Before you take Onkotaxel
Do not take Onkotaxel
- If you are allergic (hypersensitive) to docetaxel or any of the other ingredients of Onkotaxel (listed in section 6).
- If the number of white blood cells is too low.
- If you have a severe liver disease.
Warnings and precautions
Before each treatment with Onkotaxel, you will have blood tests to check that you have enough blood cells and sufficient liver function to receive Onkotaxel. In case of white blood cells disturbances, you may experience associated fever or infections.
Tell your doctor, hospital pharmacist, or nurse immediately if you have abdominal pain or tenderness, diarrhea, rectal hemorrhage, blood in stool or fever. These symptoms may be the first signs of a serious gastrointestinal toxicity, which could be fatal. Your doctor should address them immediately.
Tell your doctor, hospital pharmacist or nurse if you have vision problems. In case of vision problems, in particular blurred vision, you should immediately have your eyes and vision examined.
Tell your doctor, hospital pharmacist or nurse if you have experienced an allergic reaction to previous paclitaxel therapy.
Tell your doctor, hospital pharmacist or nurse if you have heart problems.
If you develop acute or worsening problems with your lungs (fever, shortness of breath or cough), please tell your doctor, hospital pharmacist or nurse immediately. Your doctor may stop your treatment immediately.
You will be asked to take premedication consisting of an oral corticosteroid such as dexamethasone, one day prior to Onkotaxel administration and to continue for one or two days after it in order to minimise certain undesirable effects which may occur after the infusion of Onkotaxel in particular allergic reactions and fluid retention (swelling of the hands, feet, legs or weight gain).
During treatment, you may be given other medicines to maintain the number of your blood cells.
Onkotaxel contains alcohol. Discuss with your doctor if you suffer from alcohol dependency, epilepsy or liver impairment.
Other medicines and Onkotaxel
Please tell your doctor or hospital pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicine, including medicines obtained without a prescription. This is because Onkotaxel or the other medicine may not work as well as expected and you may be more likely to get a side effect.
The amount of alcohol in this medicinal product may alter the effects of other medicines.
Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility
Onkotaxel must NOT be administered if you are pregnant unless clearly indicated by your doctor.
You must not become pregnant during treatment with this medicine and must use an effective method of contraception during therapy, because docetaxel may be harmful for the unborn baby. If pregnancy occurs during your treatment, you must immediately inform your doctor.
You must not breast-feed while you are treated with docetaxel.
If you are a man being treated with Onkotaxel you are advised not to father a child during and up to 6 months after treatment and to seek advice on conservation of sperm prior to treatment because docetaxel may alter male fertility.
Driving and using machines
The amount of alcohol in this medicinal product may impair your ability to drive or use machines. You may experience side effects of this medicine that may impair your ability to drive, use tools or operate machines. If this happens, do not drive or use any tools or machines before discussing with your doctor, nurse or hospital pharmacist.
Onkotaxel contains alcohol (Ethanol)
Onkotaxel contains 50 vol % dehydrated alcohol (Ethanol).
Harmful for those suffering from alcoholism.
To be taken into account in pregnant or breast-feeding, in children and high-risk groups such as patients with liver disease, or epilepsy.
The amount of alcohol in this medicine may have effects on the central nervous system (the part of the nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord).
