What is mitotane medication used for?

Why did doctors prescribe mitotane?

Mitotane is a medication used for the treatment of cancer of the adrenal glands. You can’t treat your cancer with surgery. Mitotane comes under the class of medication known as antineoplastic agents. 

How to use mitotane?

Mitotane is available in the form of a tablet to take by mouth. Usually, your healthcare professionals will prescribe you this medication to take three to four times a day. And always used these mitotane tablets at around the same time each and every day to remember using this medication. 

Before you begin your treatment with mitotane, you have to be hospitalized because your treatment will start from a low dose and gradually increase your dose day by day. And never use this medication without your healthcare professionals’ permission.

Ensure that all the directions have been followed exactly on your prescription label carefully. The medication can not be used more or less prescribed by your healthcare professionals. The dosage of this medication depends on your medical condition or your response to treatment.

If you want to get the most benefits from the mitotane then use this medication regularly in order. And always use it at the same time each day. Until consulting your health care professional won’t try to stop using this medication.  

Until your full prescribed amount is finished, do not stop using this medication even if you feel well or your symptoms disappear. And if you feel your condition doesn’t improve then you may contact your healthcare professionals. Your healthcare professionals will tell you when you have stopped using this medication. If you don’t understand any of the parts then ask your healthcare provider to explain all the things again.

What are other uses of mitotane?

And if you want to know some other uses of this medication in detail then contact your healthcare professional and you can ask them for more information or other uses of mitotane.

Warning of using mitotane tablets

In case, if you have any serious injury or medical emergency then for a short time you may need to stop taking mitotane or need to take steroid medicine. Your doctor will change your medication and prescribe another medication to you for a short time when you have any other problem.

What special precautions could I take?

You should have followed all these special precautions carefully while using the mitotane tablets:

• Before having mitotane tablets, if you ever had any medical history especially recent infection, surgery, or trauma then talk to your doctor and pharmacist about your all medical conditions.
• If you have or have ever had liver disease then talk to your doctor and pharmacist before having mitotane tablets.
• This can be very harmful to your infant because when you breastfeed it can pass into breast milk. So you can not breastfeed while using the mitotane tablets.
• If you are taking any vitamins, nutritional supplements, prescription or non-prescription medication or drugs, any other drug or medicine, herbal products, or planning to take them while using mitotane tablets then tell your doctor and pharmacist.
• If you are having surgery, including dental surgery while having this medication then tell your doctor or dentist.
• If you are allergic to mitotane, any other medications, or any ingredients of mitotane then tell your doctor and pharmacist and ask them for all ingredients of mitotane by which you are allergic.
• Don’t ever try to drive a car because this drug may make you dizzy or drowsy and not operate any machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
• If you become pregnant or plan to become pregnant while you are using mitotane tablets then tell your doctor and pharmacist immediately. 
• If you are taking any blood thinner such as warfarin, Coumadin, or Jantoven then tell your doctor and pharmacist.

What do I do if I forget a dose?

You can make your dose double if you take the dose at irregular times. If in case, the time is near your next dose and you forget to take your last dose of this medication then we suggest you please skip that dose and take it at the next dose at the regular time.

What are other uses of mitotane?

And if you want to know some other uses of this medication in detail then contact your healthcare professional and you can ask them for more information or other uses of mitotane.

What are mitotane side effects?

Without your healthcare professionals don’t try to use mitotane because they will suggest this medication only by judging the most benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Because mitotane is a medication that can be used only by people who have some serious side effects. And never try to use it for a longer time period than prescribed. 

When you are using mitotane and if you have seen any of these side effects or symptoms mentioned below then contact your healthcare professionals immediately.

Some common mitotane side effects:

• You’ll feel depressed.
• You’ll feel a lack of energy.
• You’ll feel unusual drowsiness.
• You’ll feel a loss of appetite.
• You’ll feel changes in vision.
• You’ll feel rash or changes in skin color.
• You’ll feel nausea.
• You’ll feel vomiting.
• You’ll feel diarrhea.
• You’ll feel that the room is spinning.

Some serious mitotane side effects:

• You’ll feel abdominal or side pain.
• You’ll feel like you might pass out.
• You’ll feel pelvic pain, vaginal bleeding.
• You’ll feel confused.
• You’ll feel blurred or have double vision.
• You’ll feel problems with balance, speech, or walking.
• You’ll feel a fast heartbeat.
• You’ll feel a high fever or shaking chills.
• You’ll feel excessive sweating.

In case, if you are facing any problems and do not go away or are getting worse then immediately contact your health care professionals because this is not the complete list of all symptoms and side effects of this medication. 

If you are in the United States and you are facing these serious side effects or someone near you then you can contact the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or call at 1-888-463-6332 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch.

What can I know about the storage and disposal of this medication?

Store this medication at room temperature and keep them away from light or excessive heat and moisture. And put them away from the reach of the pets and children, we suggest you put that medicine in a tightly closed container in which they came because there are as many containers like eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers that are not child-resistant and young children or pets can easily open them.

You should have disposed of all the medication that is unneeded in a special way to ensure that children, pets, and other people can’t consume them. You can not flush them or pour them into the drain. You can return them to the pharmacist or the best way is that you can take back the program for returning your medicines.

What other information should I know?

At the time of meeting your healthcare professionals, don’t forget to carry the laboratory report. And the most important thing is to never miss your doctor and laboratory appointments because your healthcare professionals will check the response of this medicine then he/she will tell you the update or other pieces of information. So, keep all your appointments with your doctor, pharmacist, and the laboratory. And before having any laboratory test, if you are already taking this product then tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel. Talk to your healthcare professionals if you feel your health condition is getting worse or your dose may need to be adjusted.

If you are taking any prescription and non-prescription medication or drugs, while you are using this medication, it is very important to tell your healthcare professionals about this. To make it easy and unforgettable, you can create a list of all prescription and non-prescription medications or drugs and any other drug or medicine you are taking. You can show that list to your healthcare professionals or pharmacists at the time of visit or meeting them. It would help you in case of emergencies. It would help you in case of emergencies.

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