Depo-Cobolin injection

Cyanocobalamin is a man-made form of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is important for growth, cell reproduction, blood formation, and protein and tissue synthesis.

Cyanocobalamin is used to treat vitamin B12 deficiency in people with pernicious anemia and other conditions.

Cyanocobalamin may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

You should not use this medicine if you are allergic to cyanocobalamin or cobalt, or if you have Leber's disease (an inherited form of vision loss). Cyanocobalamin can lead to optic nerve damage (and possibly blindness) in people with Leber's disease.

To make sure cyanocobalamin injection is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

• cold or allergy symptoms that affect your nose (sinus congestion, sneezing);

• kidney or liver disease;

• iron or folic acid deficiency;

• any type of infection; or

• if you are receiving any medication or treatment that affects bone marrow.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether cyanocobalamin will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medicine.

Cyanocobalamin can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

• numbness or tingling in your hands or feet;

• signs of fluid build-up around your lungs--anxiety, sweating, pale skin, severe shortness of breath, wheezing, gasping for breath, cough with foamy mucus, chest pain; or

• signs of low potassium--confusion, uneven heart rate, extreme thirst, increased urination, leg discomfort, muscle weakness or limp feeling.

Common side effects may include:

• swelling, rapid weight gain;

• diarrhea; or

• itching or mild rash.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Other drugs may interact with cyanocobalamin, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medicine you start or stop using.

Applies to cyanocobalamin: intramuscular solution

Other dosage forms:

• nasal gel/jelly, nasal spray

Along with its needed effects, cyanocobalamin (the active ingredient contained in Depo-Cobolin) may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking cyanocobalamin:

• Abdominal or stomach pain
• bleeding from the gums or nose
• blue lips and fingernails
• chest pain
• cough
• coughing that sometimes produces a pink frothy sputum
• decreased urine output
• difficult, fast, noisy breathing, sometimes with wheezing
• difficulty with swallowing
• dilated neck veins
• dizziness
• extreme fatigue
• eye pain
• fast heartbeat
• headache
• hives, itching, or skin rash
• increased sweating
• irregular breathing
• irregular heartbeat
• pale skin
• puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
• ringing in the ears
• swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs
• tightness in the chest
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• weight gain

Some side effects of cyanocobalamin may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

• Diarrhea
• skin rash with a general disease