Aprepitant (By Mouth)

Aprepitant (ap-RE-pi-tant)

Used with other medicines to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by cancer treatment (chemotherapy).

Brand Name(s):

Emend
There may be other brand names for this medicine.

When This Medicine Should Not Be Used:

You should not use this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to aprepitant, or if you are also using pimozide (Orap®), terfenadine (Seldane®), astemizole (Hismanal®), or cisapride (Propulsid®).

How to Use This Medicine:

Capsule

• Your doctor will tell you how much of this medicine to use and how often. Do not use more medicine or use it more often than your doctor tells you to.
• You may take this medicine with or without food.
• This medicine comes with patient instructions. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
• This medicine is usually used once a day for three days in a row, beginning on the first day of your chemotherapy treatment.
• Take your first dose one hour before your chemotherapy treatment starts. Take your second and third doses each morning for the next two days.
• You might need to use other medicines at the same time you use aprepitant. Aprepitant is not for long-term use, but you may need to use this three-dose routine again if you have more chemotherapy treatments in the future.

If a dose is missed:

• If you miss a dose or forget to use your medicine, use it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then to use the medicine and skip the missed dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.

How to Store and Dispose of This Medicine:

• Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. If your medicine comes in a bottle, you might find a small packet in the bottle with your medicine. Keep this packet inside the bottle with the capsules. It helps keep the capsules from getting damp. Do not eat or swallow this packet.
• Ask your pharmacist, doctor, or health caregiver about the best way to dispose of any outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
• Keep all medicine away from children and never share your medicine with anyone.

Drugs and Foods to Avoid:

Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.

• Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin®), tolbutamide (Orinase®), nefazodone (Serzone®), diltiazem (Cartia®, Tiazac®), rifampin (Rifadin®), medicine for seizures (such as carbamazepine, phenytoin, Dilantin®, Tegretol®), a sedative (such as alprazolam, midazolam, triazolam, Halcion®, Versed®, Xanax®), medicine to treat fungal infections (such as itraconazole, ketoconazole, Nizoral®, Sporanox®), an antibiotic (such as clarithromycin), or medicines to treat HIV/AIDS (such as Kaletra®, Norvir®, Viracept®).
• Your doctor might need to change your dose of some other medicines while you are using aprepitant. This includes drugs often used during chemotherapy, such as docetaxel (Taxotere®), paclitaxel (TAXOL®), etoposide (VePesid®), irinotecan (Camptosar®), ifosfamide (IFEX®), imatinib (Gleevec®), vinorelbine (Navelbine®), vinblastine (Velban®), vincristine (Oncovin®), methylprednisolone, and dexamethasone (Decadron®) by mouth.
• Birth control pills may not work while you are using aprepitant. To keep from getting pregnant, use another form of birth control. Other forms include condoms, a diaphragm, or contraceptive foam or jelly.

Warnings While Using This Medicine:

• Make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have liver disease.
• Do not use this medicine to treat nausea or vomiting that has already started.

Possible Side Effects While Using This Medicine:

Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:

• Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing.
• Blistering, peeling, red skin rash
• Unexplained sleepiness and headache

If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:

• Hiccups
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea, constipation, diarrhea
• Unusual tiredness or weakness

If you notice other side effects that you think are caused by this medicine, tell your doctor.