Why it is Prescribed
Thalidomide is used to treat and prevent skin conditions caused by erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL).
This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Important Warning
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking thalidomide, stop taking thalidomide and call your doctor immediately. Thalidomide can kill the fetus or cause severe birth defects.
Before starting treatment, women of childbearing age should have a pregnancy test. Your doctor will not give you a prescription for thalidomide until a negative pregnancy test has been obtained. Your doctor will order pregnancy tests often during your treatment; it is important that you keep these appointments. ...
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Why it is Prescribed
Thalidomide is used to treat and prevent skin conditions caused by erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL).
This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Important Warning
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking thalidomide, stop taking thalidomide and call your doctor immediately. Thalidomide can kill the fetus or cause severe birth defects.
Before starting treatment, women of childbearing age should have a pregnancy test. Your doctor will not give you a prescription for thalidomide until a negative pregnancy test has been obtained. Your doctor will order pregnancy tests often during your treatment; it is important that you keep these appointments. Women of childbearing age who are taking thalidomide should not have sexual intercourse or should use two forms of birth control for at least 1 month before beginning thalidomide therapy, during thalidomide therapy, and for 1 month after stopping thalidomide therapy. If your period is irregular, late, or you miss a period during treatment with thalidomide, call your doctor immediately.
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How it Works
Thalidomide comes as a capsule to take by mouth. Thalidomide is usually taken once a day at bedtime, but at least 1 hour after the evening meal. Take thalidomide with a glass of water. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take thalidomide exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Other Uses
Thalidomide is also used sometimes to treat Kaposi's sarcoma, primary brain malignancies, chronic graft versus host disease, Behcet's disease, aphthous ulcers, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), adult Langerhans cell histiocytosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Jessner's lymphocytic infiltration of the skin. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this drug for your condition.
Overdose
In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.
Precautions
Before taking thalidomide,
tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to thalidomide or any other drugs.
tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any other medications, including amprenavir (Agenerase), barbiturates, carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Tegretol), chlorpromazine (Ormazine, Thorazine), griseofulvin (Fulvicin, Grifulvin, Grisactin, others), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), phenytoin (Dilantin), reserpine (Serpalan, Serpasil, others), rifabutin (Mycobutin), rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane), ritonavir (Norvir), saquinavir (Fortovase, Invirase), and vitamins. If you are using oral contraceptives to prevent pregnancy while taking thalidomide, you should be aware of medications that may affect the effectiveness of oral contraceptives. Ask your pharmacist for more information.
tell your doctor if you have or have ever had human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired immunodeficiency syndrome ...
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Possible Side Effects
Thalidomide may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
drowsiness
dizziness
slow heartbeats
If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:
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Storage Conditions
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of 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.
