your doctor immediately if you get a cough, cold, or any other infection.
Taking other medicines
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, or have recently taken, any other medicines. This includes medicines obtained without a prescription. In particular, check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following:
• strong painkillers (especially Pethidine)
• medicines for anxiety or difficulty in sleeping
• medicines for depression
• medicines for high blood pressure
It is safe to use plain Paracetamol or Aspirin without speaking to your pharmacist.
Taking Procarbazine Capsules 50mg with food and drink
Certain foods, drinks and medicines may cause an unpleasant reaction if taken whilst you are being treated with Procarbazine Capsules 50mg or during the two weeks after the course of treatment is completed. The most important foods and drinks that might cause such an effect are:
Mature cheeses (including processed cheeses), yeast or meat extracts (such as Marmite, Oxo and Bovril), broad bean pods, pickled herring, salami sausage, pepperoni sausage, bologna sausage, overripe fruit, alcoholic drinks (especially heavy red wines such as Chianti), non-alcoholic beers, lagers and wines and other foods which are not fresh, particularly if they have been fermented, pickled, smoked, ‘hung’ or ‘matured’.
These reactions are extremely rare and if you want to eat or drink anything on the list you could try a little at a time, until you are sure that it does not upset you. However, it is best to avoid alcohol altogether.
Pregnancy and breast feeding If you are pregnant, think you might be pregnant, are planning to become pregnant or are breast feeding, you should tell your doctor. Normally, procarbazine is not recommended in pregnancy but it may be used in exceptional circumstances. Your doctor will be able to advise you.
Procarbazine is not recommended during breastfeeding.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicine.
Driving and using machines Procarbazine should not affect your ability to drive or use machinery
3. HOW TO TAKE PROCARBAZINE CAPSULES 50mg
The hospital doctor or pharmacist will have told you about this, and you should always follow their instructions carefully. Procarbazine is usually given in combination with other drugs and it is important that you (or your child) take each medicine at the right time. Sometimes treatment starts with a small dose (1 capsule per day) and is increased each day up to a maximum of six capsules per day.
- If you take more Procarbazine Capsules 50mg than you should.
If you swallow too many capsules or someone else accidently takes your medicine, contact your doctor, pharmacist or nearest hospital straight away. Overdose can cause severe vomiting and feeling sick, dizziness, imagining sensations (hallucinations), depression, fits, low blood pressure and increased pulse rate.
- If you forget to take Procarbazine Capsules 50mg
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless your next dose is due within a couple of hours. In this case you should skip the missed dose, go back to your regular dosing schedule and check with your doctor. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten capsule. The same applies if you forget to give a dose to your child at the right time.
If you have any further questions on the use of this product ask your doctor or pharmacist.
4. POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS
Like all medicines Procarbazine Capsules 50mg can sometimes cause side-effects, although not everybody gets them. How often these side effects occur is unknown.
All medicines can cause allergic reactions although serious allergic reactions are very rare. Any sudden wheeziness, difficulty in breathing, swelling of the eyelids, face or lips, rash or itching (especially affecting your whole body) should be reported to a doctor immediately. Procarbazine may cause infertility which might mean that you are not able to have children.
Do not stop taking procarbazine if it makes you (or your child) sick in the first few days, as this side effect should disappear. However if it is very bad, or if vomiting occurs shortly after taking a dose, check with the hospital or your own doctor who will tell you what to do. It may be possible to reduce this unpleasant effect. If you (or your child) develop signs of liver disorder which include persistent vomiting, feeling sick, feeling tired and yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes (jaundice) you should stop treatment and contact your doctor immediately. Procarbazine may also cause loss of appetite, especially at the start of treatment. This usually improves after a few days.
It is very important that you keep all hospital appointments whilst taking procarbazine so that your progress can be checked. If you (or your child) develop a skin rash or any unusual bleeding or bruising, check with your doctor as soon as possible.
If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor (GP or hospital doctor) or pharmacist.
5. HOW TO STORE PROCARBAZINE CAPSULES 50mg
Keep out of the reach and sight of children – preferably in a locked cupboard or medicine cabinet.
Do not take the capsules after the expiry date on the packaging. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
In order that Procarbazine Capsules 50mg are always clearly identified they should not be removed from their blister packaging until you are ready to take them. Do not mix loose Procarbazine Capsules 50mg with other loose capsules or tablets. Keep the capsules in their original container in a dry place below 25°C.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.
6. FURTHER INFORMATION
The active substance is procarbazine hydrochloride. There is 50mg of procarbazine in each capsule. The other ingredients are mannitol, maize starch, talc and magnesium stearate. The capsule shells are made from gelatin, and also titanium dioxide (E171), shellac, soya lecithin, n-Butyl Alcohol, antifoam DC 1510 and black iron oxide (E172).
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