Targretin Capsules

Before taking bexarotene,

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to bexarotene; or any other retinoid, such as acitretin (Soriatane), etretinate (Tegison), isotretinoin (Accutane), or tretinoin (Vesanoid); or any other medications.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: amiodarone (Cordarone); certain antifungals such as ketoconazole (Nizoral) and itraconazole (Sporanox); cimetidine (Tagamet); clarithromycin (Biaxin); diltiazem (Cardizem); erythromycin (E.E.S., E-Mycin, Erythrocin); fluvoxamine; gemfibrozil (Lopid), HIV protease inhibitors such as indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), and ritonavir (Norvir, in Kaletra); insulin and oral medications for diabetes; nefazodone; phenobarbital; phenytoin (Dilantin); rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane); tamoxifen (Nolvadex); verapamil (Calan); and vitamin A. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. Many other medications may also interact with bexarotene, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list.
• tell your doctor if you drink or have ever drunk large amounts of alcohol. Also tell your doctor if you have or have ever had pancreatitis; high levels of cholesterol and other fatty substances in the blood; diabetes; cataracts; or gall bladder, thyroid, kidney, or liver disease.
• tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding.
• ask your doctor about the safe use of alcoholic beverages while you are taking bexarotene. Alcohol can make the side effects from bexarotene worse.
• plan to avoid unnecessary or prolonged exposure to sunlight and to wear protective clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Bexarotene may make your skin sensitive to sunlight.