Avoid sun exposure. Wear SPF 30 or higher sunblock and protective clothing. In general, drinking alcoholic beverages should be kept to a minimum or avoided completely. You should discuss this with your doctor. You may experience drowsiness or dizziness; avoid driving or engaging in tasks that require alertness until your response to this drug is known. Conserve energy, try to get plenty of rest.
Maintain good nutrition. Remain active as you are able. Gentle exercise is encouraged such as a daily walk. If you experience symptoms or side effects, be sure to discuss them with your health care team. Monitoring and Testing: You will be checked regularly by your healthcare professional while you are taking interferon alfa, to monitor side effects and check your response to therapy. Periodic blood work to monitor your complete blood count CBC as well as the function of other organs such as your kidneys and liver will also be ordered by your doctor.
Your thyroid gland may also be affected by this medication. Your healthcare professional may order a blood test periodically to assess your thyroid function. An eye exam should be done if any changes in vision occur. If you have any heart conditions, additional test may be done to test your heart function.
How Interferon Alfa Works: Interferon alfa belongs to the category of therapies called biologic response modifiers BRM , also called immunotherapy. Have questions about chemotherapy? Interferon has important immunomodulatory properties, and treatment can induce autoimmune phenomena, the most frequent being autoimmune thyroiditis with either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, especially in predisposed patients.
Other autoimmune disease can be aggravated by interferon therapy. Severe and even life-threatening side effects of interferon occur in 0.
Some of these side effects may be irreversible. Some human blood products have transmitted certain viruses to people who have received them, although the risk is low. Human donors and donated blood are both tested for viruses to keep the transmission risk low. Talk with your doctor about this risk if you have questions. Check with your doctor if blurred vision, decreased vision, or any other change in vision occurs during your treatment.
Your doctor may want you to have your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist eye doctor. Check with your doctor right away if you have pain or tenderness in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, unusual tiredness or weakness, or yellow eyes or skin. These could be symptoms of a serious liver problem. This medicine may make you tired or unable to concentrate.
Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you. Interferon alfa-2b injection and ribavirin combination may cause a dry mouth. For temporary relief of mouth dryness, use sugarless candy or gum, melt bits of ice in your mouth, or use a saliva substitute.
However, if your mouth continues to feel dry for more than 2 weeks, check with your medical doctor or dentist. Continuing dryness of the mouth may increase the chance of dental disease, including tooth decay, gum disease, and fungus infections. Some patients who have used this medicine with ribavirin have had vomiting. If you vomit during or after your treatment, rinse your mouth out with water. This may also help prevent damage to your teeth and gums. Children who use interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin combination may have weight loss and slowed growth.
Most children have a growth spurt and gain weight after therapy ends. If you have questions about this, talk to your doctor. Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription over-the-counter [OTC] medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention. Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.
Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:. Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients.
If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional. Medically reviewed by Alan Carter, Pharm. Side effects Serious side effects How it is administered Seeing a doctor Interferon is a protein released by the cells of the body when they are under attack from a virus or other invader. What are the possible side effects? Share on Pinterest Side effects, such as a sore throat or nausea, may be mistaken for symptoms of another problem. Serious side effects.
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