Lysodren: Information for the Patient

 About Lysodren: Lysodren (Mitotane: API) is an antitumoral medicine. It is introduced to treat symptoms of advanced non operable, metastatic or recurrent malignant tumours of the adrenal glands.

How to take Lysodren?

Always take lysodren tablets exactly as your healthcare professional has told you. You should swallow the tablets with a glass of water during meals containing fat-rich food. You can split the total daily dose in 2/3 intakes.

Dose and schedule: The usual starting dose for adult patients is 2-3 g (4 to 6 tablets) per day. Your healthcare professional may start therapy at higher doses such as 4-6 g (8 to 12 tablets). In order to find the optimal dose for you, your healthcare provider will monitor you regularly the levels of lysodren 500 in your blood. Your healthcare professional may decide to stop the lysodren treatment temporarily or to decrease the dose if you experience certain side effects.

Use in children and adolescents: The starting daily dose of mitotane tablets is 1.5 to 3.5 g/m2 body surface (this will be calculated by your healthcare practitioner according to the weight as well as the size of the child). The experience in patients in this age group is very limited.

Side Effects: The following side effects linked with the use of Lysodren (mitotane 500mg) were detected in clinical trials or observed in the postmarketing reports. Because these side effects were observed voluntarily from a group of uncertain size, it is not always possible to estimate frequency reliably or to establish a formal relationship to medication exposure. 

Common occurring lysodren side effects may include: anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, dizziness, growth retardation, rash, neutropenia, hypothyroidism, confusion, headache, mental impairment, weakness, dysarthria, ataxia and maculopathy. 

Less common occurring side effects include: visual blurring, prolonged bleeding time, lens opacity, diplopia, retinopathy, hemorrhagic cystitis, albuminuria, hematuria, hypertension, orthostatic hypotension, generalized aching, fever and flushing. 

Lysodren with food and drink: The Lysodren (mitotane tablets ) should preferably be taken during meals containing fat-rich food such as milk, chocolate, oil.

Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility: The mitotane use may harm the foetus. In case you are pregnant or want to become pregnant, tell your healthcare professional. In case you may become pregnant, you must use an effective contraception while on therapy with Lysodren and even after stopping it, discuss with your healthcare team for advice. You should avoid breast-feeding while taking Lysodren and even after stopping the therapy. Discuss with your healthcare professional for advice.

Driving and using machines: Treatment with Lysodren has a major influence on the ability to drive as well as use machines. Discuss with your healthcare professional for advice.

Other medicines and Lysodren: Please inform your healthcare provider in case you are using or have recently used any drugs, including any medicines obtained without a prescription.

You must avoid using Lysodren with medicines containing spironolactone, often prescribed as a diuretic for heart, liver or kidney diseases.

Lysodren therapy may interfere with several medications. Therefore, you must inform your healthcare professional in case you are using medications containing any of the following active substances:

• warfarin or blood thinners, used for the prevention of blood clots. The dose of anticoagulant may need adjustment.
• antiepileptics
• rifabutin or rifampicin, used for the treatment of tuberculosis
• griseofulvin, used to treat fungal infections
• herbal preparations containing St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum)
• Sunitinib, etoposide: for the treatment of cancer. 

Overdose: Inform your healthcare provider immediately in case you have accidentally administered an excess lysodren dose than you should or in case a child has accidentally swallowed some.

Missed Dose: In case you accidentally miss Or forget a dose, just administer the next dose as scheduled. Avoid taking a double dose to make up for the missed or forgotten one.

Storage: Keep lysodren out of the sight as well as reach of children. Store this medication in the original packaging. Avoid using it after the expiry date stated on the carton and the bottle following EXP. Any unused product or waste material should be disposed of in accordance with the local requirements for the cytotoxic medicines. Never throw away any medications via wastewater or household waste. 

Price: As with all medications, the lysodren 500 mg price in India can vary. To buy this medicine at the best price, kindly contact us at our TOLL-FREE Number: 1800-889-1064.

NOTE: The piece of information provided in this fact sheet is intended to be helpful and educational, but it does not constitute an endorsement by us and is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice.