Precautions:
Before taking mitotane, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: current infection (especially viral infections such as chickenpox, herpes), blood pressure problems, liver disease.
This drug may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do any activity that requires alertness until you are sure you can perform such activities safely. Limit alcoholic beverages.
This medication can make it difficult to control your blood pressure. To minimize dizziness and lightheadedness, get up slowly when rising from a sitting or lying position.
Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products).
If you have been using this product, your body may not produce enough natural steroids. You may need to start taking additional corticosteroids (e.g., hydrocortisone), especially if your body is stressed due to a major infection, surgery or injury. Tell your doctor immediately if a stress situation (e.g., trauma, surgery, serious infection) is occurring or any of the following side effects occur: unusual weakness, sudden weight loss, dizziness. This advice applies during and up to 8 months after stopping mitotane treatment. Carry an emergency card or bracelet with this information. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.
Since this drug can be absorbed through the skin and lungs and may harm an unborn baby, women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant should not handle this medication or breathe the dust from the tablets.
This medication is not recommended for use during pregnancy. It may harm an unborn baby. Use reliable forms of birth control (such as condoms, birth control pills) during and after treatment with mitotane. Your doctor will use blood tests to decide when you can stop using birth control. If you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant, tell your doctor immediately.
This medication passes into breast milk and may harm a nursing infant. Breast-feeding is not recommended while using this drug. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
Interactions:
Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor’s approval.
Some products that may interact with this drug include: “blood thinners” (e.g., warfarin), corticosteroids (e.g., dexamethasone, prednisone), “water pills”/diuretics (e.g., furosemide, spironolactone), drugs removed from your body by certain liver enzymes (such as barbiturates, phenytoin).
Mitotane can speed up the removal of other drugs from your body, which may affect how they work. An example of an affected drug is suvorexant, among others.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you also take drugs that cause drowsiness such as: certain antihistamines (e.g., diphenhydramine), anti-seizure drugs (e.g., carbamazepine), medicine for sleep or anxiety (e.g., alprazolam, diazepam, zolpidem), muscle relaxants, narcotic pain relievers (e.g., codeine), psychiatric medicines (e.g., chlorpromazine, risperidone, amitriptyline, trazodone).
Check the labels on all your medicines (e.g., cough-and-cold products) because they may contain drowsiness-causing ingredients. Ask your pharmacist about using those products safely.
This product can affect the results of certain lab tests (including thyroid function tests), possibly causing false test results. Make sure laboratory personnel and all your doctors know you use this drug.
