Precautions

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

It is very important that your doctor check your progress closely while receiving the medicine and at regular visits. This will allow your doctor to see if the medicine is working properly and to decide if you should continue to receive it. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

Receiving this medicine while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. If you can get pregnant, your doctor may do tests to make sure you are not pregnant before receiving this medicine. Use an effective form of birth control to keep from getting pregnant during treatment with this medicine and for 7 months after the last dose. If you think you have become pregnant while receiving the medicine, tell your doctor right away.

Your doctor may test your heart before you start receiving trastuzumab-strf injection and while you are getting treatments with this medicine. This medicine may cause heart problems (eg, heart failure, heart rhythm problems, heart failure, heart muscle problems, and high blood pressure). Check with your doctor right away if you have blurred vision, chest pain or tightness, decreased urine output, dilated neck veins, dizziness, extreme fatigue, fainting, fast or slow heartbeat, headache, irregular breathing, irregular heartbeat, nervousness, pounding in the ears, swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs, trouble breathing, or weight gain.

This medicine may cause infusion reactions, which can be life threatening and require immediate medical attention. Check with your doctor right away if you have blurred vision, confusion, dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position, facial swelling, fever or chills, headache, nausea or vomiting, skin rash, sweating, trouble breathing, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

Check with your doctor right away if you have chest pain or tightness, confusion, cough, dizziness, fast heartbeat, fever, trouble breathing, or unusual tiredness or weakness. These may be symptoms of serious lung problems.

This medicine can temporarily lower the number of white blood cells in your blood, increasing the chance of getting an infection. It can also lower the number of platelets, which are necessary for proper blood clotting. If this occurs, there are certain precautions you can take, especially when your blood count is low, to reduce the risk of infection or bleeding:

  • If you can, avoid people with infections. Check with your doctor immediately if you think you are getting an infection or if you have fever or chills, cough or hoarseness, lower back or side pain, or painful or difficult urination.
  • Check with your doctor immediately if you notice any unusual bleeding or bruising, black, tarry stools, blood in the urine or stools, or pinpoint red spots on your skin.
  • Be careful when using a regular toothbrush, dental floss, or toothpick. Your medical doctor, dentist, or nurse may recommend other ways to clean your teeth and gums. Check with your medical doctor before having any dental work done.
  • Do not touch your eyes or the inside of your nose unless you have just washed your hands and have not touched anything else in the meantime.
  • Be careful not to cut yourself when you are using sharp objects such as a safety razor or fingernail or toenail cutters.
  • Avoid contact sports or other situations where bruising or injury could occur.

Do not use an anthracycline medicine for up to 7 months after stopping treatment with medicines containing trastuzumab.