Tasigna Cap 200mg

What Is Tasigna?

Tasigna (nilotinib) is a kinase inhibitor that interferes with a protein that signals cancer cells to multiply used to treat adult patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia in the chronic phase of the disease; it is also used to treat both chronic and accelerated Philadelphia chromosome positive myeloid leukemia in adults that are resistant or intolerant to prior therapy, including imatinib. Tasigna is available in generic form.

What Are Side Effects of Tasigna?

Common side effects of Tasigna include:

• skin rash,
• itching,
• headache,
• nausea,
• fatigue,
• tiredness,
• joint or muscle aches or pain,
• back pain,
• diarrhea,
• constipation,
• temporary hair loss, or
• cold symptoms (stuffy nose, sneezing, cough, or sore throat).

Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Tasigna including:

• severe stomach or abdominal pain,
• toe or joint pain,
• painful urination,
• a change in the amount of urine,
• swelling hands/ankles/feet,
• unusual or rapid weight gain,
• symptoms of high blood sugar (such as increased thirst or urination), or
• signs of liver disease (such as persistent vomiting, stomach or abdominal pain, yellowing eyes or skin, or dark urine).

Dosage for Tasigna

Tasigna comes in a gelatin capsule at strengths of 150 and 200 mg. It is usually taken without food twice a day, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after eating any food. The dosage is usually 300 mg per day, or 400 mg per day in those patients that are resistant or intolerant to prior therapy. However, because of the extensive and dire side effects in persons with underlying problems such as sudden death, hepatotoxicity, QT prolongation, myelosupression and other electrolyte and enzyme abnormalities, physicians often need to adjust the dose depending on several health factors; patients and physicians need to check the multiple tables available to develop a safe dose according to the patient's concurrent health problems and medications they take.

What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Tasigna?

Tasigna may interact with esomeprazole (Nexium) and other stomach acid reducers, ergotamine, dihydroergotamine, St. John's wort, theophylline, blood thinners or medication to prevent blood clots, antibiotics, tuberculosis medicine, antifungals, anti-malaria medication, cancer medication, immunosuppressants, medicine to prevent organ transplant rejection, heart or blood pressure medications, heart rhythm medications, medications to treat HIV/AIDS or hepatitis C, medicine to treat depression or mental illness, medicine to treat or prevent nausea, narcotics, sedatives, narcolepsy medication, seizure medication, or steroids. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

Tasigna During Pregnancy or Breastfeeding

Women who are pregnant should not take this drug; women who are breastfeeding should be cautioned that benefits to the mother must be weighed against the relatively unstudied risks to the infant. Safety and effectiveness of Tasigna use in pediatrics has not been established.

Additional Information

Our Tasigna Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.