INTRODUCTION
CAPEGARD 500MG contain capecitabine which belongs to a group of medicine called cytostatic medicines which stops the growth of cancer cells. It is used to treat colon, rectal, gastric or breast cancers and helps to prevent new occurrence of colon cancer after complete removal of the tumour by surgery. It may be used either alone or in combination with other medicines. This medicine interferes with the growth of cancer cells thus slowing down their growth and eventually kills them.
Cancer is a disease where the abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and destroy the body tissue. This medicine is strictly not recommended for use in children and adolescents. Regular blood tests are required to check your blood cell along with heart, liver and blood uric acid level.
Take CAPEGARD 500MG two times a day, one time in the morning and one time in the evening or as directed by physician. Do not drive or operate machinery while taking this medicine, since it may cause dizziness, nauseous or tiredness. Consumption of alcohol is not recommended during treatment with this medicine. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should consult their doctor before taking this medicine. Before taking this medicine talk to your doctor if you have any kidney, liver, heart problems. The most common side effects are abdominal pain, rash, dry, or itchy skin, tiredness, weakness, dehydration, weight loss, sleeplessness, depression, headache, dizziness, abnormal sensation in the skin, taste changes, eye irritation, increased tears, eye redness and loss of appetite (anorexia).
USES OF CAPEGARD 500MG
- Treat colon, rectal, gastric or breast cancers
- Prevent new occurrence of colon cancer after complete removal of the tumour by surgery
HOW CAPEGARD 500MG WORKS
This medicine gets converted into 5-fluorouracil (chemical) in our body. This chemical hamper the synthesis of genetic materials (RNA and DNA) in the cancer cells, thereby interferes with their growth. This slow down the growth of cancer cell and eventually kills them.
DIRECTIONS FOR USE
Always take CAPEGARD 500MG exactly as your doctor has told you. Take this medicine two times a day, one time in the morning and one time in the evening. This medicine must be taken within 30 minutes after the end of a meal. It should be swallowed whole with water. Do not crush or chew the medicine. This medicine is usually taken for 14 days followed by a 7-day rest period (when no medicines are taken). This 21-day period is one treatment cycle.
SIDE EFFECTS OF CAPEGARD 500MG
COMMON
- Abdominal pain
- Rash, dry, or itchy skin
- Tiredness, weakness
- Loss of appetite (anorexia)
- Decreases in the number of white blood cell or red blood cell
- Dehydration, weight loss
- Sleeplessness, depression
- Headache, dizziness, abnormal sensation in the skin, taste changes
- Eye irritation, increased tears, eye redness
- Inflammation of the veins
- Shortness of breath, nose bleeds, cough, and runny nose
- Cold sores or other herpes infections
- Pneumonia or bronchitis
- Bleeding from the gut, constipation, pain in upper abdomen, indigestion, excess wind, and dry mouth
- Skin rash, hair loss, skin reddening, dry skin, itching, skin discolouration, skin loss, skin inflammation and nail disorder
- Pain in the joints, or in the limbs, chest or back, jaw
- Fever
- Problems with liver function, increased blood bilirubin
- Decrease in blood sodium, magnesium, or calcium and increase in blood sugar
RARE
- Narrowing or blockage of tear duct
- Liver failure
- Inflammation leading to dysfunction or obstruction in bile secretion
- Eye inflammation causing eye pain and possibly eyesight problem
- Inflammation of the skin causing red scaly patch due to an immune system illness
HOW TO MANAGE SIDE EFFECTS
Abdominal pain:
Keep try to rest and relax. Eat and drink slowly and smaller and frequent meals. Applying a heat pad or covered hot water bottle on your stomach may also help. If still pain persists, speak to your doctor.
Headache:
Apply hot or cold-water bag on your head. Take rest in a quiet and dark room. Drink tea or coffee.
Dizziness:
Get up and move around to feel awake, take small naps to edge off the sleepiness. Give your eyes a break to avoid fatigue and eat a healthy food to boost energy.
Constipation:
Take fibre rich foods such as fresh fruit, vegetables and cereals, and drink plenty of water. Exercise more regularly.
Diarrhoea:
Drink lot of fluid such as water or squash, to avoid dehydration. Do not take any other medicine without talking to a doctor.
Nausea and vomiting:
Keep try taking this medicine with, or just after, a meal or snack and stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.
WARNING & PRECAUTIONS
PREGNANCY
CAPEGARD 500MG is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless necessary. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.
BREASTFEEDING
CAPEGARD 500MG is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women unless necessary. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.
DRIVING AND USING MACHINES
Do not drive or operate machinery while taking this medicine, since it may cause dizziness, nauseous or tiredness.
ALCOHOL
Consumption of alcohol is not recommended during treatment with CAPEGARD 500MG.
KIDNEY
CAPEGARD 500MG is not recommended in patients with active kidney diseases. Before taking this medicine, consult your doctor.
LIVER
CAPEGARD 500MG is not recommended in patients with active liver diseases. Before taking this medicine, consult your doctor.
ALLERGY
Do not take CAPEGARD 500MG if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to capecitabine or any other ingredients in this medicine.
HEART DISEASE
CAPEGARD 500MG should be used with caution in patients suffering from active heart diseases. Before taking this medicine, consult your doctor.
OTHERS
Tell your doctor if you have or had a condition such as,
- Severe reactions to fluoropyrimidine therapy
- Severely low level of white cell or platelet in the blood (leucopenia, neutropenia or thrombocytopenia)
- Have been treated in the last 4 weeks with brivudine as part of herpes zoster (chickenpox or shingle) therapy
- Brain diseases (For example: cancer that has spread to the brain, or nerve damage (neuropathy))
- Calcium imbalances (seen in blood tests)
- Diabetes
INTERACTIONS
Talk to your doctor if you are taking,
- Allopurinol (used to treat gout)
- Coumarin, warfarin (used for blood-thinning medicines)
- Phenytoin (used to treat seizures or tremors)
- Interferon alpha
- Radiotherapy and certain medicines such as folinic acid, oxaliplatin, bevacizumab, cisplatin, irinotecan (used to treat cancer)
- Antiviral medicine such as brivudine (used to treat shingles or chickenpox)
- Medicines used to treat folic acid deficiency
