Introduction
Granisetron is employed in order to stop nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Granisetron is during a class of medicines called 5-HT3 receptor antagonists. In fact, it works by blocking serotonin, a natural substance within the body that causes nausea and vomiting. Granisetron comes as a tablet to take by mouth. When taken to stop nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, granisetron is typically taken 1 hour before chemotherapy is begun. Also, a patient may take the second dose 12 hours after the first dose depending on the strength.
When taken to stop nausea and vomiting caused by radiation, granisetron is typically taken within 1 hour before treatment. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and also ask your doctor or pharmacist to elucidate any part you are doing not understand. However, take granisetron exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
As per the doctor’s instructions, one should only take Granisetron before chemotherapy or radiation therapy. However, it shouldn’t be taken on a frequently scheduled basis.
Side effects
- Headache
- stomach pain
- Heartburn
- Constipation
- difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
Some side effects can be serious. In fact, if you experience any of the subsequent symptoms, call your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical treatment:
- Hives
- Rash
- Itching
- difficulty breathing or swallowing
- shortness of breath
- dizziness, light-headedness, or fainting
- fast, slow or irregular heartbeat
- Agitation
- hallucinations (seeing things or hearing voices that don’t exist)
- Fever
- Flushing
- excessive sweating
- Confusion
- nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea
- loss of coordination
- stiff or twitching muscles
- Seizure
- coma (loss of consciousness)
Precautions
- Before taking granisetron,
- tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to granisetron, alosetron (Lotronex), dolasetron (Anzemet), ondansetron (Zofran, Zuplenz), palonosetron (Aloxi, in Akynzeo), any other medications, or any of the ingredients in granisetron tablets. Ask your pharmacist for an inventory of the ingredients.
- tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you’re taking.
- Keep this medication within the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of youngsters. Store it at temperature and faraway from excess heat and moisture
- Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to make sure that pets, children, and people cannot consume them. However, you ought to not flush this medication down the restroom. Instead, the simplest thanks to eliminating your medication are thru a drug take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to find out about take-back programs in your community.
