Balversa-Uses-side effects-dosage-interactions and Reviews
What is the purpose of this medication?
Balversa (Erdafitinib) is used to treat certain types of urothelial cancer (cancer of the bladder and other parts of the urinary tract) that have spread to nearby tissues or other parts of the body and have worsened during or after treatment with other chemotherapy medications. Balversa (Erdafitinib) belongs to a family of drugs known as kinase inhibitors. It works by preventing an aberrant protein from signaling cancer cells to proliferate. This aids in slowing or stopping the spread of cancer cells.
Balversa (Erdafitinib)-Uses-side effects-dosage-interactions and Reviews
How should this medication be administered?
Balversa (Erdafitinib) is available as an oral tablet. It is typically taken once day, with or without meals. Every day, take Balversa (Erdafitinib) around the same time. Follow the instructions on your prescription label exactly, and ask your doctor or chemist to explain any parts you don’t understand. Balversa (Erdafitinib) should be taken exactly as prescribed. Do not take more or less of it, or take it more frequently than your doctor has suggested.
Do not split, chew, or crush the pills; instead, swallow them whole.
Do not take another dosage of Balversa (Erdafitinib) if you vomit after taking it. Maintain your usual dosage regimen.
If you have specific adverse effects, your doctor may reduce your dose or temporarily or permanently discontinue your therapy. Tell your doctor how you’re feeling during your Balversa (Erdafitinib) treatment. Do not discontinue Balversa (Erdafitinib) without first seeing your doctor.
Request a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient from your chemist or doctor.
Other use for this medication
This drug may also be recommended for other purposes; consult your doctor or chemist for additional details.
What further measures should I take?
Tell your doctor and chemist if you are allergic to Balversa (Erdafitinib), any other drugs, or any of the chemicals in Balversa (Erdafitinib) tablets before starting treatment. For a list of the components, see your chemist or the Medication Guide.
Inform your doctor and chemist about any other prescription and nonprescription drugs, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal items you are now taking or intend to use while on Balversa (Erdafitinib). Your doctor may need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or closely monitor you for adverse effects.
Inform your doctor if you have ever been told that you have excessive phosphorus levels in your blood, or if you have or have ever had eye or vision issues, kidney or liver illness.
Inform your doctor if you are pregnant, intend to get pregnant, or intend to father a child. If you are a female, you must take a pregnancy test before beginning therapy and use birth control to avoid pregnancy during treatment and for one month after your last dosage. If you are a man, you and your partner should take birth control during your Balversa (Erdafitinib) therapy and for one month following the last dosage. Consult your doctor about birth control techniques that you can take while undergoing therapy. Call your doctor right away if you or your partner become pregnant while taking Balversa (Erdafitinib). Balversa (Erdafitinib) may be harmful to the foetus.
If you are nursing, inform your doctor. You should not breastfeed while taking Balversa (Erdafitinib) and for at least one month following the last dosage.
You should be aware that this medicine may reduce female fertility. Discuss the dangers of Balversa (Erdafitinib) with your doctor.
You should be aware that this drug may cause dry eyes and other significant eye issues. During your Balversa (Erdafitinib) therapy, your doctor may advise you to use artificial tears or lubricant eye drops.
READ MORE: Erdafitinib-Uses-side effects-dosage-interactions and Reviews
What dietary restrictions should I observe?
Your doctor may advise you to eat a low-phosphorus diet. Follow these instructions exactly. Consult your doctor about meals that are rich in phosphorus.
What should I do if I forget to take a medication?
If you recollect the missed dosage on the day it was scheduled to be taken, take it as soon as you remember it on that day. If you don’t recall the missed dosage until the next day, skip it and proceed with your usual dosing regimen. Do not duplicate the dose to make up for a missing one.
What are the potential Side effects of this medication?
Balversa (Erdafitinib) may have unwanted side effects. Inform your doctor if any of the following symptoms are severe or persistent:
nausea
diarrhoea and vomiting
constipation
lip, mouth, or throat sores
arid mouth
Taste changes and stomach discomfort
reduced appetite
slimming down
odd hair loss or thinning
Fever, muscular or joint ache
Urination causes burning
weariness or fatigue
breathing difficulty
Some of the negative effects might be severe. If you have any of the following symptoms, stop taking Balversa (Erdafitinib) and contact your doctor right away:
vision blurring, loss of eyesight, or other visual alterations
Itchy, dry, uncomfortable, or cracked skin rash swelling, soreness, redness, or peeling of skin on the palms and soles of the feet muscular cramps, numbness, or tingling around the lips
Other adverse effects of ervafitinib are possible. If you have any odd side effects while taking this medicine, contact your doctor.
If you have a significant adverse event, you or your doctor can report it to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).
What should I know about this medication’s storage and disposal?
Keep this medication in its original container, properly closed, and out of the reach of children. It should be stored at room temperature, away from excessive heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).
It is critical to keep all medicine out of children’s sight and access since many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are readily opened by young children. To keep small children safe from poisoning, always lock the safety caps and immediately store the medication in a safe location out of their sight and reach. http://www.upandaway.org
Unwanted drugs should be disposed of in a certain manner so that dogs, children, and other people cannot swallow them. You should not, however, dump this drug down the toilet. Instead, a medicine take-back programme is the best approach to dispose of your medicines. Learn about take-back programmes in your neighbourhood by speaking with your chemist or contacting your local garbage/recycling agency. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website (http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p) for additional information.
In the event of an emergency or an overdose
In the event of an overdose, dial 1-800-222-1222 for poison control. There is additional information accessible online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. If the person has collapsed, had a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be woken, dial 911 immediately.
What else should I be aware of?
Keep all of your doctor’s, eye doctor’s, and laboratory appointments. Your doctor will request blood tests to monitor your body’s reaction to Balversa (Erdafitinib). Before you begin therapy, your doctor will run a lab test to determine whether your cancer can be treated with Balversa (Erdafitinib).
It is critical that you keep a written record of all prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medications you are taking, as well as any vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should carry this list with you whenever you go to the doctor or are admitted to the hospital. It is also crucial to have this information on hand in case of an emergency.
Disclaimer: DrLinex has made every effort to ensure that all information is factually accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date. However, this article should not be used as a licensed health care professional’s choice of knowledge and expertise. You should always consult your doctor or other health care professional before taking any medication. The information given here is subject to change and it has not been used to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions or adverse effects. The lack of warning or other information for any drug does not indicate that the combination of medicine or medication is safe, effective or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.