Possible Side Effects of Treatment with Targretin Capsules
All medications have side effects. Ask your doctor any questions you have. This includes concerns about side effects.
Do not take Targretin capsules if you are pregnant or if you plan to become pregnant.
- Targretin capsules may harm your fetus (unborn baby). You should contact your doctor immediately if you believe or suspect you are pregnant while you are taking Targretin capsules and until one month after you stop taking Targretin capsules.
- If you are capable of becoming pregnant, you must have a pregnancy test within one week before you start Targretin capsule therapy and monthly while you are taking, confirming you are not pregnant.
- You must use effective contraception (birth control) continuously starting one month before beginning treatment with Targretin capsules until one month after you stop taking Targretin capsules. It is strongly recommended that two reliable forms of contraception be used together. At least one of these two forms of contraception should include condoms, diaphragms, cervical caps, IUDs, or spermicides.
- If you are male and your partner is pregnant or capable of becoming pregnant, you should discuss with your doctor the precautions you should take.
These are the most serious and/or most common side effects of Targretin capsules that you should discuss with your doctor:
- Targretin capsules can greatly increase blood levels of lipids (triglycerides and cholesterol) and these levels must be monitored and, if elevated, treated
- Targretin capsules can cause an underactive thyroid and periodic blood tests will be needed to detect this
- Before you start taking Targretin capsules, talk to your doctor if you have or previously had an inflamed pancreas (pancreatitis) or are taking gemfibrozil
- As an infrequent side effect of Targretin capsule treatment, pancreatitis (inflamed pancreas) may occur; symptoms of pancreatitis include persistent nausea, vomiting, and abdominal or back pain; if you develop any of these symptoms while taking Targretin capsules, contact your doctor immediately
- While taking Targretin capsules, your skin may become more sensitive to sunlight; extended exposure to sunlight or sunlamps should be minimized unless directed by your doctor
- Common side effects are an increase in blood lipids, headache, weakness, underactive thyroid, decreased white blood cells, and diarrhea
- You should not take Targretin capsules if you are allergic to bexarotene or to other retinoid medications, including:
- Accutane® (isotretinoin)*
- Soriatane® (acitretin)*
- Tegison® (etretinate)*
- Vesanoid® (tretinoin)*
- Talk to your doctor before taking Targretin capsules if you:
- Have ever had high triglyceride levels in your blood
- Have ever had diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes)
- Have a history of or currently have gallbladder disease or liver disease
- Regularly drink more than a small amount of alcohol
- Are currently taking any prescription medication, especially for fungal infections, bacterial infections, or seizures
- Taking Nolvadex® (tamoxifen)*
- Eat a lot of grapefruit or drink a lot of grapefruit juice
Eisai Inc.
100 Tice Blvd.
Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey 07677
All medications have side effects. You should call your physician regarding any questions or concerns you may have when taking Targretin capsules.
*Accutane® is a registered trademark of Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.; Soriatane® is a registered trademark of Stiefel Laboratories, Inc.; Tegison® and Vesanoid® are registered trademarks of Roche Laboratories Inc.; Nolvadex® is a registered trademark of AstraZeneca UK Limited.
