Targretin

Bexarotene is used to treat skin problems from a certain type of cancer (cutaneous T-cell lymphoma-CTCL). It belongs to a class of drugs called retinoids (vitamin A derivatives). Bexarotene works by slowing or stopping the growth of cells.

If you miss a dose, take it with a meal as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Read the Patient Information Leaflet provided by your pharmacist before you start using bexarotene and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist. Take this medication by mouth with or immediately after a meal, usually once daily or as directed by your doctor. The dosage is based on your body size, medical condition, and response to therapy. Swallow the medication whole. Do not crush or chew the medication. Do not use the capsule if it is broken or leaking. If the contents of the capsule touch your skin, immediately wash the area with soap and water and tell your doctor. Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while being treated with this medication unless your doctor instructs you otherwise. Grapefruit can increase the amount of certain medications in your bloodstream. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details. Do not increase your dose or take this medication more often than prescribed. Your condition will not improve any faster, and the risk of serious side effects may be increased. It may take up to several months of continued use to see a response to treatment. Your dosage may need to be adjusted by your doctor during this time. Since this drug can be absorbed through the skin, women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant should not handle this medication. Learn proper technique for safe handling and disposal of this medicine and its container. Consult your pharmacist.

Your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first. This drug should not be used with the following medication because a very serious interaction may occur: gemfibrozil. If you are currently using the medication listed above, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting bexarotene. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: drugs to treat diabetes (e.g., insulin, sulfonylureas such as glipizide), tamoxifen, vitamins/supplements that contain vitamin A, drugs affecting liver enzymes that remove bexarotene from your body (e.g., azole antifungals such as itraconazole/ketoconazole, macrolide antibiotics such as clarithromycin/erythromycin, cimetidine, rifamycins including rifabutin, St. John's wort, certain anti-seizure medicines such as phenytoin/phenobarbital). This medication may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal-type birth control pills. This can result in pregnancy. You may need to use an additional form of reliable birth control while using this medication. (See also Warning section.) Consult your doctor or pharmacist for details. This medication may interfere with certain laboratory tests (including CA-125 levels), possibly causing false test results. Make sure laboratory personnel and all your doctors know you use this drug. Consult your doctor for more details. This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.

Your condition can cause complications in a medical emergency. For information about enrolling in MedicAlert, call 1-800-854-1166 (USA) or 1-800-668-1507 (Canada).

Do not share this medication with others. Laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g., pregnancy tests, liver/thyroid tests, cholesterol/triglyceride levels, white blood count) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents should call the US National Poison Hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents should call a provincial poison control center.

Before taking bexarotene, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to other retinoids such as isotretinoin, acitretin, etretinate, tretinoin; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details. This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before taking this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: pancreatitis. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: frequent alcohol use, cataracts, high blood fats (high cholesterol/triglyceride), diabetes, gallbladder disease, liver problems, thyroid problems (e.g., hypothyroidism). This medication may make you more sensitive to the sun. Avoid prolonged sun exposure, tanning booths, and sunlamps. Use a sunscreen and wear protective clothing when outdoors. Because this medication can lower your body's ability to fight an infection, wash your hands frequently to prevent the spread of infection. This medication must not be used during pregnancy. If you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant, inform your doctor immediately. (See also Warning section.) It is not known if this drug passes into breast milk. Due to the possible harm to the nursing infant, breast-feeding while using this drug is not recommended. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Store in a tightly closed container at room temperature between 36-77 degrees F (2-25 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.

Headache, tiredness, nausea, vomiting, dry skin, diarrhea, or trouble sleeping may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor. Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. This medication can frequently increase the level of "bad" fats (cholesterol/triglyceride) in your blood. Your doctor will order blood tests to measure these fats. If your blood fat levels get too high, your bexarotene dose may need to be lowered or stopped, or you may need to start cholesterol medication. This medication can cause an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). Tell your doctor immediately if any of these symptoms of low thyroid occur: unusual weight gain, feeling cold, constipation, slow heartbeat, low on energy. Your doctor will order a blood test and may start you on thyroid medication. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: stomach pain, swelling of the hands/feet, muscle pain/stiffness/cramps, fast/pounding heartbeat. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: severe abdominal/back/stomach pain, persistent nausea/vomiting, dark urine, vision changes, yellowing eyes and skin. This medication can lower the body's ability to fight an infection. Notify your doctor promptly if you develop any signs of an infection such as fever, chills, or persistent sore throat. A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice the following symptoms of an allergic reaction: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), dizziness, trouble breathing. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

This medication can cause severe birth defects if used during pregnancy. Women who are pregnant must not use bexarotene. If pregnancy occurs, notify your doctor immediately. You should have a pregnancy test and birth control counseling from your doctor before you start treatment with bexarotene and every month while you are taking the medication. Use 2 effective forms of birth control together (or completely avoid sexual intercourse) starting 1 month before treatment starts, during treatment, and for 1 month after you stop. One of your forms of birth control should be non-hormonal (e.g., barrier method such as condoms/cervical cap/diaphragm, copper coil IUD, or spermicide). Males taking this medication should use a condom during sexual activity with a woman who is pregnant or may become pregnant, continuing until 1 month after their last dose.