{"id":21846,"date":"2022-06-10T11:24:45","date_gmt":"2022-06-10T11:24:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/?p=21846"},"modified":"2022-06-10T12:22:15","modified_gmt":"2022-06-10T12:22:15","slug":"relistor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/medicines\/relistor\/","title":{"rendered":"Relistor &#8211; Methylnaltrexone bromide uses, dose and side effects"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>12 mg \/ 0.6 ml&nbsp;solution&nbsp;for injection<br>Methylnaltrexone bromide<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Relistor is and what it is used for<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Relistor contains an active substance called methylnaltrexone bromide, which works by blocking the&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;of opioid painkillers that affect the intestines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Relistor treats constipation caused by medicines for moderate to severe pain called\u00a0opioids\u00a0(eg morphine,\u00a0codeine\u00a0).\u00a0It is used in patients when the effect of other medicines for constipation, called\u00a0laxatives, has been insufficient.\u00a0Opioids\u00a0are prescribed by doctors.\u00a0Your doctor will tell you if you should stop taking or continue to take your regular\u00a0laxatives\u00a0when you start using this medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This medicine should only be used by adults (18 years and older).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What you need to know before using Relistor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do not use Relistor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>If you are allergic to methylnaltrexone bromide or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).<\/li><li>If you or your doctor know that you have a bowel obstruction (intestinal obstruction) or if you need immediate abdominal surgery (which has been diagnosed by your doctor).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Warnings and cautions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using Relistor<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>If you have severe stomach symptoms that are persistent or worsening, contact your doctor immediately as these may be symptoms that a hole is forming in the intestinal wall (intestinal perforation).\u00a0See section 4.<\/li><li>If you have Crohn&#8217;s disease or ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract<\/li><li>If you feel nauseous, vomit, shiver, sweat, have abdominal pain, and\/or feel your heart beat faster shortly after taking Relistor, talk to your doctor.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>If you have severe liver or kidney disease.<\/li><li>If you have severe or persistent diarrhea (repeated watery stools), you should stop treatment and contact a doctor immediately.<\/li><li>It is important to be close to a toilet with help if needed, as bowel movements can occur within 30 minutes after\u00a0injection\u00a0of the drug.<\/li><li>Tell your doctor if you experience abdominal pain that continues, (feels) nausea or vomiting (vomiting) that is new or gets worse.<\/li><li>Also tell your doctor if you have a\u00a0colostomy,\u00a0peritoneal\u00a0catheter\u00a0(a tube that goes into your abdomen), or suffer from the diverticular disease (intestinal pockets) or fecal matter, as this medicine should be used with caution in such cases.<\/li><li>If you are receiving treatment to relieve pain and suffering (\u00a0palliative\u00a0care) for your severe illness, this medicine will only be used for a limited time, usually less than 4 months.<\/li><li>This medicine should not be used to treat patients with constipation that is not related to\u00a0opioid\u00a0use.\u00a0Tell your doctor if you have previously suffered from constipation after using\u00a0opioids\u00a0(for pain).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Children and young people<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Do not give this medicine to children and adolescents under 18 years of age, as the potential risk and benefits are not known.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other drugs and Relistor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken, or might take any other medicines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your doctor may allow you to take other medicines, including those used for constipation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pregnancy and breastfeeding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The effects of methylnaltrexone bromide in pregnant women are not known.&nbsp;Your doctor will decide if you can use Relistor if you are pregnant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Women who use this medicine should not breastfeed because it is not known if methylnaltrexone bromide passes into human breast milk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Driving and using machines<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Dizziness is a common&nbsp;side effect&nbsp;of this medicine.&nbsp;This can affect your ability to drive and use machines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Relistor contains sodium<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This medicine contains less than 1 mmol\u00a0sodium\u00a0(23 mg) per\u00a0dose, ie essentially &#8216;sodium-free&#8217;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to use Relistor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Always use this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you.&nbsp;Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The recommended\u00a0dose\u00a0for patients with long-term pain (except for patients receiving\u00a0palliative\u00a0care for severe illness) is 12 mg methylnaltrexone bromide (0.6 ml solution) given as an\u00a0injection\u00a0under the skin if necessary, but at least 4 times a week and up to once a day (7 times a week).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The recommended&nbsp;dose&nbsp;for patients receiving&nbsp;palliative&nbsp;care in severe disease is 8 mg methylnaltrexone bromide (0.4 ml solution) for patients weighing 38-61 kg or 12 mg (0.6 ml solution) for patients weighing 62-114 kg.&nbsp;Dose&nbsp;one is given every 48 hours (every other day) as an&nbsp;injection&nbsp;under the skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your doctor will decide what&nbsp;dose&nbsp;you should take.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This medicine is given as an\u00a0injection\u00a0under the skin (as a\u00a0subcutaneous\u00a0injection\u00a0) in either (1) the thighs, (2) the abdomen (stomach), or (3) the upper arm (not by self-injection).\u00a0(See INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING AND GIVING AN\u00a0INJECTION\u00a0WITH RELISTOR at the end of this leaflet.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can get a bowel movement within minutes to a couple of hours after&nbsp;injection&nbsp;one.&nbsp;You should therefore have access to a toilet or basin nearby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you use more Relistor than you should &nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have used more of this medicine than you should (either by injecting too much at one time or by using more than one\u00a0injection\u00a0in 24 hours) you may feel dizzy when you get up, contact your doctor or pharmacist immediately.\u00a0Always take the outer carton of medicine with you, even if it is empty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you forget to use Relistor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you miss a\u00a0dose, contact your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible.\u00a0Do not take a double\u00a0dose\u00a0to make up for a forgotten\u00a0dose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you stop using Relistor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You should contact your doctor or pharmacist if you want to stop using this medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Possible side effects<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Like all medicines, this medicine can cause\u00a0side effects, although not everybody gets them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cases of perforation of the intestinal wall (&nbsp;gastrointestinal&nbsp;perforation&nbsp;) have been reported in patients using Relistor.&nbsp;How often this happens is not known from the data available.&nbsp;If you get a lot of stomach pain, or if the pain does not go away, stop taking this medicine and contact a doctor immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The following\u00a0side effects\u00a0are very common and may affect more than 1 in 10 people.\u00a0If you get any of these\u00a0side effects, which are either severe or do not go away, talk to your doctor:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Abdominal pain (stomach pain)<\/li><li>Nausea (feeling of nausea)<\/li><li>Diarrhea (frequent watery stools)<\/li><li>Flatulence&nbsp;(weather stresses)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Other common&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;that can affect up to one in 10 people are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Dizziness<\/li><li>Symptoms similar to those of opioid withdrawal (any of the following: you are freezing, have chills (shivering), runny nose, sweating, hair on the skin,\u00a0redness, rapid heartbeat)<\/li><li>Injection site reactions (eg burning, burning sensation, pain,\u00a0redness,\u00a0edema\u00a0)<\/li><li>Vomiting<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to store Relistor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton and bottle after EXP.&nbsp;The expiration date is the last day of the specified month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No special temperature instructions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep the vial in the outer carton.&nbsp;Sensitive to light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Use this medicine only if the solution is clear, colorless to pale yellow, and does not contain flakes or particles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste.&nbsp;Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required.&nbsp;These measures will help to protect the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contents of the pack and other information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Content declaration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The active substance is methylnaltrexone bromide.\u00a0Each 0.6 ml\u00a0vial\u00a0contains 12 mg of methylnaltrexone bromide.\u00a0One ml of\u00a0solution for injection\u00a0contains 20 mg of methylnaltrexone bromide.<\/li><li>The other ingredients are sodium chloride, sodium calcium edetate, glycine hydrochloride, water for injections,\u00a0hydrochloric acid\u00a0(for\u00a0pH\u00a0adjustment), and sodium hydroxide (for\u00a0pH\u00a0adjustment).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What the medicine looks like and the contents of the pack<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Relistor is a\u00a0solution for injection.\u00a0It is clear, colorless to pale yellow, and does not contain flakes or particles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each\u00a0vial\u00a0contains 0.6 ml of\u00a0solution for injection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Packages containing more than one\u00a0vial\u00a0contain inner packs consisting of a\u00a0vial, a 1 ml\u00a0syringe\u00a0with a retractable needle, and two alcohol swabs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The following pack sizes are available:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A&nbsp;vial<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A pack containing 2 vials, 2 syringes with retractable needles, and 4 alcohol swabs (ie 2 inner packs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A pack containing 7 vials, 7 syringes with retractable needles, and 14 alcohol swabs (ie 7 inner packs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not all pack sizes may be marketed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Marketing Authorisation Holder<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Bausch Health Ireland Limited<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>3013 Lake Drive<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Citywest Business Campus<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dublin 24, D24PPT3<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ireland<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Manufacturer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Przedsi\u0119biorstwo Farmaceutyczne Jelfa SA<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ul.&nbsp;Wincentego Pola 21<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>58-500 Jelenia G\u00f3ra,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Poland<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Relistor contains an active substance called methylnaltrexone bromide, which works by blocking the side effects of opioid painkillers that affect the intestines.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2200,18529],"tags":[22586,22591,22582,22585,22587,22590,22583,22588,22584,22589],"class_list":["post-21846","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-medicines","category-r","tag-benefits-of-methylnaltrexone-bromide","tag-benefits-of-relistor","tag-methylnaltrexone-bromide","tag-methylnaltrexone-bromideside-effects","tag-relistor","tag-relistor-side-effects","tag-what-is-methylnaltrexone-bromide","tag-what-is-relistor","tag-what-methylnaltrexone-bromide-is-used-for","tag-what-relistor-is-used-for"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21846","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21846"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21846\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21860,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21846\/revisions\/21860"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21846"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21846"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21846"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}