Consumer medicine information

UROMITEXAN Injection

Mesna Injection


Consumer Medicine Information

What is in this leaflet

This leaflet answers some common questions about UROMITEXAN Injection.

It does not contain all the available information.

It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.

All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you being given UROMITEXAN Injection against the benefits they expect it will have for you.

If you have any concerns about having this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Keep this leaflet in a safe place. You may need to read it again.

What UROMITEXAN Injection is used for

UROMITEXAN Injection is a protective agent which is used to prevent damage to your bladder and urinary system, that may be caused by some drugs used to treat cancer or auto-immune diseases. These drugs can cause a condition of the bladder, with pain in the bladder or back and blood in the urine. UROMITEXAN Injection can help prevent this.

Your doctor may have prescribed UROMITEXAN Injection for another reason. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why UROMITEXAN Injection has been prescribed for you.

Your doctor may decide to give you some of your doses in the form of UROMITEXAN Tablets instead of UROMITEXAN Injection. Both work just as well.

UROMITEXAN Injection is not addictive.

This medicine is available only with a doctor’s prescription.

Before you are given UROMITEXAN Injection

When you must not be given it

Do not have UROMITEXAN Injection if you have an allergy to UROMITEXAN Injection or any related products (thiols), or to any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction to UROMITEXAN Injection may include:

  • shortness of breath, wheezing, difficulty breathing or a tight feeling in your chest
  • swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
  • rash, itching, hives or flushed, red skin
  • dizziness or lightheadedness
  • fast heart beat

If you are not sure whether you should start having UROMITEXAN Injection, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Before you are given it

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have allergies to:

  • any other medicines
  • any other substances, such as foods, preservatives or dyes

Tell your doctor if you have or have had any medical conditions, especially the following:

  • bladder problems
  • auto-immune disease

Tell your doctor if you have had radiation therapy to the area of the pelvis. This could mean you need a higher dose of UROMITEXAN Injection.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of having your medicines during pregnancy.

Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed. It is not known whether UROMITEXAN passes into breast milk. There is also the possibility that the breast-fed baby may be affected by the anti-cancer medicines you are receiving.

If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you start having UROMITEXAN Injection.

Taking other medicines

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are having any other medicines, including any that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop. It is possible that some medicines and UROMITEXAN Injection may interfere with each other.

How UROMITEXAN Injection is given

How much is given

Your doctor will decide what dose of UROMITEXAN Injection you will receive. This depends mainly on the dose of the anti-cancer medicines you are receiving, and other factors such as any bladder problems you have had in the past.

Ask your doctor if you want to know more about the dose of UROMITEXAN Injection you receive.

How it is given

UROMITEXAN Injection is usually given as an injection into your veins (intravenously).

It may be given either as an injection approximately every 4 hours, or continuously, as an infusion (drip) mixed with other liquids.

How long it is given

UROMITEXAN Injection is usually given just before, during, and for a few hours after each dose of your anti-cancer medicine.

Overdose

As UROMITEXAN Injection is given to you under the supervision of your doctor, it is very unlikely that you will receive too much. However, if you experience any side effects after being given UROMITEXAN Injection, tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital. You may need urgent medical attention.

Symptoms of a UROMITEXAN Injection overdose include the side effects listed below in the ‘Side Effects’ section, but are usually of a more severe nature.

While you are having UROMITEXAN Injection

Things you must do

Be sure to keep all your doctor’s appointments so your progress can be checked. Your doctor may want to check your urine and do some other tests from time to time to check on your progress and detect any unwanted side effects.

Be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions about other medicines you should take, and other things you should do. The protective effect of UROMITEXAN Injection applies only to the bladder and urinary system. You may still need to take additional medicines to protect other body systems.

Your doctor may also advise you to drink extra fluid while you are receiving UROMITEXAN Injection. This will help to prevent damage to your bladder and urinary system. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

Tell your doctor or nurse if you experience any pain at the injection site.

Tell any other doctors, dentists, and pharmacists who are treating you that you are having UROMITEXAN Injection.

If you are about to be started on any new medicine, tell your doctor, dentist or pharmacist that you are having UROMITEXAN Injection.

If you become pregnant while having UROMITEXAN Injection, tell your doctor.

If you are having any tests on your urine such as for diabetic acidosis, tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are having UROMITEXAN Injection. UROMITEXAN Injection can interfere with some urine tests.

Things to be careful of

Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how UROMITEXAN Injection affects you. As with many other medicines, UROMITEXAN Injection may cause dizziness, light-headedness, and tiredness in some people. Make sure you know how you react to UROMITEXAN Injection before you drive a car, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or light-headed. If this occurs do not drive. If you drink alcohol, dizziness or light-headedness may be worse.

Side effects

Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are having UROMITEXAN Injection. UROMITEXAN Injection may have unwanted side effects. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.

Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you:

  • headache
  • tiredness, sleepiness
  • nausea, vomiting
  • diarrhoea, soft stools
  • wind
  • constipation
  • abdominal pain
  • loss of appetite
  • bad taste in the mouth
  • fever
  • chills, shivering
  • flushing
  • cough
  • sore throat
  • dizziness
  • pain in the arms or legs
  • pain in the back or joints
  • pain at the injection site

These are the more common or less serious side effects of UROMITEXAN Injection.

If any of the following happen, tell your doctor or nurse immediately, or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital:

Sudden life-threatening allergic reaction, with symptoms such as:

  • shortness of breath, wheezing, fast breathing, difficulty breathing or a tight feeling in your chest
  • swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
  • rash, itching, hives or flushed, red skin
  • conjunctivitis
  • dizziness or light-headedness
  • fast heart beat
  • muscle pain
  • bleeing or bruising more easily than normal

These allergic reactions occur more often in patients being treated for auto-immune diseases than in patients being treated for cancer.

These are very serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation.

Other side effects not listed above may occur in some patients. Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.

Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.

The benefits and side effects of UROMITEXAN Injection may take some time to occur. Therefore even after you have finished your treatment with UROMITEXAN Injection you should tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the side effects listed in this section.

Storage

UROMITEXAN Injection will be stored in the pharmacy or on the ward. It is kept in a cool dry place, where the temperature stays below 30 deg C.

Product description

What it looks like

UROMITEXAN Injection is a clear, colourless liquid in a clear glass ampoule. Each ampoule is used only once and any left over material is discarded.

Ingredients

Active ingredient:

  • mesna

Other ingredients

  • disodium edetate
  • sodium hydroxide
  • water for injection

UROMITEXAN Injection does not contain lactose, sucrose, gluten, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.

Sponsor

Baxter Healthcare Pty Limited
(ABN 43 000 392 781)
1 Baxter Drive
Old Toongabbie NSW 2146

UROMITEXAN Injection is available in the following sizes:

400mg/4mL AUST R 46627
1g/10mL AUST R 46629

Date of Preparation of this leaflet:
5 April 2006

UROMITEXAN is a trademark of Baxter Healthcare S.A.

Published by MIMS July 2006