Your doctor has ordered the drug bicalutamide to help treat your illness. The drug is taken by mouth with tablets. It may be taken with or without food. This medication is used to treat: prostate cancer This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Bicalutamide is in a class of drugs known as hormones; it slows or stops the growth of cancer cells in your body. It works by blocking the effects of certain chemicals that are necessary for the cancer cells to live. The length of treatment depends on the types of drugs you are taking, how well your body responds to them, and the type of cancer you have.
What special precautions
i should follow ?
Before taking bicalutamide, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to bicalutamide or any other drugs. tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as warfarin (Coumadin), aspirin, aspirin-substitute products, and vitamins. tell your doctor if you have or have ever had liver disease. you should know that this drug may stop sperm production. However, you should not assume that you cannot get someone else pregnant. You should not plan to have children while receiving chemotherapy or for a while after treatments. (Talk to your doctor for further details.) Use a reliable method of birth control to prevent pregnancy. Bicalutamide may harm the fetus. you should know that this drug should not be used in women, especially women who are or could become pregnant. do not have any vaccinations (e.g., measles or flu shots) without talking to your doctor.
What side effects can
this medicine cause ?
Side effects from bicalutamide are common and include: hot flashes breast swelling, pain, or tenderness loss of sexual desire impotence diarrhea headache Tell your doctor if either of these symptoms is severe: dizziness swelling of the hands or feet If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: vision changes nausea vomiting stomach pain excessive tiredness loss of appetite flu-like symptoms dark urine yellowing of the skin or eyes pain in the upper right part of the stomach
What storage conditions
are needed for this medication ?
Keep bicalutamide in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of the reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication.
