- How is it used?
- Side effects of Bicalutamide
- What Bicalutamide do for cancer?
- Precautions to follow while using Bicalutamide
- Storage measures for this medication
- Is Bicalutamide a chemotherapy drug?
- Interactions and combination of Bicalutamide with other drugs
- Overdose or missed dose of Bicalutamide
- Other important information you need to know
- Disclaimer
Bicalutamide is widely used in prostate cancer therapy and has been linked to rare instances of liver injury. It is used collectively with a gonadotropin-liberating hormone or surgical elimination of testicles to deal with superior prostate most cancers(Cancer in man’s prostate, a walnut-sized gland that produces seminal fluid). The class of medication for Bicalutamide as nonsteroidal antiandrogens.
How is it used?
Follow the instruction given by your consulting doctor, read them carefully as mentioned under patient information. Bicalutamide is taken by mouth with or without food as directed by a doctor.
Complete the course of action as prescribed for most of the benefits. Take it at the same time in a day so that you do not forget. Do not increase or decrease the dosage without consulting your doctor.
Before starting with any other type of hormonal treatment, you need to take bicalutamide, as it takes a few weeks to lower your testosterone. Due to tumor flare, your symptoms may get worse. If you’re having it to stop tumor flare, you should take it for a few days before starting the luteinizing hormone blocker, and continue it for about 4 to 6 weeks.
Side effects of Bicalutamide
Some of the common side effects
- Increased blood pressure
- Vomiting sensation
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Acidity
- Headache
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss or weight gain
- Bone pain
- Pelvic pain
- Muscle or joint pain
- Loss of breath
- Swelling of hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
- Cough
- Sweating
- Rashes
- Feeling uneasy or dreadness
- Inability to preserve or get an erection
Major Urinal troubles
- Painful or difficulty in urination
- Bladder emptying difficulty
- Painful or swelling in breasts
- Need of urgent urination at night
- Bloody urine
Severe side effects of Bicalutamide
- Extreme tiredness
- Lack of energy
- Upset stomach
- Flu-like symptoms
- Chest pain
- Dull or sharp side pain
- Yellow skin
- Yellow eyes
- Pain in the upper right stomach
Bicalutamide side effects after stopping
Strictly follow the instructions given by your health consultant or a doctor, make sure you understand the instructions properly. Bicalutamide may be taken with food or an empty stomach with a glass of juice or water.
Loss of sexual ability may occur while taking the medication and return to normal when you stop taking it further as per your doctor’s advice. If you are stopping the medication due to common side effects, according to your liver functioning, your side effects may decrease within the first 30-50 days. Further, your doctor will prescribe you alternate or advice accordingly.
What Bicalutamide do for cancer?
Bicalutamide is from the nonsteroidal anti-androgens class which blocks the effect of anti-androgens(a male hormone), to spread the growth of cancer cells.
It is a type of hormone drug that stops testosterone from reaching the cancer cells, resulting in slowing the growth of cancer and shrinking it.
Precautions to follow while using Bicalutamide
Before using the Bicalutamide
- Your pharmacist or doctor should know if you are allergic to Bicalutamide and ever used it earlier, or other similar medicines, antibiotics, or any other drugs.
- Your pharmacist or doctor should know about your other medications especially other similar medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, or if you are planning to take any herbal product.
- Your doctor should be aware of your medical history, especially if you have any health issues related to liver, diabetes, heart disease.
- Do not drive, use machinery, or any work which needs alertness as this medication can make you feel drowsy. Limit your alcohol intake if you do it.
- Your doctor should know if you are pregnant or planning to become, or are breastfeeding, as Bicalutamide can affect the unborn or breastfeeding baby. Let your doctor know in case you take it at the time of any such conditions.
- Male patients and their female partners should use reliable forms of birth control during and for 130 days after treatment with Bicalutamide since this can damage sperm.
Storage measures for this medication
Keep the container tightly closed in the package it came in and especially out of the reach of children for Bicalutamide. Store it away from excess heat and moisture and also at room temperature. Used or not needed medicines should be safely disposed of off to ensure that it does not come on contact or consumption by pets, children or maybe anyone else. The best way to choose to dispose of is through a medicine take-back program. Learn more about it through your pharmacist or contact your local recycling department. It is virtually crucial to preserve the containers out of reach of children avoiding misuse of it. Mostly the containers are not child-resistant, so they can open or try it easily.
Store in the refrigerator but do not freeze it, if not keep it away from sunlight or direct heat or in the foil pouch at room temperature for about a maximum of 28 days. Do not use it more than that.
Is Bicalutamide a chemotherapy drug?
No Bicalutamide is not chemotherapy, it is rather a hormone therapy used to treat prostate cancer. There are various ways of cancer treatment.
- Immunotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Targeted therapy
- Surgery
- Bone marrow transplant
- Hormone therapy
- Chemotherapy
It depends upon the level or type of cancer, for each specific type of treatment requirement.
Bicalutamide is used to treat stage D2 metastatic carcinoma of the prostate and should be used together with a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist, which is another type of hormone therapy.
Interactions and combination of Bicalutamide with other drugs
- Bicalutamide and Raloxifene combination is best tolerated
- Bicalutamide and Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone Analog does benefit in survival but not in disease progression.
- Bicalutamide with anastrozole is a superior combination, with greater efficiency and lesser side effects.
Overdose or missed dose of Bicalutamide
Try to contact your doctor immediately if you have the symptoms like loss of breath or passing out after having an overdose of Bicalutamide.
If you have missed a dose, leave it, never double the dose to cover up.
Note: Do not share this medication with anyone else. Keep all your medical prescriptions near you, for any kind of immediate help or an emergency. Do not change the dosage without consulting the doctor.
Other important information you need to know
Other medicines, eatables, and drinks
Let your doctor know if you are taking any other medications, including vitamins, herbal supplements, and over the counter medicines
This drug contains lactose(milk sugar) if you have an intolerance to lactose, contact your doctor before starting this medication.
Contraceptive measures
It is important not to plan a child while taking treatment with Bicalutamide medication and for 4 months afterward. This may harm the unborn inside the womb. Take special monitoring about it and consult your doctor on a timely basis.
Disclaimer
We have tried our best to give every possible information about Bicalutamide which we mean to be correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as an instruction from a healthcare professional.
Patients should consult their doctor before consuming this medication, and avoid overdose or improper consumption. In case of any side effects be it short-term or long-term, kindly immediately call up your doctor for changing the dosage or medication of the treatments.
In the US- You can call up your medical consultant or a doctor for advice about side effects, you may also report FDA at 1-800 FDA-1088