Xolair

Xolair is used for:

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Treating moderate to severe persistent asthma in certain patients who have had a positive allergy skin test and whose symptoms are not controlled by inhaled corticosteroids.

Xolair is an anti-immunoglobulin E (IgE) monoclonal antibody. It works by blocking your immune system's natural response to allergens, which can lead to an acute asthma attack. This action on the immune system (specifically, IgE) helps keep your air passages open and, over time, keeps asthma under better control.

Do NOT use Xolair if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Xolair

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Before using Xolair :

Some medical conditions may interact with Xolair . Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

• if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
• if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
• if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances, including murine proteins
• if you have severe bronchospasms or are currently taking other medicines for asthma
• if you have a history of cancer

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Xolair . However, no specific interactions with Xolair are known at this time.

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Xolair may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.

How to use Xolair :

Use Xolair as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.

• Xolair comes with an extra patient information sheet called a Medication Guide. Read it carefully. Read it again each time you get Xolair refilled.
• Xolair is usually given as an injection at your doctor's office, hospital, or clinic.
• If you miss a dose of Xolair or if you are unable to keep your doctor's appointment, contact your doctor right away.

Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Xolair .

Important safety information:

• Xolair may cause dizziness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how you react to Xolair . Using Xolair alone, with certain other medicines, or with alcohol may lessen your ability to drive or to perform other potentially dangerous tasks.
• Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about all of your asthma medicines and how to use them. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any asthma medicine unless your doctor tells you to.
• Xolair will not stop an asthma attack once one has started.
• The dosage is based on your body weight and blood level of IgE antibody, as well as your medical condition and response to therapy. Contact your doctor if you have a significant change in body weight during treatment. Your dose may need to be adjusted.
• It may take several months for Xolair to work.
• Make sure that all your doctors and laboratory personnel know that you are using Xolair . Xolair may increase the levels of IgE in your blood during therapy and for up to 1 year after discontinuing use of Xolair .
• LAB TESTS may be performed to monitor your progress or to check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.
• Use Xolair with extreme caution in CHILDREN younger than 12 years of age. Safety and effectiveness in this age group have not been confirmed.
• PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: If you become pregnant, discuss with your doctor the benefits and risks of using Xolair during pregnancy. It is unknown if Xolair is excreted in breast milk. If you are or will be breast-feeding while you are using Xolair , check with your doctor or pharmacist to discuss the risks to your baby.

Possible side effects of Xolair :

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:

Bruising, itching, pain, redness, stinging, swelling, or warmth at the application site; headache; itching and swelling of the skin; leg, arm, or ear pain; sinus inflammation.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue or throat); anxiety; cough; dizziness; fainting; fast or weak heartbeat; feeling unusually warm; flushing; hoarseness; shortness of breath; symptoms of sinus or lung infection (congestion, cough, or fever); trouble swallowing; unusual lumps, growths, or moles; wheezing.

This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions or need medical advice about side effects, contact your doctor or health care provider. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088) or at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch.

If OVERDOSE is suspected:

Contact 1-800-222-1222 (the American Association of Poison Control Centers), your local poison control center (http://www.aapcc.org/findyour.htm), or emergency room immediately.

Xolair is usually handled and stored by a health care provider. If you are using Xolair at home, store Xolair as directed by your pharmacist or health care provider. Keep Xolair out of the reach of children and away from pets.

General information:

• If you have any questions about Xolair , please talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
• Xolair is to be used only by the patient for whom it is prescribed. Do not share it with other people.
• If your symptoms do not improve or if they become worse, check with your doctor.

This information is a summary only. It does not contain all information about Xolair . If you have questions about the medicine you are taking or would like more information, check with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.

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