What is hexaminolevulinate used for?
- Hexaminolevulinate is used with a light test to check for bladder cancer.
Before taking hexaminolevulinate, tell your doctor:
- If you are allergic to hexaminolevulinate; any part of this medicine; or any other drugs, foods, or substances. Tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had.
- If you have any of these health problems: Blood in the urine or porphyria.
- If you have ever been given BCG or a cancer drug in the bladder.
This is not a list of all drugs or health problems that interact with hexaminolevulinate.
Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all of your drugs (prescription or OTC, natural products, vitamins) and health problems. You must check to make sure that it is safe for you to take hexaminolevulinate with all of your drugs and health problems. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor.
What are some things I need to know or do while I take hexaminolevulinate?
- Tell all of your health care providers that you take hexaminolevulinate. This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.
- This medicine may not help in finding all bladder tumors. If you have questions, talk with your doctor.
- Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant. You will need to talk about the benefits and risks of using hexaminolevulinate while you are pregnant.
- Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. You will need to talk about any risks to your baby.
How is hexaminolevulinate best taken?
Use hexaminolevulinate as ordered by your doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely.
- It is given through a catheter into the bladder.
- You will need to keep hexaminolevulinate in your bladder for at least 1 hour, but not more than 3 hours.
- If you cannot keep hexaminolevulinate in your bladder for at least 1 hour, talk with your doctor.
What do I do if I miss a dose?
- Call your doctor to find out what to do.
What are the side effects of hexaminolevulinate that I need to call my doctor about immediately?
WARNING/CAUTION: Even though it may be rare, some people may have very bad and sometimes deadly side effects when taking a drug. Tell your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any of the following signs or symptoms that may be related to a very bad side effect:
- Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash; hives; itching; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever; wheezing; tightness in the chest or throat; trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking; unusual hoarseness; or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat.
- Blood in the urine.
- Trouble passing urine.
- Very bad bladder irritation.
What are some other side effects of hexaminolevulinate?
All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects. Call your doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother you or do not go away:
- Bladder irritation.
These are not all of the side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, call your doctor. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.
You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-332-1088. You may also report side effects at https://www.fda.gov/medwatch.
If overdose is suspected:
If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.
How do I store and/or throw out hexaminolevulinate?
- If you need to store hexaminolevulinate at home, talk with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about how to store it.
Consumer information use and disclaimer
- If your symptoms or health problems do not get better or if they become worse, call your doctor.
- Do not share your drugs with others and do not take anyone else's drugs.
- Keep all drugs in a safe place. Keep all drugs out of the reach of children and pets.
- Throw away unused or expired drugs. Do not flush down a toilet or pour down a drain unless you are told to do so. Check with your pharmacist if you have questions about the best way to throw out drugs. There may be drug take-back programs in your area.
- Some drugs may have another patient information leaflet. Check with your pharmacist. If you have any questions about hexaminolevulinate, please talk with your doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
- If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.
This information should not be used to decide whether or not to take hexaminolevulinate or any other medicine. Only the healthcare provider has the knowledge and training to decide which medicines are right for a specific patient. This information does not endorse any medicine as safe, effective, or approved for treating any patient or health condition. This is only a brief summary of general information about this medicine. It does NOT include all information about the possible uses, directions, warnings, precautions, interactions, adverse effects, or risks that may apply to hexaminolevulinate. This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from the healthcare provider. You must talk with the healthcare provider for complete information about the risks and benefits of using this medicine.
