Voprep Capsules

VOPREP is a member of a class of medicines called neurokinin 1 receptor antagonists. VOPREP 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 VOPREP

• if you are hypersensitive (allergic) to aprepitant or any of the other ingredients of VOPREP (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 VOPREP.

Warnings and precautions

Take special care with VOPREP:

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

Children and adolescents

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

Other medicines and VOPREP

Always tell your healthcare provider if you are taking any other medicine. (This includes complementary or traditional medicines.) Do not take VOPREP 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 VOPREP). Taking VOPREP with these medicines could result in serious or life-threatening problems. The effects of VOPREP or other medicines might be influenced if you take VOPREP with other medicines.

Do not share medicines prescribed for you with any other person. Always take VOPREP exactly as your doctor has instructed you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure. The usual dose is one VOPREP 125 capsule 1 hour before you start your chemotherapy treatment and one VOPREP 80 capsule each morning for the 2 days following your chemotherapy treatment. Swallow the capsule whole with some liquid. Your doctor will prescribe VOPREP 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 VOPREP will last. Do not stop treatment early. If you have the impression that the effect of VOPREP is too strong or too weak, tell your doctor or pharmacist.

VOPREP can have side effects. Not all side effects reported for VOPREP are included in this leaflet. Should your general health worsen or if you experience any untoward effects while taking VOPREP, please consult your healthcare provider for advice. If any of the following happens, stop taking VOPREP 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 VOPREP. 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).