Melphalan: functions, dosage, side effects, how to use it

What medicine is Melphalan?

What is the Melphalan for?

Melphalan is a drug used to treat certain types of cancer. Some of them such as multiple myeloma and ovarian cancer.

This drug belongs to a class of cancer drugs known as alkylating agents that work by slowing down or stopping the growth of cancer cells in the body.

Your doctor may be able to prescribe melphalan medication for other needs that are not mentioned in this article.

How do you use melphalan medicine?

Follow all the instructions for using the medicine listed on the prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets carefully. Don't hesitate to ask a doctor if you don't really understand how to use it.

Swallow the drug whole with the help of a glass of water. Crushing, pulverizing, or crushing drugs can decrease their effectiveness and possibly trigger side effects.

This medicine is usually taken once a day on an empty stomach, aka before eating. However, ask your doctor when is the best time to take it and how long you should use this drug. To make it easier for you to remember your medication schedule, make reminders in a notebook or cellphone.

Your doctor may direct you to drink it every day for a period of a few weeks, followed by a period of rest for a while. After a period of rest, the doctor can direct the patient to restart daily medication therapy.

Use the drug according to the dosage recommended by the doctor. Do not add and reduce drug doses carelessly without first consulting a doctor. The dose of the drug by the doctor is adjusted to the medical condition, the patient's response to treatment, and the results of the patient's blood test. That is why each person may get a different dose of the drug.

Don't stop taking your medication without talking to your doctor first, even if you feel nauseous or vomiting. If you vomit shortly after taking the medicine, or if you miss a dose, call your doctor immediately.

While using this drug, drink plenty of water. Consuming lots of fluids can help your kidneys to flush the drug from the body and avoid a number of side effects. On the other hand, it can also prevent dehydration, which can make your condition worse.

If your condition does not improve or gets worse after using this drug, seek medical attention immediately. Your doctor can change the dose or prescribe another medication that is safer for your condition.

How to save Melphalan?

This medication is best stored at room temperature. Keep away from direct light and damp places. Don't keep it in the bathroom. Don't freeze it. Other brands of this drug may have different storage rules.

Observe the storage instructions on the product package or ask your pharmacist. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medicines down the toilet or down the drain unless instructed to do so. Discard this product when it has expired or when it is no longer needed.

Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company about how to safely dispose of your product.

Melphalan dosage

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment.

What is the dosage for melphalan for adults?

The dosage for adults ranges from 150 to 300 micrograms (mcg) per day. The medicine is taken for 4 to 6 days, then repeated after 4 to 8 weeks.

In principle, the dosage of drugs for each person may be different. The dosage of drugs is usually adjusted according to the patient's age, overall health condition, and their response to treatment.

Be sure to always consult a doctor or pharmacist before taking any type of medication. This is done to ensure that you are taking the drug according to the recommended dosage.

What is the dosage of melphalan for children?

There is no definite dosage requirement for children. This drug can be dangerous for children if used improperly.

Therefore, to understand the safety of drugs before use. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

In what dosage is melphalan available?

Melphalan is available in dosages and in the form of capsules or liquid injections.

Melphalan side effects

Side effects that can occur when taking the drug Melphalan?

Each drug has the potential to cause side effects. Even so, not everyone experiences side effects. The side effects of this drug can range from mild to severe.

Some of the most common side effects that people complain about after using this medicine include:

• Nausea
• Gag
• Diarrhea
• White patches or sores inside the mouth or lips
• Hair loss
• Red rash
• Itchy skin
• Limp body is not powerful
• Irregular menstruation

In rare cases, this drug can cause serious side effects, such as liver problems characterized by jaundice. Other side effects that may occur are difficulty breathing, menstruation stops completely, and so on.

This medicine may also cause anaphylactic shock, which is a severe allergic reaction. Anaphylactic shock can cause loss of consciousness or even death if not treated promptly. This condition is usually characterized by:

• Itching in part or all over the body
• Hard to breathe
• Weak and fast heartbeat
• Swelling of the throat, lips and face
• Red rash on the skin

Not everyone experiences this side effect. There may be some side effects not listed above. If you have any concerns about side effects, please consult a doctor or pharmacist.

Melphalan Drug Warnings and Cautions

What should be known before using Melphalan?

There are several things you need to know and do before taking this drug, including:

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you have any allergies to melphalan or any of its components. Ask your doctor for a list of ingredients.
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the medicines you are taking and will regularly take. Whether it's prescription, non-prescription drugs, and natural remedies made from herbs.
• Tell your doctor if you have taken this drug before, but it has not made the cancer better.
• Tell your doctor if you have had radiation therapy or other chemotherapy recently.
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you have or have had kidney disease and liver disease.
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you have a weak immune system, either because of illness or a side effect of certain drugs.
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are going to or have recently had a vaccination.

It is important to know that this drug has the potential to disrupt the menstrual cycle in women. Meanwhile, in men, this drug may be able to stop sperm production temporarily or forever. As a result, this drug may cause infertility (difficulty getting pregnant). Even so, further research is needed to be sure.

This medicine can harm the fetus. Therefore, if you are planning or are pregnant, you should avoid taking this drug. Talk to your doctor for more information.

Is melphalan safe for pregnant and lactating women?

There are no adequate studies regarding the risks of using this drug in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Always consult your doctor to weigh the potential benefits and risks before using this medication.

This drug is included in the risk of pregnancy category B according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, or the equivalent of the Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) in Indonesia.

The following references the pregnancy risk categories according to the FDA:

• A = Not at risk
• B = No risk in several studies
• C = May be risky
• D = There is positive evidence of risk
• X = Contraindicated
• N = Unknown

Meanwhile, for breastfeeding mothers, there is no clear evidence whether this drug harms the baby or not. To avoid various negative possibilities, do not take this medicine carelessly or without the doctor's permission.

Melphalan Drug Interactions

What medicines might interact with melphalan?

Drug interactions can change the performance of your medications or increase the risk of serious side effects. Not all possible drug interactions are listed in this article.

Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription / non-prescription drugs and herbal products) and consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any medication without your doctor's approval.

A number of drugs that have the potential to cause negative interactions with this drug include carmustine, cimetidine, cisplatin, cyclosporine, or interferon alfa.

Can food or alcohol interact with the melphalan?

Certain drugs should not be used with meals or around meals at certain foods or foods because drug interactions can occur.

Consuming alcohol or tobacco with certain drugs can also cause interactions to occur. Discuss your use of drugs with food, alcohol, or tobacco with your health care provider.

What health conditions can interact with melphalan?

The presence of certain medical problems can affect the use of this drug. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Leukopenia (low white blood cells in the blood)
• Thrombocytopenia (low platelets in the blood)
• Smallpox
• Shingles (shingles)
• Gout
• Kidney stones
• Certain infections
• Kidney illness
• Liver disease

Melphalan overdose

What should I do in an emergency or overdose?

In case of an emergency or overdose, contact the local emergency services provider (119) or immediately to the nearest hospital emergency department. Bring a medicine box, container, or label with you when you go to the hospital to help the doctor with any necessary information.

When someone has an overdose, various symptoms that may arise are:

• Too low blood pressure (hypotension) which makes the head dizzy
• Fainting
• Fast and irregular heartbeat
• Slower than normal heart rate

What should I do if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your dosing schedule. Do not use extra doses to make up for a missed dose.

If you continue to miss doses, consider setting an alarm or asking a family member to remind you.

Please consult your doctor to discuss changes in your dosing schedule or a new schedule to make up for a missed dose, if you have missed too many doses recently.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.