Patient Leaflet Updated 23-Feb-2017 | Aspen
Melphalan 2 mg Tablets
Melphalan 2mg tablets
melphalan
1. What Melphalan is and what it is used for
2. Before you take Melphalan
3. How to take Melphalan
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Melphalan
6. Further information
Melphalan tablets contain a medicine called melphalan. This belongs to a group of medicines called cytotoxics (also called chemotherapy). Melphalan is used to treat cancer. It works by reducing the number of abnormal cells your body makes.
Melphalan is used for:
Ask your doctor if you would like more explanation about these diseases.
Do not take if the above applies to you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Melphalan.
Before you take Melphalan, tell your doctor or pharmacist if:
If you are not sure if any of the above apply to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Melphalan.
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription. This includes herbal medicines.
In particular, you must tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following:
If you are going to have a vaccination speak to your doctor or nurse before you have it. This is because some vaccines (like polio, measles, mumps and rubella) may give you an infection if you have them whilst you are taking Melphalan.
Do not take Melphalan if you are planning to have a baby. This applies to both men and women. Melphalan may harm your sperm or eggs. Reliable contraceptive precautions must be taken to avoid pregnancy whilst you or your partner is taking these tablets. Ask your doctor for advice.
If you are already pregnant, it is important to talk to your doctor before taking Melphalan.
Do not breast-feed while taking Melphalan. Ask your doctor or midwife for advice.
Melphalan should only be given to you by a specialist doctor who is experienced in treating blood problems or cancer.
Always take Melphalan exactly as your doctor has told you. It is important to take your medicine at the right times. The label on your pack will tell you how many tablets to take and how often to take them. If the label doesn't say or if you are not sure, ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
The dose of Melphalan depends on your blood problem or cancer (see section 1).
Multiple myeloma
Advanced ovarian adenocarcinoma
Advanced breast carcinoma
Polycythaemia vera
If you take more Melphalan than you should, tell your doctor immediately or go to a hospital straight away. Take the medicine pack with you.
Tell your doctor. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
Like all medicines, Melphalan can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Talk to your doctor if you have any of the following side effects which may also happen with this medicine:
Very common (affects more than 1 in 10 people)
Common (affects less than 1 in 10 people)
Rare (affects less than 1 in 1,000 people)
The following side effects also happen with Melphalan:
If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.
The active ingredient is melphalan. Each Melphalan tablet contains 2 mg of melphalan. The other ingredients are microcrystalline cellulose, crospovidone, colloidal anhydrous silica, magnesium stearate, hypromellose, titanium dioxide and macrogol.
Melphalan tablets are white to off-white film-coated, round, biconvex tablets engraved with ‘GX EH3’ on one side and ‘A’ on the other. Your Melphalan tablets are in bottles of 25 tablets.
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0800 198 5000 (UK only).
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Product name: Melphalan 2 mg tablets
Reference number: PL 39699/ 0043
This is a service provided by the Royal National Institute of Blind People.
Leaflet date: 01/2017
3016 Lake Drive, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24, Ireland
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