Bicalutamide 50mg Film-Coated Tablets.
PACKAGE LEAFLET: INFORMATION FOR THE USER
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.
• Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
• If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
• If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet.
What is in this leaflet:
1. What bicalutamide is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you take bicalutamide
3. How to take bicalutamide
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store bicalutamide
6. Contents of the pack and other information
Bicalutamide 50mg film-coated Tablets (called bicalutamide throughout this leaflet) are used for the treatment of advanced prostate carcinoma. It is taken together with a drug known as a Luteinising Hormone-Releasing Hormone (LHRH) analogue - an additional hormone treatment - or with surgical removal of the testicles.
Bicalutamide is one of a group of medicines known as the non-steroidal anti-androgens. The active substance bicalutamide blocks the undesired effect of the male sex hormones (androgens) and inhibits cell growth in the prostate.
In a daily dose of 50 mg:
It is used in combination with other treatments such as drugs that reduce the androgen levels in the body.
Do not take bicalutamide:
• if you are allergic to the active substance or to any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6)
• if you take terfenadine (for hay fever or allergy), astemizole (for hay fever or allergy) or cisapride (for stomach problems)
• Bicalutamide should not be given to women, including pregnant women or nursing mothers or to children or adolescents.
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking
bicalutamide
• if the liver is moderately or severely impaired.
The drug should only be taken after your doctor has carefully considered possible benefits and risks. If this is the case, your doctor will regularly perform tests of liver function (bilirubin, transaminases, alkaline phosphatase). If severe disturbances to liver function develop, treatment with bicalutamide should be discontinued.
• If your renal function is severely impaired. The
drug should only be taken after your doctor has carefully considered possible benefits and risks.
• if you suffer from heart disease. If this is the case, your doctor should regularly monitor your heart function.
• If you have diabetes and are already taking an “LHRH analogue”. These include goserelin, buserelin, leuprorelin and triptorelin.
If you go to hospital, tell the medical staff that you are taking bicalutamide.
Other medicines and bicalutamide
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.
Do not take bicalutamide together with any of the following medicines:
• Terfenadine or astemizole (for hay fever or allergy)
• Cisapride (for stomach problems)
If you take bicalutamide together with one of the following medicines, the effect of bicalutamide as well as the other medicine may be influenced. Please speak to your doctor before taking any of these medicines together with bicalutamide:
• Warfarin or any similar medicine to prevent blood clots
• Ciclosporin (used to suppress the immune system to prevent and treat rejection of a transplanted organ or bone marrow)
• Cimetidine (to treat stomach ulcers)
• Ketoconazole (used to treat fungal infections of the skin and nails)
• Calcium channel blockers (to treat high blood pressure) Taking bicalutamide with food, drink and alcohol
Take one bicalutamide tablet, preferably at the same time of the day with or without food.
Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility
Bicalutamide is contra-indicated in females and must not be given to pregnant women or breast-feeding mothers. Women should not take bicalutamide.
Bicalutamide may induce a period of sub-fertility or infertility in men.
Driving and using machines
There is a possibility that these tablets could make you feel dizzy or drowsy. If you are affected in this way, you should not drive or operate machinery.
This product contains lactose If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicine.
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
The doctor prescribes an appropriate dosage for you personally. The recommended dosage is one tablet daily. Read the instruction label on the package.
Tablets are swallowed whole with some liquid. Try to take the product at approximately the same time each day.
If you take more bicalutamide than you should
If you have taken too many tablets, contact your doctor or the nearest hospital as soon as possible. Take the remaining tablets or the pack with you so the doctor can identify what you have taken.
If you forget to take bicalutamide
If you forget to take your daily dose, skip the missed dose and wait until the next administration time. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
If you stop taking bicalutamide
Do not stop using the drug even if you feel healthy unless advised to do so by your doctor.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
• Weight gain
• Heart attack, heart failure
• Feeling sleepy
• Indigestion, wind (flatulence)
• Hair loss, hair re-growth or growth of extra hair, skin rash, dry skin, itching
• Loss of appetite
• Chest pain
• Changes in liver enzymes
• Being unable to get an erection
• Reduced sex drive, depression.
Your doctor may do blood tests to check for any changes to your blood.
If you get any side effects talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
You should contact your doctor straight away if you notice any of the following serious side effects:
Uncommon serious side effects (may affect up to 1 in
100 people):
Serious allergic reaction which causes:
• Rash, itching or hives on the skin
• Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat or other parts of the body
• Shortness of breath, wheezing or trouble breathing If this happens to you, see a doctor straight away.
Also tell your doctor straightaway if you notice any of the following side effects:
Very common side effects (may affect more than 1 in 10 people):
• Pain in your abdomen
• Blood in your urine
Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
• Yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes (jaundice). These may be signs of liver problems or in rare cases (affecting less than 1 in 1,000 people) liver failure.
Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
• Serious shortness of breath or shortness of breath which suddenly gets worse. This may be with a cough or high temperature (fever). These may be signs of an inflammation of the lungs called “interstitial lung disease”
Other possible side effects:
Very common side effects (may affect more than 1 in 10 people):
• Low levels of red blood cells (anaemia). This may make you feel tired or look pale.
• Dizziness
• Constipation, feeling sick (nausea)
• Hot flushes
• Feeling weak, swelling
• Swelling and tenderness of your breasts.
Bicalutamide does not require any special storage conditions.
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use bicalutamide after the expiry date which is stated on the carton (EXP). The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Do not use if you notice some visible signs of medicine deterioration.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
What Bicalutamide 50mg film-coated tablets contain:
• the active substance is bicalutamide. Each tablet contains 50mg bicalutamide
• the other ingredients are lactose monohydrate, povidone K-29/32, crospovidone Type A, sodium lauryl sulphate, magnesium stearate, hypromellose, titanium dioxide (E171), macrogol 4000.
What Bicalutamide 50mg film-coated tablets look like and contents of the pack
White, round, biconvex film-coated tablets with “BCM 50” in one side.
Each pack contains 28 film-coated tablets in a blister pack.
Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer
The Marketing Authorisation Holder is:
Zentiva, One Onslow Street, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 4YS, UK
The Manufacturer is: Synthon BV., Microweg 22 - 6545 cm Nijmegen, The Netherlands or Synthon Hispania S.L., C/Castello 1, Polfgono las Salinas, 08830 Sant Boi de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain This leaflet was last revised in July 2012.
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