Vomend Capsules

VOMEND is a member of a class of medicines called neurokinin 1 receptor antagonists. VOMEND is used along with other medicines to prevent and control nausea (feeling sick) and vomiting (throwing up) caused by your cancer chemotherapy treatment.

Do not take VOMEND

• if you are hypersensitive (allergic) to aprepitant or any of the other ingredients of VOMEND (see section 6).
• with medicines containing pimozide (used to treat psychiatric illnesses), terfenadine and astemizole (used for hay fever and other allergic conditions), cisapride (used for treating digestive problems). Tell the doctor if you are taking these medicines since the treatment must be modified before you start taking VOMEND.

Warnings and precautions

Take special care with VOMEND:

• If you are taking or plan to take any medication. (See Do not take VOMEND and Other medicines and VOMEND).
• If you have a liver disease.

Children and adolescents

VOMEND has not been studied in children under the age of 18 years. Therefore VOMEND should not be given to children.

Other medicines and VOMEND

Always tell your healthcare provider if you are taking any other medicine. (This includes complementary or traditional medicines.) Do not take VOMEND with pimozide (used to treat psychiatric illnesses), terfenadine and astemizole (used for hay fever and other allergic conditions), cisapride (used for treating digestive problems) (see Do not take VOMEND). Taking VOMEND with these medicines could result in serious or life-threatening problems. The effects of VOMEND or other medicines might be influenced if you take VOMEND with other medicines.

Do not share medicines prescribed for you with any other person. Always take VOMEND exactly as your doctor has instructed you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure. The usual dose is one VOMEND 125 capsule 1 hour before you start your chemotherapy treatment and one VOMEND 80 capsule each morning for the 2 days following your chemotherapy treatment. Swallow the capsule whole with some liquid. Your doctor will prescribe VOMEND together with other medicines, including a corticosteroid (such as dexamethasone) and a 5HT3 antagonist (such as ondansetron) to prevent nausea and vomiting. Your doctor will tell you how long your treatment with VOMEND will last. Do not stop treatment early. If you have the impression that the effect of VOMEND is too strong or too weak, tell your doctor or pharmacist.

VOMEND can have side effects. Not all side effects reported for VOMEND are included in this leaflet. Should your general health worsen or if you experience any untoward effects while taking VOMEND, please consult your healthcare provider for advice. If any of the following happens, stop taking VOMEND and tell your doctor immediately or go to the casualty department at your nearest hospital:

• Swelling of your hands, feet, ankles, face, lips, mouth or throat, which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing.
• Rash or itching.
• Fainting.

These are all very serious side effects. If you have them, you may have had a serious allergic reaction to VOMEND. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation. Tell your doctor immediately or go to the casualty department at your nearest hospital if you notice any of the following:

Less frequent:

• Fast or irregular heartbeat.
• Slow heartbeat, heart and blood vessel disease.
• Extremely serious allergic skin reaction, with blistering of the skin, mouth, eyes and genitals.
• Bacterial or fungal infections.
• Frequent urination, passing more urine than normal.
• Stomach ulcer perforation, inflammation of the small intestine and colon (causing symptoms such as abdominal cramps, pain and tenderness, blood in stool, loss of appetite and fever).

These are all serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention. Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:

Frequent:

• Decreased appetite.
• Headache.
• Hiccups.
• Constipation, indigestion.
• Tiredness.

Less frequent:

• Dizziness, sleepiness.
• Feeling anxious.
• Acne.
• Burping, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, stomach pain, dry mouth, passing wind.
• Severe constipation, sores in your mouth, bloating.
• Weakness, generally feeling unwell, lack of energy.
• Hot flushes, reddening of your face or skin.
• Sensitivity of the skin to sun, excessive sweating, oily skin, sore on the skin.
• Chest discomfort, swelling, coughing, mucus in the back of your throat, throat irritation, sneezing, sore throat.
• Eye discharge and itching.
• Ringing in the ear.
• Muscle spasms, muscle weakness.
• Weight loss.

If you notice any side effects not mentioned in this leaflet, please inform your doctor or pharmacist.

• Store at or below 25 °C.
• Keep the blister strips in the outer carton until required for use.
• Do not remove the capsules from blister strips until required for use.
• STORE ALL MEDICINES OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.
• Do not use after the expiry date printed on the carton.
• Return all unused medicine to your pharmacist.
• Do not dispose of unused medicine in drains and sewerage systems (e.g. toilets).