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Altretamine

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(al tret' a meen)

Brand name(s): Hexalen
Other name(s): Hexamethylmelamine

Contents of this page:

IMPORTANT WARNING:

Altretamine can cause a decrease in the number of blood cells in your bone marrow. Altretamine also can cause neurotoxicity. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: tingling of the hands or feet, mental confusion, or loss of coordination. Your doctor will order tests before, during, and after your treatment to see if your blood cells are affected by this drug.

About your treatment

Your doctor has ordered the drug altretamine to help treat your illness. The drug comes in capsules and usually is taken by mouth after meals and at bedtime. Altretamine usually is taken in a repeated cycle for 14-21 days and then stopped for 14-21 days.

This medication is used to treat:

This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Altretamine is an s-triazine derivative. It slows or stops the growth of cancer cells in your body. The length of treatment depends on the types of drugs you are taking, how well your body responds to them, and the type of cancer you have.

Precautions

Before taking altretamine,

Side effects

Side effects from altretamine are common and include:

Tell your doctor if the following symptom is severe or lasts for several hours:

If you experience any of the following symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:

Storage conditions

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication.

In case of emergency/overdose

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Special instructions

Last Revised - 01/01/2003


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The MedMaster™ Patient Drug Information database provides information copyrighted by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc., Bethesda, Maryland Copyright© 2004. All Rights Reserved.