Warning
Flutamide may cause liver damage that can be serious or life-threatening. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had liver disease. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, extreme tiredness, flu-like symptoms, muscle aches, soreness, pain in the upper right part of the stomach, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or dark urine.
Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain blood tests to check how well your liver is working before you begin taking flutamide, every month for the first 4 months of your treatment, and periodically for as long as your treatment continues.
Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking flutamide.
Why is this medication prescribed?
Flutamide is used together with a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist (LHRH; a type of hormonal injection such as leuprolide [Lupron, Eligard], goserelin [Zoladex], or triptorelin [Trelstar]) to treat certain types of prostate cancer. Flutamide is in a class of medications called nonsteroidal antiandrogens. It works by blocking the effects of androgen (a male hormone) to stop the growth and spread of cancer cells.
How should this medicine be used?
Flutamide comes as a capsule to take by mouth. It is usually taken with or without food every 8 hours (three times a day.) Take flutamide at around the same times every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take flutamide exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Continue to take flutamide along with the LHRH agonist treatment even if you feel well. Do not stop taking either medication without talking to your doctor.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer's information for the patient.
Other uses for this medicine
This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
What special precautions should I follow?
Before taking flutamide,
tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to flutamide or any other medications.
tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention anticoagulants (''blood thinners'') such as warfarin (Coumadin).
tell your doctor if you smoke and if you have or have ever had any inherited blood diseases such as glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency or hemoglobin M disease.
you should know that flutamide is only for use in men. If taken by pregnant women, flutamide can harm the fetus. Women who are or may become pregnant should not take flutamide. If you take flutamide while you are pregnant, call your doctor.
ask your doctor about the safe use of alcoholic beverages while you are taking flutamide. Flutamide may cause facial flushing, and drinking alcohol can make it worse.
What special dietary instructions should I follow?
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.
What should I do if I forget a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
What side effects can this medication cause?
Flutamide may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
diarrhea
nausea
vomiting
loss of appetite
hot flashes
decrease in sexual ability or desire
breast enlargement in men
drowsiness
confusion
depression
anxiety
swelling of the hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
blue-green or orange-colored urine
Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the symptoms listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately.
Although it is rare, some men taking flutamide have developed breast cancer. Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking this medication.
Flutamide may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].
What storage conditions are needed for this medicine?
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication.
In case of emergency/overdose
In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.
Symptoms of overdose may include:
