How long can aranesp be out of the fridge

Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you have any questions about this information. Do not use Aranesp if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering. Before you start to use it You must tell your doctor if: You have or have had any medical conditions, especially the following: Blood clotting diseases; Epilepsy or convulsions fits or seizures ; Any other illness or health problems.

A number of conditions such as infections, vitamin deficiencies or cancers may affect how well you respond to Aranesp; An allergy to latex. The needle shield on the pre-filled pen and the needle cover on pre-filled syringe contain a derivative of latex; You are pregnant or intend to become pregnant; You are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed.

It is not known whether Aranesp passes into breast milk. If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you use Aranesp. Taking other medicines Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any medicines you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop. How to use it Following blood tests, your doctor has decided you need Aranesp.

Your doctor will check your blood pressure regularly. In some cases, your doctor may recommend that you take iron supplements. Aranesp can be injected either: Under the skin subcutaneous injection using either the prefilled pen, the pre-filled syringe or the pre-filled syringe with automatic needle guard; or; Into a vein intravenous injection using the pre-filled syringe or pre-filled syringe with automatic needle guard.

If you do not understand the instructions, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse for help. How to inject using the Aranesp SureClick pre-filled pen This section contains information on how to give yourself an injection using the Aranesp SureClick prefilled pen.

Things to do before you inject To give yourself a subcutaneous injection you will need: a new Aranesp pre-filled pen; A puncture-resistant sharps container; An alcohol swab. Do the following before you give yourself a subcutaneous injection of Aranesp: Find a comfortable, well-lit, clean surface and put all the equipment you need within reach; Remove the pre-filled pen from the refrigerator; Do not shake the pre-filled pen; Do not remove the grey needle shield from the pre-filled pen until you are ready to inject; Check that it is the correct strength that your doctor has prescribed; Check the expiry date on the prefilled pen label Exp.

Do not use it if the date has passed the last day of the month shown; Check the appearance of Aranesp through the inspection window. It must be a clear colourless liquid. If it is cloudy or there are particles in it, you must not use it; For a more comfortable injection, leave at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes. Do not warm Aranesp in any other way for example, do not warm it in a microwave or in hot water.

Do not leave the prefilled pen exposed to direct sunlight; Wash and dry your hands. Where to inject The best injection sites see pictures below are: Your abdomen, except for the area around the navel belly button or; The top and side of your thighs.

How to inject into the abdomen using Aranesp SureClick pre-filled pen Remove the grey needle shield. Important skin pinch technique The skin pinch technique will create a firm site for the injection. If a firm site is not used, the prefilled pen may not inject properly; Choose a site at least 5 cm away from the navel; Clean the site where the injection is to be made with an alcohol swab and allow the site to dry; Pinch the skin of the abdomen firmly between the thumb and fingers creating a space at least 3 cm wide twice the width of the tip of the pre-filled pen.

Maintain a firm skin pinch for the entire procedure. Step 1 Centre the pre-filled pen in the area of the pinched skin at a right angle 90 degrees and push firmly against the skin. Do not lift the pre-filled pen.

Do not keep your thumb on the red button after you have pressed it. The Aranesp is now being injected under your skin. If you experience difficulties choose a more firm injection site. If you notice a spot of blood at the injection site, dab away with a cotton ball or tissues.

If needed, you may cover the injection site with a dressing. You cannot reuse the Aranesp SureClick pre-filled pen. How to inject into the thigh or back of the arm using Aranesp SureClick pre-filled pen Remove the grey needle shield. Step 1 Clean the site where the injection is to be made with an alcohol swab and allow the site to dry. How to inject Aranesp using a pre-filled syringe with an automatic needle guard Important Before you use Aranesp prefilled syringe with automatic needle guard, read this important information It is important that you do not try to give yourself the injection unless you have received training from your doctor or healthcare provider; Aranesp is given as an injection into the tissue just under the skin subcutaneous injection ; Tell your doctor if you have an allergy to latex.

The needle cover on the pre-filled syringe contains a derivative of latex and may cause severe allergic reactions; Do not remove the grey needle cap from the pre-filled syringe until you are ready to inject; Do not use the pre-filled syringe if it has been dropped on a hard surface.

Use a new prefilled syringe and call your doctor or healthcare provider; Do not attempt to activate the pre-filled syringe prior to injection; Do not attempt to remove the peelable label on the pre-filled syringe barrel before administering your injection; Do not attempt to remove the clear pre-filled syringe safety guard from the pre-filled syringe.

Call your doctor or healthcare provider if you have any questions. Guide to parts Before use After use How to use the Aranesp prefilled syringe with the automatic needle guard Things to do before you inject A. Put the original package with any unused syringes back in the refrigerator. On a clean, well-lit work surface, place the new pre-filled syringe and the other supplies.

Do not try to warm the syringe by using a heat source such as hot water or microwave; Do not leave the pre-filled syringe exposed to direct sunlight; Do not shake the pre-filled syringe; Keep pre-filled syringes out of the sight and reach of children. For safety reasons: Do not grasp the plunger; Do not grasp the grey needle cap. Inspect the medicine and prefilled syringe. Do not use the pre-filled syringe if: The medicine is cloudy or there are particles in it.

It must be a clear and colourless liquid; Any part appears cracked or broken; The grey needle cap is missing or not securely attached; The expiry date printed on the label has passed the last day of the month shown. In all cases, call your doctor or healthcare provider. Where to inject A. Wash hands thoroughly. Prepare and clean your injection site. You can use: Upper part of your thigh; Belly, except for a 5 cm 2-inch area right around your belly button; Outer area of upper arm only if someone else is giving you the injection.

Clean the injection site with an alcohol wipe. Let your skin dry. Do not touch the injection site before injecting; Choose a different site each time you give yourself an injection. If you need to use the same injection site, just make sure it is not the same spot on that site you used last time; Do not inject into areas where the skin is tender, bruised, red, or hard. Avoid injecting into areas with scars or stretch marks.

Carefully pull the grey needle cap straight out and away from your body. Pinch your injection site to create a firm surface. It is important to keep the skin pinched when injecting. How to inject A. Hold the pinch. Insert needle into skin.

Do not touch the cleaned area of the skin. Release your thumb. Then lift the syringe off skin. After releasing the plunger, the prefilled syringe safety guard will safely cover the injection needle. Do not put the grey needle cap back on used pre-filled syringes. How to remove the detachable label Healthcare providers only Do not attempt to remove the peelable label on the pre-filled syringe barrel before administering your injection.

The trade name of the administered product should be clearly recorded in the patient file. Turn the plunger to move the label into a position where you can remove the syringe label. Disposing A. Keep the syringe and sharps disposal container out of sight and reach of children.

Do not reuse the pre-filled syringe; Do not recycle pre-filled syringes or throw them into household waste; Examine the injection site. How to inject using the Aranesp pre-filled syringe This section contains information on how to give yourself an injection of Aranesp using the pre-filled syringe. Things to do before you inject To give yourself a subcutaneous injection you will need: A new pre-filled syringe; A puncture-resistant sharps container; An alcohol swab.

Follow these instructions exactly to help avoid contamination and possible infection: Find a comfortable, well-lit, clean surface and put all the equipment you need within reach; Remove the pre-filled syringe from the refrigerator; Do not shake the pre-filled syringe; Do not remove the needle cover from the pre-filled syringe until you are ready to inject; Check that it is the correct strength that your doctor has prescribed; Check the expiry date on the prefilled syringe label Exp.

Do not use it if the date has passed the last day of the month shown; Check the appearance of Aranesp. It must be a clear, colourless liquid. Do not warm Aranesp in any other way for example, Do not warm it in a microwave or in hot water. Do not leave the prefilled syringe exposed to direct sunlight; Wash and dry your hands.

Where to inject The best injection sites see picture are: Your abdomen, except for the area around the navel belly button or; The top and side of your thighs. How to inject Clean the site where the injection is to be made with an alcohol swab and allow the site to dry; To avoid bending the needle, firmly pull the cover from the needle straight off. Do not touch the needle or plunger; You may notice a small air bubble in the pre-filled syringe.

You do not have to remove the air bubble before injecting. Injecting the solution with the air bubble is harmless; Pinch the skin between your thumb and forefinger, without squeezing it; Put the needle fully into the skin at an angle of about 45 degrees to 90 degrees up to right angle ; Push the plunger with a slow constant pressure, always keeping your skin pinched.

Push the plunger all the way down as far as it will go to inject all the liquid; After injecting the liquid, remove the needle and let go of your skin; If you notice a spot of blood at the injection site dab away with a cotton ball or tissues.

Do not reuse the Aranesp prefilled syringe. While you are using it How much Aranesp to inject Your doctor has prescribed the strength of Aranesp that is best for you. When to inject Aranesp You will need to give yourself an injection once a week or in some cases once every two weeks or once a month. If you forget to use it If you have forgotten to inject Aranesp, contact your doctor or nurse to discuss when you should next inject. If you inject too much overdose If you inject more Aranesp than you need, you should contact your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

If you become pregnant while you are using Aranesp, tell your doctor. Things you must not do Do not use Aranesp to treat any other complaint unless your doctor says so. Do not give Aranesp to anyone else, even if their symptoms seem similar to yours. Do not shake. Protect from light. Always keep Aranesp in the original box to protect it from light. As with all medicines, you should keep Aranesp out of the reach and sight of children.

Disposal of used syringes Do not attempt to put the needle cover back onto the used syringe. Schedule of Aranesp Aranesp is a Schedule 4 — prescription only medicine. Side effects of Aranesp Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you have any problems while using Aranesp, even if you do not think the problems are connected with Aranesp or are not listed here.

Ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have. If any of the following happens, stop injecting Aranesp and go straight to the hospital, as you may need urgent medical attention: Serious allergic reaction: Drop in blood pressure faintness , fast pulse, difficulty breathing and sweating; Swelling of the face, lips, mouth tongue or throat; Shortness of breath ; Skin rash , including rash over the whole body; Hives; Severe skin reactions.

A rash, which may be severe, may cover your whole body and can also include blisters or areas of skin coming off; Signs of a sudden rise in blood pressure such as sudden, stabbing, migraine-like headaches , confusion or seizures; Signs of a stroke such as tingling of the extremities, slight weakness on one side of the body, speech difficulties, double vision, dizziness, headache and imbalance; Signs of a heart attack such as chest pain ; Pain in the legs or arms, with or without swelling.

Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you experience any of the following: Redness, swelling, pain or itching at the site of injection; Swelling of the arms, feet and legs; Tiredness, fever , flu-like feeling; Bleeding, infection or clotting in your shunt a channel that bypasses normal blood circulation if you are receiving haemodialysis; Lightheadedness; Diarrhoea , vomiting , nausea feeling sick , stomach pain , constipation ; Muscle or joint aches, pain in arms, legs or back; Chest or throat infection, difficulty breathing, cough ; Itching.

For further information talk to your doctor. June August Medical Information. Current Competitions. Of Interest This Week. Eye care: Dr Joe Kosterich. Having anaemia means that you have either fewer red blood cells than normal, or less haemoglobin than normal in each red blood cell. Haemoglobin is a protein which carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body and also carries the waste product carbon dioxide back to your lungs.

As a result of having less haemoglobin than normal, there is less oxygen available to the cells of your body and this can make you feel tired, dizzy, and short of breath. People with chronic kidney disease are particularly prone to anaemia.

This is because the kidneys normally produce a hormone called erythropoietin which controls how many red blood cells your body makes. When your kidneys do not work as well as they should, your kidneys do not produce enough of this hormone.

Darbepoetin alfa is similar to erythropoietin and works by encouraging your bone marrow to produce more red blood cells. It is given by an injection. Some people having anti-cancer treatments also develop anaemia. This is because the medicines used for the treatment of the cancer can also stop the bone marrow from producing sufficient red blood cells.

Here again, darbepoetin encourages the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells. Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start using darbepoetin alfa it is important that your doctor knows:. Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with darbepoetin alfa.

You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Important : if you get any of the following symptoms you must contact your doctor as soon as possible for urgent treatment or advice:. If you experience any other symptoms which you think may be due to the injection, please speak with your doctor or pharmacist for further advice. Never use more than the prescribed dose.

If you suspect that you or someone else might have had an overdose of this medicine, go to the accident and emergency department of your local hospital. Take the container with you, even if it is empty. This medicine is for you. Never give it to other people even if their condition appears to be the same as yours. If you are having an operation or dental treatment, please tell the person carrying out the treatment which medicines you are taking.

If you buy any medicines, check with a doctor or pharmacist that they are suitable for you to take with your other medicines.

Do not keep out-of-date or unwanted medicines. Take them to your local pharmacy which will dispose of them for you.