Azacitidine (Azacitidine) Subcutaneous: Uses, Dosage & Side Effects

Generic: Azacitidine (Subcutaneous Route)

Azacitidine is an antimetabolite drug that is used to treat certain kinds of cancer.

It acts by inhibiting the growth of cancer cells and destroying those cells thereafter. This drug may also affect the growth of normal body cells, thus, other effects can occur. Serious effects that may occur must be reported to the doctor immediately.

Tell to your doctor if you are allergic to Azacitidine or to any other medications.

There are no specific problems that would limit the usefulness of Azacitidine in the elderly. However, elderly patients are prone to have undesirable side effects which may require medical attention.

Pregnancy Category D – Do not use Azacitidine while you are pregnant as it can cause risk to the unborn baby. There are no sufficient studies whether Azacitidine can pass through breast milk or if it could cause harmful effects to the infant. Discuss with your doctor if you are breastfeeding a baby.

Using this medicine with Live Rotavirus Vaccine is not recommended and you may not be required to use this medication. Otherwise, alternative medicine may be prescribed for your other medications.

Using this medicine with any of the following medications is usually not recommended, but with exception in some cases. Dosage or frequency of one or both of your medicines may be changed if both medicines are prescribed together.

Adenovirus Vaccine Type 4, Live
Adenovirus Vaccine Type 7, Live
Bacillus of Calmette and Guerin Vaccine, Live
Influenza Virus Vaccine, Live
Measles Virus Vaccine, Live
Mumps Virus Vaccine, Live
Poliovirus Vaccine, Live
Rubella Virus Vaccine, Live
Smallpox Vaccine
Typhoid Vaccine
Varicella Virus Vaccine
Yellow Fever Vaccine

This medicine is contraindicated for patients with:

Cancerous liver tumors
Kidney disease
Liver disease

Tell your doctor if you experience nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain when using this medication.

The dose of this medicine varies for different patients. You should follow your doctor's orders or the instructions on the label. Do not change your dose unless your doctor tells you to do so. The dosage or frequency of the medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine and on the medical problem you are treating.

Call your doctor or pharmacist for instructions if you missed a dose of this medicine.

PRECAUTION.

Your doctor will be checking you regularly for the effectiveness of the medication. Blood tests may be ordered as well for undesirable effects.

If you are experiencing any of the following side effects, check with your doctor or nurse immediately:

Black, Tarry stools
Bladder pain
Bleeding gums
Blood in urine or stools
Cloudy urine
Body aches or pain
Burning or Stinging of skin
Chest pain
Chills
Congestion
Cough
Difficult breathing
Difficulty swallowing
Dizziness
Ear congestion
Fast heartbeat
Fever
Frequent urge to urinate
Headache
Hives
Hoarseness
Itching
Loss of voice
Lower back or side pain
Muscle aches
Nasal congestion
Nausea
Pain or Tenderness around eyes and cheekbones
Painful cold sores or blisters on lips, nose, eyes, or genitals
Painful or Difficult urination
Pain, Redness, Swelling, Tenderness, Warmth on skin
Pale skin
Pinpoint red spots on skin
Puffiness or Swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips or tongue
Rapid heartbeat
Runny nose
Shortness of breath
Skin rash
Sneezing
Sore throat
Sores, Ulcers, or White spots on lips or in mouth
Stuffy nose
Swollen glands
Tender, swollen glands in neck
Tightness in chest
Troubled breathing with exertion
Unusual bleeding or bruising
Unusual tiredness or weakness
Voice changes
Vomiting
Wheezing
Change in consciousness
Convulsions
Decreased urine
Drowsiness
Dry mouth
Increased blood creatinine
Increased blood pressure
Increased thirst
Irregular heartbeat
Loss of appetite
Mood changes
Muscle pain or cramps
Numbness or Tingling in hands, feet, or lips
Loss of consciousness
Diarrhea
Nausea
Vomiting

Less serious side effects:

Acid or Sour stomach
Appetite decreased
Belching
Bleeding after defecation
Bloody nose
Blurred vision
Bruise
Bumps on skin
Burning, Crawling, Itching, Numbness, Prickling, "Pins and Needles"; or Tingling feelings
Burning while urinating
Confusion
Diarrhea
Difficulty having a bowel movement (stool)
Difficulty in moving
Discouragement
Dizziness, Faintness, or Lightheadedness when getting up from a lying or sitting position suddenly
Dry skin
Fainting
Fear
Feeling of discomfort or illness
Feeling of sluggishness
Feeling sad or empty
Feeling unusually cold
Flushing
Full or Bloated feeling or pressure in the stomach
Heartburn
Heart murmur
Indigestion
Inflamed tissue from infection at the site of injection
Injection site bruising
Irritability
Itching at injection site
Joint pain
Lack of appetite
Large, Flat, Blue or Purplish patches in the skin
Loss of interest or pleasure
Mouth hemorrhage
Muscle stiffness
Nervousness
Night sweats
Pain in joints
Postnasal drip
Post procedural hemorrhage
Redness of skin
Shivering
Sleeplessness
Small clicking, bubbling, or rattling sounds in the lung when listening with a stethoscope
Small lumps under the skin
Small red or purple spots in mouth
Soreness or Discomfort to touch or pressure on stomach
Stomach discomfort upset or pain
Sweating
Swelling of abdominal or stomach area
Swelling of hands, ankles, feet, or lower legs
Swelling or Inflammation of the mouth
Swelling with pits or depressions visible on skin
Swollen joints
Tongue ulceration
Trouble concentrating
Trouble sleeping
Uncomfortable swelling around anus
Unusual drowsiness
Unusually warm skin
Upper abdominal pain
Weight loss