Learn more about usage, cautions, and possible side effects of Avastin.
Chemical Name: BEVACIZUMAB (be-vuh-SIZ-uh-mab)
Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution is a monoclonal antibody used to treat certain types of advanced lung cancer. It is also used to treat certain types of brain, breast, kidney, colon, or rectal cancer. It is used with other cancer medicines.
WARNING: AVASTIN 100mg/4ml SOLUTION MAY CAUSE SEVERE AND SOMETIMES FATAL STOMACH OR BOWEL PROBLEMS (eg, abscess, fistula, perforation). These effects are not common, but are serious and may sometimes be fatal. Contact your doctor immediately if you develop unusual stomach pain along with constipation, fever, nausea, or vomiting. AVASTIN 100mg/4ml SOLUTION MAY CAUSE SEVERE AND SOMETIMES FATAL WOUND HEALING PROBLEMS. Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any wounds that do not heal. Tell your doctor if you have had surgery within the past 28 days. If possible, Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution should be stopped at least 28 days before surgery and until the surgical wound heals. AVASTIN 100mg/4ml SOLUTION MAY CAUSE SEVERE AND SOMETIMES FATAL BLEEDING. This may occur in the lungs, stomach or intestines, or brain. Nosebleed or vaginal bleeding may also occur. Patients who have current severe bleeding or a recent history of coughing up blood should not use Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution. Contact your doctor right away if you experience unusual bleeding or bruising. SOME MEDICINES OR MEDICAL CONDITIONS MAY INTERACT with Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution. Inform your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and over-the-counter medicines that you are taking. DO NOT TAKE AVASTIN 100mg/4ml SOLUTION if you are also taking sunitinib. DO NOT START OR STOP any medicine without doctor or pharmacist approval. Inform your doctor if you are scheduled for surgery, or if you have a wound that has not fully healed. Inform your doctor of any other medical conditions including a history of high blood pressure, blood vessel problems, blood clotting problems, coughing up blood, a low blood sodium level, heart problems (such as congestive heart failure or heart disease), kidney problems, high amounts of protein in your urine, allergies, pregnancy, or breast-feeding. USE OF AVASTIN 100mg/4ml SOLUTION IS NOT RECOMMENDED if you have a tear or hole in your stomach or intestines; a wound that is not healing well or that has split apart; if you have recently coughed up blood; or if you have had surgery within the last 28 days. Contact your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns about taking Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution.
Follow the directions for using Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution provided by your doctor. Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution is usually administered as an injection at your doctor's office, hospital, or clinic. If the medicine contains particles or if the vial is cracked or damaged in any way, do not use it. DO NOT SHAKE the medicine. IF NAUSEA, VOMITING, OR LOSS OF APPETITE OCCURS, ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist for ways to lessen these effects. AVASTIN 100mg/4ml SOLUTION IS USUALLY HANDLED AND STORED by a health care provider. If you are using Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution at home, store Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution as directed by your pharmacist or health care provider. IF YOU MISS A DOSE OF AVASTIN 100mg/4ml SOLUTION, contact your doctor immediately to establish a new dosing schedule.
DO NOT TAKE AVASTIN 100mg/4ml SOLUTION if you have had an allergic reaction to it, to mouse or murine proteins, or if you are allergic to any ingredient in this product. KEEP ALL DOCTOR AND LABORATORY APPOINTMENTS while you are taking Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution. Laboratory and/or medical tests such as blood pressure and urine protein levels may be done while you are taking Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution to monitor your progress or to check for side effects. AVASTIN 100mg/4ml SOLUTION MAY AFFECT THE WAY YOUR BODY HEALS. BEFORE YOU HAVE ANY MEDICAL OR DENTAL TREATMENTS, EMERGENCY CARE, OR SURGERY, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution. Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution may cause dizziness. DO NOT DRIVE, OPERATE MACHINERY, OR DO ANYTHING ELSE THAT COULD BE DANGEROUS until you know how you react to Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution. Using Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution alone, with other medicines, or with alcohol may lessen your ability to drive or to perform other potentially dangerous tasks. AVASTIN 100mg/4ml SOLUTION MAY REDUCE THE NUMBER OF BLOOD CELLS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR CLOTTING. To prevent bleeding, avoid situations where bruising or injury may occur. AVASTIN 100mg/4ml SOLUTION MAY LOWER YOUR RESISTANCE TO INFECTION. Prevent infection by avoiding contact with people with colds or other infections. Do not touch your eyes or the inside of your nose unless you have thoroughly washed your hands first. BEFORE YOU BEGIN TAKING ANY NEW MEDICINE, either prescription or over-the-counter, check with your doctor or pharmacist. CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE HAVING IMMUNIZATIONS (VACCINATIONS) while you are using Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution. Caution is advised when using Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution in the elderly because they may be more sensitive to the effects of Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution. FOR WOMEN: Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution may cause harm to the fetus. Do not become pregnant while you are using it. If you think you may be pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of using Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution while you are pregnant. IT IS UNKNOWN IF AVASTIN 100mg/4ml SOLUTION IS EXCRETED in breast milk. DO NOT BREAST-FEED while taking Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution. Do not become pregnant or breast-feed immediately after you stop Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution. AVASTIN 100mg/4ml SOLUTION CAN STAY IN YOUR BODY FOR A LONG TIME after you stop using it. Talk with your doctor about when it may be safe to become pregnant or breast-feed. Contact your doctor for more information.
SIDE EFFECTS that may occur while using Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution include changes in taste; constipation; diarrhea; dizziness; dry mouth; dry skin; hair loss; headache; increased thirst; indigestion; loss of appetite; mouth pain or sores; nausea; pain, swelling, or redness at the injection site; sluggishness; tiredness; voice changes; vomiting; weakness; weight loss. If they continue or become bothersome, check with your doctor. CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE if you experience severe or persistent nosebleed; frequent or urgent urination; peeling of skin; or skin discoloration, irritation, or lesions. CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY if you experience black, tarry stools; blood in the urine; blurred vision; calf pain or tenderness; chest pain; confusion; cough; coughing or choking when eating; coughing up or vomiting of blood; dark urine; difficult or painful urination; fainting; fever, chills, or sore throat; loss of coordination; nasal pain; numbness of the arms or legs; one-sided weakness; severe or persistent headache; seizure; persistent stomach pain, constipation, nausea, or vomiting; severe or persistent nosebleed; shortness of breath; speech changes; sudden, severe dizziness; swelling of the hands, ankles, or feet; swelling, discoloration, or pain in the legs; trouble swallowing; unusual bruising or bleeding; unusual or severe sweating; unusual weight gain; vaginal pain, bleeding, or discharge; vision loss, blurred vision, or other vision changes; wounds that do not heal. AN ALLERGIC REACTION to Avastin 100mg/4ml Solution is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of an allergic reaction include rash, itching, swelling, dizziness, or trouble breathing. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your healthcare provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Drug interactions can result in unwanted side effects or prevent a medicine from doing its job. Use our drug interaction checker to find out if your medicines interact with each other. Check drug interactions for Avastin
If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. Symptoms may include severe headache.
DO NOT SHARE AVASTIN 100mg/4ml SOLUTION with others for whom it was not prescribed. DO NOT USE AVASTIN 100mg/4ml SOLUTION for other health conditions. KEEP THIS PRODUCT, as well as syringes and needles, out of the reach of children. Do not reuse needles, syringes, or other materials. Dispose of properly after use. Ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist to explain local regulations for selecting an appropriate container and properly disposing of the container when it is full.
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