What is NEUMEGA (Oprelvekin)?
Neumega is a medicine that stimulates your body to make platelets, which are a type of blood cell. Neumega is for people who have received certain types of chemotherapy and is used to help prevent the number of platelets circulating in the blood from dropping dangerously low. Too few platelets can cause serious problems and even death. Platelets are needed to help clot your blood when you are cut or injured. People with very low platelet counts are more likely to bruise and may not be able to control their bleeding if they are cut or injured. Platelets that have been donated by other people (platelet transfusions) are often given to patients with very low platelet counts. Neumega may reduce the need for platelet transfusions after chemotherapy. If your platelet levels are still too low after taking Neumega, your doctor may recommend that you receive a platelet transfusion.
What is the most important information I should know about NEUMEGA?
NEUMEGA can cause serious side effects. These serious side effects include:
- Allergic Reactions - Neumega can cause serious allergic reactions in some patients. Signs that you are having a serious allergic reaction include: swelling of your face, tongue or throat; difficulty breathing, swallowing or talking; shortness of breath; wheezing; chest pain; a tightness in your throat; feeling lightheaded; loss of consciousness; confusion; drowsiness; rash; itching; hives; flushing and/or fever. You or your caregiver should call your doctor immediately if you develop any of these signs or symptoms.
- Heart Problems - Neumega can cause heart problems in some patients. If you feel like your heart is pounding, beating fast or skipping a beat, or you have chest pains or are short of breath, you should call your doctor immediately. If you have ever had heart problems, you should tell your doctor before you start treatment with Neumega. If you are taking a water pill (diuretic), you should tell your doctor, because the diuretic can cause your body to lose potassium. This is very important, because Neumega can cause heart problems and these heart problems could be more serious when the potassium in your blood is too low. Your doctor will be checking your blood for the amount of potassium in it. If your potassium level is low, your doctor may prescribe a potassium replacement medication to correct it.
- Water Weight Gain Neumega may cause you to retain water and gain weight from the extra fluid in your body. For some patients, water weight gain may cause serious problems that require medicine or hospitalization. A small amount of water weight gain will usually go away within several days after you stop taking Neumega. But, if you have a rapid weight gain over a few days, swelling of the legs and feet, dizziness, shortness of breath or chest pain, it could mean that you have a serious condition with fluid around the lungs and heart. If you have ever had heart failure or are taking medicine that may cause you to retain water, you should tell your doctor before you start treatment with Neumega.
- Eye Problem - Neumega can cause or worsen an eye problem called papilledema. Papilledema is swelling of the optic (eye) nerve. Papilledema can cause changes in your eyesight from blurred vision to blindness.
- Children Receiving Neumega - Because Neumega is approved only for use in adults, you should talk to your child's doctor about the reasons why Neumega has been prescribed for your child. You should talk to your child's doctor about the risks and side effects of using this medication in children. One of the side effects seen in children taking Neumega is a serious eye condition called papilledema which is a form of swelling of the nerve that enters the back of the eye. Many children may not show any signs of papilledema. If your child complains that they have a headache or are having difficulty seeing, call your child's doctor right away. Other side effects that have been seen in children are fast heartbeat, redness of the eye, changes to the heart, and changes to bones that can be seen on x-ray.
- The most common, but less serious side effects, are:
- Slight water weight gain
- Some swelling in the arms and/or legs
- Shortness of breath when walking or moving around
- Anemia (low red blood cell count)
- Blurred vision, headaches, or redness of the eyes
- Any swelling or bruising that doesn't go away in the location where you have injected Neumega
How should I take NEUMEGA ?
- If your doctor has recommended that you receive Neumega at home, then you and/or your caregiver should be instructed on how to prepare Neumega, how much Neumega to use, how to inject it, how often it should be injected, and how to dispose of the unused portions of each bottle. Do not inject Neumega until you are comfortable with the steps to prepare and inject Neumega at home.
- It is important that you do not take any more or less of the amount of Neumega that your doctor prescribed. Too much Neumega might put you at risk for irregular heartbeats and water retention (including fluid around the heart and lungs). If you accidentally take too much Neumega, you should call your doctor immediately.
- You should always change the site of your injections each day to avoid soreness at any one site. Your injections should be given about the same time each day. If you miss an injection on one day, you should not try to add it on the next day. Tell your doctor that you missed a dose and continue as usual with your next scheduled dose.
Important Safety Information
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- You should always follow your doctor's instructions.
- If your doctor has recommended that you receive Neumega at home, then you and/or your caregiver should be instructed on how to prepare Neumega, how much Neumega to use, how to inject it, how often it should be injected, and how to dispose of the unused portions of each bottle
- It is important that you do not take any more or less of the amount of Neumega that your doctor prescribed.
- Do not take Neumega if you have ever had or think you have had an allergic reaction to Neumega. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions about this information.
- Stop taking Neumega and call your doctor or healthcare provider immediately if you develop any of these symptoms:
- Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
- Chest pains
- Swelling in your face, hands, or feet
- Rapid weight gain over a few days
- You feel like your heart is pounding or beating out of your chest or skipping a beat, also referred to as palpitation
- Changes in your eyesight including blurred vision and blindness
Ask your healthcare provider if you do not know.
What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking Neumega?
Before you start taking Neumega, you should tell your doctor the names of all of the medications you are taking including prescription and non-prescription drugs, vitamins, and nutritional supplements. If you have any of the following conditions or medical problems, tell your doctor or healthcare provider:
- You are pregnant or planning to become pregnant
- Breast feeding
- You have heart problems
- You have kidney disease
- You have eye problems
General information about Neumega
Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed here. If you have any questions or concerns about Neumega talk to your doctor. Do not use Neumega for a condition or person other than for whom it is prescribed.
What are the ingredients in Neumega?
Active ingredient: Oprelvekin,
Other ingredient: