Busulfex Injection : Uses, Side Effects, Interactions & More

IMPORTANT WARNING:

Busulfex injection can cause a severe decrease in the number of blood cells in the bone marrow. Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the medicines you are taking. If you receive Busulfex with other medications that can cause a low blood count, the side effects of the medications may be more serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: fever, sore throat, ongoing cough and congestion, or other signs of infection; unusual bleeding or bruising.

Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order laboratory tests before, during, and after your treatment to check your body’s response to Busulfex to see if your blood cells are affected by this medicine.

Busulfex can increase your risk of developing other cancers. Talk to your doctor about the risks of receiving Busulfex.

Why is this medication prescribed?

Busulfex injection (Busulfan injection) is used to treat a certain type of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML; a type of cancer of the white blood cells) in combination with other medications to destroy bone marrow and cancer cells in preparation for a bone marrow transplant. Busulfex belongs to a class of medications called alkylating agents. It works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells in your body.

How should this medicine be used?

Busulfex comes as a solution (liquid) that a doctor or nurse must give intravenously (into a vein) over 2 hours at a medical facility. It is usually given every 6 hours for 4 days (for a total of 16 doses) before bone marrow transplantation.

Busulfex injection can cause seizures during drug therapy. Your doctor will give you another medicine to help prevent seizures before and during Busulfex injection therapy.

Other uses for this medicine

Busulfex injection is also used in combination with other medications to destroy bone marrow and cancer cells in preparation for a bone marrow transplant in people with other types of cancer.

This medicine may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

What special precautions should I follow?

Before receiving Busulfex injection,

  • Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to Busulfex, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in Busulfex injection. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.
  • Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: acetaminophen (Tylenol); clozapine (Clozaril, FazaClo); cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Gengraf, Neoral); itraconazole (Sporanox); medications for mental illness and nausea; or meperidine (Demerol). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you closely for side effects. Many other medications can also interact with Busulfex, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list.
  • Tell your doctor if you have previously received radiation therapy or other chemotherapy, or if you have ever had a seizure or a head injury.
  • You should know that Busulfex can interfere with the normal menstrual cycle (period) in women, can stop sperm production in men, and can cause infertility (difficulty getting pregnant). However, you should not assume that you or your partner cannot get pregnant. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. You should not plan to have children while you are receiving chemotherapy or for a time after treatments. (Talk to your doctor for more details). Use a reliable method of birth control to prevent pregnancy. If you become pregnant while receiving Busulfex, call your doctor immediately. Busulfex can harm the fetus.

What side effects can this medication cause?

Busulfex may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

  • nausea
  • diarrhea
  • loss of appetite
  • weight loss
  • constipation
  • sores in the mouth and throat
  • dry mouth
  • headache
  • difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
  • feeling unusually anxious or worried
  • dizziness
  • swelling of the face, arms, hands, feet, ankles or lower legs
  • chest pain
  • joint, muscle or back pain
  • rash
  • itching and dry skin
  • darkened skin
  • hair loss

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:

  • black, tarry stools
  • red urine
  • vomiting
  • stomach pain
  • unusual tiredness or weakness
  • difficulty breathing
  • seizures

Busulfex can cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while receiving this medicine.

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor can submit a report online to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).

What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?

This medication will be stored in the hospital or medical facility where you receive each dose

In case of emergency/overdose

In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. If the victim collapsed, had a seizure, is having trouble breathing, or is unable to wake up, immediately call 911 for emergency services.

Symptoms of overdose may include the following:

  • black, tarry stools
  • red urine
  • unusual bruising or bleeding
  • unusual tiredness or weakness

What other information should I know?

Keep all your appointments with your doctor.

It is important that you keep a written list of all prescription and over-the-counter (over-the-counter) medications you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should take this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you go into hospital. It is also important information to take with you in case of emergencies.

Brand Names

  • Busulfex® Injection

Other Names

  • Busulphan

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.

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