Victrelis

Boceprevir, also known and sold under the trade name of Victrelis, is a product which belongs to the group of drugs known as antiviral drugs. It is used in a combination with pegintereron and ribavirin, in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, a viral infection of the liver.

Boceprevir is a protease inhibitor. It is considered to work by reducing the amount of hepatitis C virus in the body, and that way it helps your liver to recover and that way it helps preventing serious liver problems from occurring, such as scarring, or liver cancer. This medication is available in the form of a capsule.

If you are about to start Victrelis, speak with your doctor about what you need to know. For this decision to be made, the beneficial effects must outweigh the potential risks. This is a decision that you and your doctor, together, will have to make.

During the consultation, it is important to inform the doctor about:

Allergies – Inform the doctor about any allergic reaction to any kind of medications, prescribed or no prescribed. Also, inform the healthcare professional about any allergic reaction to any specific kind of food, dye, fabric and etc.

Pediatric – There are no studies done that would confirm the safety of this medication to be used in pediatric patients. This medication is not recommended to be used in pediatric patients. However, it could be used only in cases where the beneficial effects outweigh the potential risks.

Geriatric – There are no studies done that would confirm the safety of this medication to be used in geriatric patients. This medication is not recommended to be used in geriatric patients. However, it could be used only in cases where the beneficial effects outweigh the potential risks.

Pregnancy – Inform the doctor if you are currently pregnant or have any plans about pregnancy in the near future. There are no studies done that would confirm the safety of this medication to be used during pregnancy.

It is unknown if this medication would harm the fetus. This medication is not recommended to be used during pregnancy. However, it could be used only in cases where the beneficial effects outweigh the potential risks.

Breastfeeding – Inform the doctor if you are currently breastfeeding. There are no studies done that would confirm the safety of this medication to be used in nursing mothers. It is unknown if this medication is extracted in the milk, or how would it affect the infant.

This medication is not recommended to be used in nursing mothers. However, it could be used only in cases where the beneficial effects outweigh the potential risks.

Drug interactions – Inform the doctor if you are currently using any other medications, prescribed or no prescribed, even vitamins and herbal tea. This is important because certain medications are not recommended to be used in a combination with others, due to the possibility that certain interactions could occur.

However, sometimes the doctor may decide to use a certain type of a combination, including two or more medications, to treat your condition if he or she considers that combination to prove as beneficial regarding your condition.

Other interactions – Certain medications are not recommended to be used in a combination with specific type of food, tobacco, and alcohol. Because of this, it is important to get informed if there is a need for you to follow a specific type of diet and discontinue your use of tobacco and/or alcohol during the treatment.

Other medical problems – Inform the doctor about your medical history, any other medical problems and conditions from the past or at the moment. Especially, inform the doctor if there are any of the following conditions present – blood or bone marrow problems, liver failure, or organ transplant.

To use Victrelis properly, you must follow all instructions given by your doctor. This medication is available in the form of a capsule, taken orally. This medication must be taken with food. Swallow the capsule whole.

Do not break, crush, or chew the capsule. The dose is individual for every patient, prescribed by the doctor and based on your condition and the prognosis of the treatment. The usual dose is one capsule, three times daily (every 7 to 9 hours).

In order to get the most beneficial effects from its use, remember to take each dose regularly. If you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember. This medication is harmful in case of an overdose. In the case of an overdose, contact the doctor as soon as possible for further directions.

Before using Victrelis, there are some precautions you must take. Visit your doctor regularly for your scheduled appointments, so that he or she would be able to track your condition and make any adjustments if needed.

These adjustments may refer to the dose – e.g. the doctor may decide to increase or decrease the dose, or to the treatment itself – the doctor may decide to discontinue your treatment with this medication, if there are any serious side effects present which would worsen your condition or if your condition does not improve.

Inform the doctor about any allergic reactions to any kind of medications, prescribed or no prescribed. This is important because this medication may contain inactive substances that could cause certain interactions to occur.

Inform the doctor if you are currently pregnant or have any plans about pregnancy in the near future. This is important because this medication is not recommended to be used during pregnancy, due to the lack of studies that would confirm the safety of this medication to be used during pregnancy.

You must use at least two forms of birth control to help prevent pregnancy during the treatment, because of the possibility that birth control pills might not work in a combination with this medication. Inform the doctor if you are currently breastfeeding.

This medication is not recommended to be used within nursing mothers, due to the lack of studies that would confirm the safety of this medication to be used in nursing mothers. This medication may cause dizziness. Avoid driving and any other activities which require alertness during the treatment.

As with many medications, there are several potential side effects associated with Victrelis. These side effects do not occur within all patients, also they could be mild or more serious.

However, it is essential to get informed about the potential side effects, so that you would be able to notice their presence and inform the doctor as soon as possible.

Common side effects – vomiting, change in taste, and dry skin. These are common side effects which are not considered as serious. However, if their presence persists or worsens, inform the doctor as soon as possible.

Serious side effects – unusual tiredness, dizziness, fainting, pale skin, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breathing, easy bruising/bleeding and etc. These are serious side effects, whose presence must be reported to the doctor as soon as possible.

A very serious allergic reaction to this medication is not common, however, if you notice any of the following symptoms, contact the doctor as soon as possible – skin rash, itching/swelling of the face/tongue/hands/legs, trouble breathing, or severe dizziness.