Tyverb 250mg tablets

Tyverb is used in combination with other medicines to treat certain types of breast cancer. In cases where other treatments for breast cancer have not been successful, it is used in combination with another medicine called capecitabine. In people who have not yet had treatment, Tyverb is given with a type of medicine called an aromatase inhibitor.

Your medical team will discuss with you the options for treating your cancer. They will take into account factors such as the type of cancer, where it is, which stage it is at and whether you have had treatment before. The results of blood tests and other investigations will also be considered.

How well you feel and how you are likely to cope with treatment is also important.

Your cancer treatment will usually consist of a treatment session with Tyverb followed by a break of a number of days before the next treatment session with Tyverb. This cycle may be repeated many times as part of your cancer treatment.

Tyverb is only used to treat breast cancers which contain a large amount of a particular protein (chemical) called HER-2. HER-2 is found in large amounts on the surface of some breast cancers and it causes the cancer to grow larger and more quickly. Tyverb blocks the effects of HER-2 and it can help stop these breast cancers from growing.

As well as damaging cancer cells in the body. Tyverb also affects healthy cells and treatment with Tyverb may cause damage to your heart or lungs. Your medical team may arrange for you to have tests to monitor these effects.

Do not share your medicine with other people. It may not be suitable for them and may harm them.

The pharmacy label on your medicine tells you how much medicine you should take. It also tells you how often you should take your medicine. This is the dose that you and your prescriber have agreed you should take. You should not change the dose of your medicine unless you are told to do so by your prescriber.

If you feel that the medicine is making you unwell or you do not think it is working, then talk to your prescriber.

Some medicines work best if they are taken at a specific time of day. Getting the most from your medicine can also be affected by what you eat, when you eat and the times at which you take other medicines.

In the case of Tyverb:

Some medicines have specific instructions about how to take them. This is because they work better when taken correctly. These instructions can include getting the right dose and special instructions for preparing the medicine. Make sure you follow any specific instructions given to you by your prescriber or that are in the Patient Information Leaflet that comes with this medicine.

If you are having problems taking this medicine, you should talk to your prescriber or pharmacist. They may be able to give you advice on other ways to take your medicine or other medicines that are easier for you to take.

Taking extra doses of some medicines can be harmful. In some cases even one extra dose can cause you problems. If you take extra doses of your medicine, you must get medical advice immediately. You may need a test to assess the effect of taking extra doses. This is because the effects of taking too much medicine are very complex so it is very important that you seek medical advice.

Contact your prescriber, pharmacist, specialist clinic or NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 for advice.

Make sure you take all of your medicine containers with you if you are advised to go to hospital.

The person in charge of your care will make the decision about when you should stop this medicine. If you experience any problems while taking this medicine, talk to someone who is involved in your medical care.

If you are in any doubt, contact your prescriber, pharmacist, specialist clinic or NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

The instructions on how you should keep your medicine are on the pharmacy label. You should keep your medicine in the original container. This will help to keep your medicine in the best condition and also allow you to check the instructions. Do not take the medicine if the packaging appears to have been tampered with or if the medicine shows any signs of damage. Make sure that the medicine is out of the sight and reach of children.

In the case of Tyverb:

You must not take the medicine after the expiry date shown on the packaging. If you have any unused medicine, return it to your pharmacist who will dispose of it safely.

Tyverb is not suitable for everyone and some people should never use it. Other people should only use it with special care. It is important that the person prescribing this medicine knows your full medical history.

Your prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all if you:

Furthermore the prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all for a child.

As part of the process of assessing suitability to take this medicine a prescriber may also arrange tests:

Over time it is possible that Tyverb can become unsuitable for some people, or they may become unsuitable for it. If at any time it appears that Tyverb has become unsuitable, it is important that the prescriber is contacted immediately.

A medicine is only made available to the public if the clinical trials have shown that the benefits of taking the medicine outweigh the risks.

Once a medicine has been licensed, information on the medicine's effects, both intended and unintended, is continuously recorded and updated.

Some side-effects may be serious while others may only be a mild inconvenience.

Everyone's reaction to a medicine is different. It is difficult to predict which side-effects you will have from taking a particular medicine, or whether you will have any side-effects at all. The important thing is to tell your prescriber or pharmacist if you are having problems with your medicine.

As part of treatment, this medicine may be used in combination with other medicines. The information included here relates to the side-effects caused by Tyverb taken on its own and also the combination of this medicine with other medicines that it is usually given with. There may be more information on the side-effects of Tyverb in the Patient Information Leaflet for Tyverb.

Very common: More than 1 in 10 people who take Tyverb in combination with an aromatase inhibitor :

• back pain
• breathing difficulties
• cough
• dry skin
• hair loss
• headaches
• hot flushes
• itching
• joint pain
• nose bleed
• pain in extremities
• weakness

Common: More than 1 in 100 people who take Tyverb in combination with an aromatase inhibitor :

• constipation

Uncommon: More than 1 in 1000 people who take Tyverb:

• lung problems - some of these may be fatal. Seek medical advice if you have breathing difficulties, cough or fever

Rare: More than 1 in 10,000 people who take Tyverb:

• hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylaxis

Very common: More than 1 in 10 people who take Tyverb:

• diarrhoea - this may lead to dehydration. You must stop taking Tyverb and seek medical advice if you get diarrhoea
• loss of appetite
• nausea
• skin rash or rashes - avoid exposure to sunlight and apply sunscreen
• tiredness
• vomiting

Common: More than 1 in 100 people who take Tyverb:

• abnormal laboratory test results
• heart problems - some of these may be fatal. Seek medical advice if you have difficulty breathing or palpitations
• liver problems - some of these may be fatal
• nail problems

The frequency of these side-effects is unknown:

• cramping pain
• feeling dizzy
• kidney failure - following dehydration
• thirst

Very common: More than 1 in 10 people who take Tyverb in combination with capecitabine :

• back pain
• constipation
• difficulty sleeping
• dry skin
• hand-foot syndrome
• indigestion
• inflammation of the mouth
• pain in extremities
• stomach pain

Common: More than 1 in 100 people who take Tyverb in combination with capecitabine :

• headaches

If you feel unwell or if you have concerns about a side-effect, you will need to seek advice. If you feel very ill, get medical help straight away. Contact your prescriber, pharmacist, nurse or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

If you are taking more than one medicine they may interact with each other. At times your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, in other cases this may not be appropriate.

The decision to use medicines that interact depends on your specific circumstances. Your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, if it is believed that the benefits of taking the medicines together outweigh the risks. In such cases, it may be necessary to alter your dose or monitor you more closely.

Tell your prescriber the names of all the medicines that you are taking so that they can consider all possible interactions. This includes all the medicines which have been prescribed by your GP, hospital doctor, dentist, nurse, health visitor, midwife or pharmacist. You must also tell your prescriber about medicines which you have bought over the counter without prescriptions.

The following medicines may interact with Tyverb:

The following types of medicine may interact with Tyverb:

If you are taking Tyverb and one of the above medicines or types of medicines, make sure your prescriber knows about it.

Medicines can interact with complementary preparations and vitamins.

Make sure you tell your prescriber the names of all the complementary preparations and vitamins that you are taking or are planning to take.

Your prescriber can then decide whether it is appropriate for you to take combinations that are known to interact.

In the case of Tyverb:

If you have been prescribed Tyverb you should only take something on the above list on the specific advice of your prescriber or pharmacist.

When taking any medicine you should be aware that it might interfere with your ability to drive or operate machinery safely.

Like all medicines Tyverb can cause side effects. You should see how this medicine affects you and then judge if you are safe to drive or operate machinery. If you are in any doubt, talk to your prescriber.

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your prescriber may advise you to avoid certain foods.

In the case of Tyverb:

If your diet includes any of the above, speak to your prescriber or pharmacist for further advice.

Alcohol can interact with certain medicines.

In the case of Tyverb:

Most medicines, in some way, can affect the development of a baby in the womb. The effect on the baby differs between medicines and also depends on the stage of pregnancy that you have reached when you take the medicine.

In the case of Tyverb:

You need to discuss your specific circumstances with your doctor to weigh up the overall risks and benefits of taking this medicine. You and your doctor can make a decision about whether you are going to take this medicine during pregnancy.

If the decision is that you should not have Tyverb, then you should discuss whether there is an alternative medicine that you could take during pregnancy.

Certain medicines can pass into breast milk and may reach your baby through breast-feeding.

In the case of Tyverb:

Before you have your baby you should discuss breast-feeding with your doctor or midwife. They will help you decide what is best for you and your baby based on the benefits and risks associated with this medicine. If you wish to breast-feed you should discuss with your prescriber whether there are any other medicines you could take which would also allow you to breast-feed. You should not stop this medicine without taking advice from your doctor.

Medicines contain active ingredients. They may also contain other, additional ingredients that help ensure the stability, safety and effectiveness of the medicine. They are also added to improve the medicine's taste and appearance and to make it easier to take. Some may be used to prolong the life of the medicine.

You should check that you are able to take the ingredients in your medicine, especially if you have any allergies.

Tyverb contains:

If you are not able to take any of the ingredients in your medicine, talk to your prescriber or pharmacist to see if they can suggest an alternative medicine. If you have reacted badly to Tyverb before, do not take Tyverb. Talk to your prescriber, pharmacist or nurse as soon as possible.