Aprepitant+aprepitant
About Aprepitant+aprepitant
Aprepitant+aprepitant is a prescription medicine used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy treatments. It is also used to prevent nausea and vomiting that can happen after surgical procedures. This medicine is specifically designed as a preventive measure and is not used to treat active nausea or vomiting that you already have.
You will typically take Aprepitant+aprepitant as a multi-day regimen, starting on your first day of chemotherapy or just before surgery. It can be taken with or without food, but it is important to take it exactly at the scheduled times. Aprepitant+aprepitant is commonly prescribed alongside other antiemetic medicines (such as a 5-HT3 antagonist like ondansetron and a corticosteroid like dexamethasone) as part of a multimodal combination regimen.
Some people taking this medicine may experience mild side effects, such as tiredness, hiccups, or a decreased appetite. While these are usually manageable, please contact your doctor right away if you experience serious symptoms like severe dizziness, yellowing of your skin or eyes, or signs of an allergic reaction.
Before starting Aprepitant+aprepitant, tell your doctor if you have a history of liver damage, as this medicine is processed by the liver. Do not take this if you are allergic to any of its ingredients or if you are currently taking certain medicines that can cause serious drug interactions.
Aprepitant+aprepitant can interact with several medicines, including hormonal birth control, making them less effective, so you should use an alternative contraceptive method during and for a month after treatment. Avoid drinking alcohol while taking this medicine as it can worsen drowsiness and stomach irritation. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or an elderly patient, discuss the potential risks and benefits with your doctor before starting this treatment.
Uses of Aprepitant+aprepitant
Medicinal Benefits
Aprepitant+aprepitant provides important benefits by helping prevent nausea and vomiting during cancer treatment and surgical recovery. The key benefits of Aprepitant+aprepitant are as follows:
- Comfort During Treatment: Using Aprepitant+aprepitant helps you manage your cancer treatment or surgical recovery with greater comfort by blocking the signals in the brain that trigger the urge to vomit.
- Better Nutrition and Hydration: By preventing severe nausea, this medicine allows you to maintain better nutrition and hydration, which are essential for your body's healing process.
- Peace of Mind: It provides peace of mind, reducing the anxiety of chemotherapy sessions by offering consistent, multi-day protection against delayed vomiting.
Directions for Use
- Aprepitant+aprepitant can be taken with or without food.
- Follow your doctor's instructions on the dosage and timing of this medication.
- Swallow Aprepitant+aprepitant as a whole with a glass of water.
- Do not crush, break, or chew it.
Storage
Side Effects of Aprepitant+aprepitant
Common Side Effects (Usually mild):
- Feeling very tired or weak
- Hiccups
- Loss of appetite
- Indigestion or mild stomach pain
- Headache
Serious Side Effects (Consult your doctor right away):
- Signs of a severe allergic reaction (such as hives, itching, skin rash, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, and difficulty breathing)
- Severe dizziness or fainting
- Signs of liver damage (such as yellowing of your eyes or skin, dark urine, or severe upper stomach pain)
Medicines Containing this Salt
View AllDrug Warnings
- Inspect the Packaging: Inspect the capsule packaging before use; do not take the medicine if the blister seal is broken or damaged.
- Take the First Dose on Time: Always take the first dose of Aprepitant+aprepitant at least 1 hour before your chemotherapy session begins to ensure maximum preventive effect.
- Use Backup Contraception: If you use hormonal birth control (like pills, patches, or implants), use a backup, non-hormonal contraceptive method (like condoms) while taking this medicine and for 1 month after your last dose.
- Avoid Driving and Operating Machinery: Avoid driving, operating machinery, or performing dangerous tasks until you know how this medicine affects you, as it can cause drowsiness or dizziness.
- Keep a Dose Record: Keep a written record of when you take each dose to ensure you strictly adhere to the multi-day schedule prescribed by your doctor.
Drug Interactions
- Blood Thinners: May alter the effects of blood thinners (like warfarin) due to complex enzyme effects (initial inhibition followed by induction), requiring close INR monitoring by your doctor.
- Hormonal Contraceptives: Decreases the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives during treatment and for up to 28 days afterwards due to temporary liver enzyme induction (even though the medicine itself clears from the body in a few days).
- Certain Medicines: Combining Aprepitant+aprepitant with certain medicines (like ketoconazole, clarithromycin, or diltiazem) can increase the levels of Aprepitant+aprepitant in your body, raising the risk of side effects.
- Chemotherapeutic Agents and Corticosteroids: Can significantly increase the levels of certain chemotherapeutic agents or corticosteroids (like dexamethasone), which may require your doctor to adjust your steroid dose.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
cautionThe interaction of alcohol with Aprepitant+aprepitant is unknown. If you have any concerns regarding this, please discuss them with your doctor.
Pregnancy
consult your doctorIf you are pregnant or planning pregnancy, inform your doctor before taking Aprepitant+aprepitant. Your doctor may prescribe this medicine only if clearly needed.
Breast Feeding
consult your doctorIt is unknown whether Aprepitant is excreted in breast milk. Hence, if you are a nursing mother, inform your doctor before taking Aprepitant+aprepitant.
Driving
cautionAprepitant+aprepitant may cause dizziness or drowsiness in some people. Hence, do not drive or operate machinery if you feel dizzy or drowsy after taking Aprepitant+aprepitant.
Liver
consult your doctorIf you have liver disease, inform your doctor before taking Aprepitant+aprepitant. Your doctor may monitor your liver condition.
Kidney
consult your doctorIf you have kidney problems, inform your doctor before taking Aprepitant+aprepitant.
Children
unsafeAprepitant+aprepitant is not recommended for children below 12 years of age.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Eat Small, Frequent Meals: Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day instead of three large ones to keep your stomach settled.
- Choose Bland Foods: Choose bland foods like toast, crackers, oatmeal, or plain rice, and avoid spicy, greasy, or highly sweet foods that can trigger nausea.
- Sip Clear Liquids: Sip cool, clear liquids such as water, clear broths, or ginger tea slowly between meals rather than during meals.
- Stay Upright After Eating: Sit upright for at least 30 to 60 minutes after eating to help digestion and prevent nausea.
- Avoid Strong Odours: Avoid strong odours from cooking, perfumes, or smoke, as these can easily trigger a wave of nausea during your treatment period.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Nausea and vomiting: Nausea is an uneasiness in the stomach that usually precedes vomiting. Vomiting, on the other hand, is a normal bodily response in which a person desires to evacuate stomach contents from the mouth aggressively. In brief, nausea and vomiting are symptoms of a variety of disorders, including infections, motion sickness, an early stage of pregnancy, and gastroparesis (slow stomach emptying). Vomiting is controlled by a receptor in the brain known as the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ). After chemotherapy and radiation therapy, nausea and vomiting are common side effects. It can also arise as a side effect of an operation or surgery. Controlling vomiting and nausea in cancer patients is critical for conducting daily tasks. It can cause mental abnormalities, lack of appetite, malnutrition, and dehydration if not managed.
FAQs
Aprepitant+aprepitant is used to treat Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
Aprepitant+aprepitant contains Aprepitant, an anti-emetic (a drug used to treat nausea and vomiting) that works by blocking the action of a natural substance in the brain called neurokinin that causes nausea and vomiting. Thus, it helps to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by anti-cancer medicines in adults and adolescents from the age of 12 years.
You are not recommended to take erythromycin with Aprepitant+aprepitant as it may increase the blood levels and effects of Aprepitant+aprepitant. Contact your doctor if your condition changes or you experience side effects such as diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, or loss of appetite. However, please consult your doctor before taking other medicines with Aprepitant+aprepitant.
No, Aprepitant+aprepitant is designed to prevent nausea and vomiting before it starts. It is not effective for treating active nausea or vomiting that has already begun. Talk to your doctor if you need medicine to treat active symptoms.
If you throw up shortly after swallowing your dose, do not take another capsule on your own. Contact your doctor or healthcare team immediately to ask for guidance on whether to take another dose.
Yes, feeling tired, weak, or sleepy is a common side effect of Aprepitant+aprepitant. You should avoid driving, riding a bicycle, or operating machinery until you know how this medicine affects you. Talk to your doctor if the fatigue becomes severe.
Some pain medicines can interact with Aprepitant+aprepitant. It is important to provide your doctor or pharmacist with a complete list of all prescription and over-the-counter medicines you are currently taking before starting your treatment.
Aprepitant+aprepitant is cleared from your body within a few days after your last dose. However, because it temporarily affects how your liver processes certain medicines, interactions with drugs like birth control can continue for up to 28 days. Talk to your doctor for specific advice.
You should avoid drinking alcohol while taking this medicine. Alcohol can increase the risk of side effects like extreme drowsiness, dizziness, and stomach irritation. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns.
No, you should swallow the capsule whole with water. Do not crush, chew, or open the capsule, as this can change how the medicine is absorbed and make it less effective. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have trouble swallowing capsules.
Yes. Aprepitant+aprepitant can reduce the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives, including birth control pills, patches, and implants. Use an effective non-hormonal back-up method, such as condoms, during treatment and for 28 days (1 month) after your last dose. Talk to your doctor about the most appropriate contraception for you.
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