What is fexofenadine?

• Fexofenadine is an antihistamine that reduces the natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose.
• Fexofenadine is used to treat the symptoms of seasonal allergies (hay fever) in adults and children.
• Fexofenadine is also used to treat skin itching and hives caused by a condition called chronic idiopathic urticaria in adults and children.
• Fexofenadine may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about fexofenadine?

• Use this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not use it in larger amounts or for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
• Before using fexofenadine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have kidney disease.
• Fruit juices and certain antacids can make it harder for your body to absorb fexofenadine.
• Do not take fexofenadine with fruit juice (such as apple, orange, or grapefruit).
• Do not take an antacid that contains aluminum or magnesium within 15 minutes before or after you take fexofenadine. This includes Rolaids, Maalox, Mylanta, Milk of Magnesia, Pepcid Complete, and others.
• There may be other drugs that can affect fexofenadine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
• Stop using this medication and get emergency medical help if you think you have used too much medicine, or if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Less serious side effects are more likely, and you may have none at all. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or is especially bothersome.
• Tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve, or if they get worse after you start taking fexofenadine. Never take more of the medication than your doctor has prescribed.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking fexofenadine?

• Do not use this medication if you are allergic to fexofenadine.
• Before using fexofenadine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have kidney disease. You may not be able to use fexofenadine, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.
• FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether fexofenadine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Fexofenadine tablets and may be used to treat seasonal allergy symptoms in children who are at least 6 years old. Fexofenadine oral suspension (liquid) may be used in children ages 2 through 11. When treating chronic idiopathic urticaria, the liquid may be used in children as young as 2 months old.

How should I take fexofenadine?

• Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
• Take this medicine with a full glass of water. Do not use any other type of liquid. Shake the oral suspension (liquid) well just before you measure a dose. To be sure you get the correct dose, measure the liquid with a marked measuring spoon or medicine cup, not with a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.
• Tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve, or if they get worse after you start taking fexofenadine. Never take more of the medication than your doctor has prescribed.

Store fexofenadine at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep the medicine bottle tightly closed.

• What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

• Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.
• Symptoms of a fexofenadine overdose may include dry mouth, dizziness, or drowsiness.

What should I avoid while taking fexofenadine?

• Fruit juices and certain antacids can make it harder for your body to absorb fexofenadine.
• Do not take fexofenadine with fruit juice (such as apple, orange, or grapefruit).
• Do not take an antacid that contains aluminum or magnesium within 15 minutes before or after you take fexofenadine. This includes Rolaids, Maalox, Mylanta, Milk of Magnesia, Pepcid Complete, and others.
• Avoid taking any other antihistamines unless your doctor has told you to.

Fexofenadine side effects

• 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. Stop taking fexofenadine and call your doctor at once if you have fever, chills, body aches, cough, or other flu symptoms.
• Continue taking fexofenadine and talk with your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects:
  • nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, upset stomach;
  • menstrual cramps;
  • drowsiness, dizziness, tired feeling;
  • headache; or
  • back pain.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

What other drugs will affect fexofenadine?

• Before taking fexofenadine, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:
  • ketoconazole (Nizoral); or
  • erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Erythrocin).
• If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to use fexofenadine, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.
• There may be other drugs not listed that can affect fexofenadine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

What is the shelf life of the pills?

• The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.

Other Useful Information:

Radiation: 1. Rays of energy. Gamma rays and X-rays are two of the types of energy waves often used in medicine. 2. The use of energy waves to diagnose or treat disease.

Replantation: 1. Literally, the act of planting again. 2. In surgery, the restoration of any part of the body to its original site. Also known as reimplantation.

The Chinese surgeon Zhong Wei Chen (1929-2004) was the "father of replantation." Dr. Chen was the first to reattach a severed hand with success which he did in 1963. Dr. Chen also developed many microsurgical procedures including techniques for preserving severed extremities, reattaching amputated fingers and thumbs, reconstructing muscles and repairing nerves and blood vessels.

Rheumatism: Rheumatism is an older term, used to describe any of a number of painful conditions of muscles, tendons, joints, and bones.

Rheumatism conditions have been classified as either localized, regional, or generalized. Localized rheumatism conditions include bursitis and tendinitis. Regional rheumatism conditions include chest wall pain, temporomandibular joint pain, and myofascial pain syndromes. Generalized rheumatism conditions include fibromyalgia.

Another category of rheumatism is psychogenic rheumatism. With this term it is understood that the patient is reporting inconsistent pains of muscles and joints that do not correspond to true anatomy and physiology. The patient is felt to have underlying psychological causes for the symptoms.

Rheumatology: A subspecialty of internal medicine that involves the non-surgical evaluation and treatment of the rheumatic diseases and conditions. Rheumatic diseases and conditions are characterized by symptoms involving the musculoskeletal system. Many of the rheumatic diseases and conditions feature immune system abnormalities. Therefore, rheumatology also involves the study of the immune system. Classical rheumatology training includes 4 years of medical school, 1 year of internship in internal medicine, 2 years of internal medicine residency, and 2 years of rheumatology fellowship. There is a subspecialty board for rheumatology certification. The American College of Rheumatology is the official organization acting on behalf of the field of rheumatology in the United States.

T cell: A type of white blood cell that is of key importance to the immune system and is at the core of adaptive immunity, the system that tailors the body's immune response to specific pathogens. The T cells are like soldiers who search out and destroy the targeted invaders.

Immature T cells (termed T-stem cells) migrate to the thymus gland in the neck, where they mature and differentiate into various types of mature T cells and become active in the immune system in response to a hormone called thymosin and other factors. T-cells that are potentially activated against the body's own tissues are normally killed or changed ("down-regulated") during this maturational process.

There are several different types of mature T cells. Not all of their functions are known. T cells can produce substances called cytokines such as the interleukins which further stimulate the immune response. T-cell activation is measured as a way to assess the health of patients with HIV/AIDS and less frequently in other disorders.

T cell are also known as T lymphocytes. The "T" stands for "thymus" -- the organ in which these cells mature. As opposed to B cells which mature in the bone marrow.

Teleology: The study of the ultimate purpose of the design of something in nature.

For example, "what is the true purpose of the nose?" is a teleological question and, to say that all evolutionary changes occur for a definite purpose is a teleological explanation of evolution.

"Teleology" comes from ancient Greek roots but it (and teleological) did not enter English until the 18th century. It is a compound of the Greek "tele-, telos," meaning "end or purpose" + the ending "logos" meaning "the science or study of" = the study of the ends or purposes.

Testosterone: A "male hormone" -- a sex hormone produced by the testes that encourages the development of male sexual characteristics, stimulates the activity of the male secondary sex characteristics, and prevents changes in them following castration. Chemically, testosterone is 17-beta-hydroxy-4-androstene-3-one.

Testosterone is the most potent of the naturally occurring androgens. The androgens cause the development of male sex characteristics, such as a deep voice and a beard; they also strengthen muscle tone and bone mass.

High levels of testosterone appear to promote good health in men, for example, lowering the risks of high blood pressure and heart attack. High testosterone levels also correlate with risky behavior, however, including increased aggressiveness and smoking, which may cancel out these health benefits.

Testosterone may be given to treat medical conditions, including female (but not male) breast cancer, hypogonadism (low gonadal function) in the male, cryptorchism (nondescent of the testis into the scrotum), and menorrhagia (irregular periods).