Tretinoin

Tretinoin

Pronunciation: TREH-tih-NO-in

Generic Name: Tretinoin

Brand Name: Generic only. No brands available.

Tretinoin can cause severe, even fatal, side effects. Therefore, it must be used only under close medical supervision. Notify your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms: fever, breathing trouble, weight gain, dizziness, chest pain, or unusual fatigue. It may be necessary for your doctor to use other medicines with tretinoin to reduce the chance of side effects. Tretinoin can cause severe birth defects when taken during pregnancy. Therefore, women who are pregnant must be informed of the risk to the fetus from tretinoin use. Women must avoid becoming pregnant while taking Tretinoin. Pregnancy tests should be performed 1 week before starting use of Tretinoin. Women should use 2 forms of contraception (birth control) at the same time, or avoid sexual intercourse, while taking Tretinoin and for 1 month after tretinoin use has been stopped. Women must also have monthly pregnancy testing and birth control counseling from their doctor while taking Tretinoin.

Tretinoin is used for:

Initiating remission for a certain type of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) that has failed to respond to other therapies. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Tretinoin is a retinoid. How it works in APL is not completely understood. It is thought to decrease the growth of cells associated with APL.

Do NOT use Tretinoin if:

you are allergic to any ingredient in Tretinoin, including the preservative parabens

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Before using Tretinoin:

Some medical conditions may interact with Tretinoin. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding

if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement

if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances

if you have an abnormally high white blood cell count

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Tretinoin. Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

Aminocaproic acid, aprotinin, imidazoles (eg, ketoconazole), tetracyclines (eg, doxycycline), tranexamic acid, or vitamin A because the risk of serious side effects may be increased

Progesterone-only birth control pills because their effectiveness may be decreased by Tretinoin

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Tretinoin may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.

How to use Tretinoin:

Use Tretinoin as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.

Take Tretinoin by mouth with or without food. If stomach upset occurs, take with food to reduce stomach irritation.

If you miss a dose of Tretinoin, take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Tretinoin.

Important safety information:

Tretinoin may cause dizziness or severe headache. These effects may be worse if you take it with alcohol or certain medicines. Use Tretinoin with caution. Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.

If headache, nausea, vision changes, or vomiting occur, contact your doctor immediately. These could be the signs of increased pressure in the brain, a serious side effect.

Lab tests, including pregnancy tests, blood clotting factors, blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, liver function, and white blood cell counts, may be performed while you use Tretinoin. These tests may be used to monitor your condition or check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.

Tretinoin should not be used in CHILDREN younger than 1 year old; safety and effectiveness in these children have not been confirmed.

Caution is advised when using Tretinoin in CHILDREN; they may be more sensitive to its effects, especially increased pressure in the brain.

Women taking Tretinoin should use 2 methods of birth control during and for 1 month after using Tretinoin.

Progesterone-only birth control pills may not work as well while you are taking Tretinoin. Talk to your doctor about effective forms of birth control.

PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: Do not use Tretinoin if you are pregnant. It has been shown to cause harm to the fetus. Avoid becoming pregnant while you are taking it. If you think you may be pregnant, contact your doctor right away. It is not known if Tretinoin is found in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while taking Tretinoin.

Possible side effects of Tretinoin:

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:

Bone pain; dry skin and mouth; fever; hair loss; headache; increased sweating; itching; nausea; rash; tiredness; vomiting; weakness.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); dizziness; hearing loss; heart attack; severe headache; shortness of breath; unusual bruising or bleeding; vision changes; weight gain.

This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. To report side effects to the appropriate agency, please read the Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA.

If OVERDOSE is suspected:

Contact 1-800-222-1222 (the American Association of Poison Control Centers), your local poison control center, or emergency room immediately. Symptoms may include clumsiness; dizziness; flushing; headache; stomach pain.

Proper storage of Tretinoin:

Store Tretinoin at room temperature, between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C). Store in a tightly closed container. Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Tretinoin out of the reach of children and away from pets.

General information:

If you have any questions about Tretinoin, please talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.

Tretinoin is to be used only by the patient for whom it is prescribed. Do not share it with other people.

If your symptoms do not improve or if they become worse, check with your doctor.

Check with your pharmacist about how to dispose of unused medicine.

This information is a summary only. It does not contain all information about Tretinoin. If you have questions about the medicine you are taking or would like more information, check with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.