Signifor

Uses

SIGNIFOR is a prescription medicine used to treat Cushing’s disease in adults who cannot have surgery or have failed surgery. It is not known if it is safe and effective in children.

Side Effects Of Signifor

SIGNIFOR can cause serious side effects, including:

• Low cortisol levels in your blood (hypocortisolism). Tell your doctor right away if you have any signs and symptoms of hypocortisolism. Signs and symptoms of hypocortisolism  may include:
  • weakness
  • fatigue
  • loss of appetite
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • low blood pressure
  • low level of sodium in your blood
  • low blood sugar
• If you get hypocortisolism while taking SIGNIFOR, your doctor may change your dose or ask you to stop taking it.
• High blood sugar (hyperglycemia). Your doctor should check your blood sugar level before you start taking SIGNIFOR and while you take it. Signs and symptoms of hyperglycemia may include:
  • excessive thirst
  • high urine output
  • increased appetite with weight loss
  • tiredness
• If you get hyperglycemia while taking SIGNIFOR, your doctor may give you another medicine to take to lower your blood sugar. Your doctor may also change your dose or ask you to stop taking it.

The most common side effects of SIGNIFOR include:

• diarrhea
• nausea
• high blood sugar
• headache
• abdominal pain
• fatigue
• diabetes mellitus
• injection-site reactions
• common cold
• hair loss
• weakness
• fluid retention
• Abnormal blood test result for glycosylated hemoglobin (the level of glycosylated hemoglobin indicates the average blood sugar level over the previous months)
• Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

These are not all the possible side effects. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Warnings & Precautions

Before you take SIGNIFOR, tell your doctor if you:

• have or have had high blood sugar (hyperglycemia)
• have diabetes
• have or have had heart problems
• have a history of low levels of potassium or magnesium in your blood
• have or have had liver problems
• have or have had gallstones
• have any other medical conditions
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. SIGNIFOR may harm your unborn baby.
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if SIGNIFOR passes into your breast milk. You and your doctor should decide if you will take SIGNIFOR or breastfeed.

You should not do both.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Taking it with certain other medicines can affect each other and cause side effects.

Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• medicines to control your heartbeat (antiarrhythmics)

• medicines that can affect the electrical system of your heart (QT prolongation)
• medicines to control your blood pressure (such as beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers)
• medicines to control the electrolyte (such as potassium or magnesium) levels in your blood
• cyclosporine (Gengraf®, Neoral®, Restasis®, Sandimmune®)
• bromocriptine (Cycloset®, Parlodel®)

Ask your doctor for a list of these medicines, if you are not sure.

Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them to show to your doctor and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

Dosage Of Signifor

Use SIGNIFOR exactly as your doctor tells you to.

• Your doctor may change your dose if needed.
• Before you use it for the first time, your doctor should do a blood test to check your blood sugar levels and your liver tests.
• Before you use SIGNIFOR for the first time, your doctor should do a test to check your heart (electrocardiogram) and your gallbladder (ultrasound).
• SIGNIFOR should be clear and colorless. Before you inject your dose, check to make sure that SIGNIFOR is clear and colorless and does not have any clumps or particles in it.
• SIGNIFOR is given as an injection into the fat just under your skin (subcutaneous injection).
• Do not inject SIGNIFOR into the skin that is red or irritated.
• The recommended injection sites for SIGNIFOR are the top of your thigh or stomach area (abdomen).
• Change (rotate) your injection site with each dose. Do not inject SIGNIFOR into the exact same spot for each injection.
• Your doctor should show you how to prepare and give your dose of SIGNIFOR before you use it for the first time.
• You should not inject SIGNIFOR until your doctor has shown you how to use it the right way.

If you take too much, tell your doctor right away

Other

Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Medication Guide. Do not use SIGNIFOR for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give SIGNIFOR to other people, even if they have the same symptoms that you have. It may harm them. This Medication Guide summarizes the most important information about SIGNIFOR. If you would like more information, talk to your doctor. You can ask your pharmacist or doctor for information about SIGNIFOR that is written for health professionals.

Source

All information has been provided courtesy of MedLinePlus from the National Library of Medicine and from the FDA.