Patient/caregiver was instructed upon how to take Dutasteride as follows:
- Take this medication as ordered by your physician. Take the medication dose for the duration prescribed without fail.
- Observe compliance with the timing of dose intake, by having the medication dose at the same time every day. This helps to avoid forgetting the intake of medication and maintain the medication levels in the blood, needed to derive the therapeutic benefits.
- Maintain strict compliance with regards to dosage and frequency, to derive the benefit of the medication. Do not change the dose on this medication without consulting your doctor.
- This medication can induce some nausea and vomiting, when taken on empty stomach. Taking the medication with a glass of water and some food or snack can help avoid these unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Take the Dutasteride capsule as a whole, using a glass of water. The capsule of Dutasteride must not be opened for intake of the contents, as the contents in the capsule can be irritating to the mouth and lips. If you encounter difficulty swallowing the whole capsule, discuss with your physician on some alternative.
- Make sure the Dutasteride capsule is intact and not leaking the contents, before taking it. Intake of damaged capsule with contents leaking can lead to irritation of mouth, lips and throat. Appropriately discard any Dutasteride capsule with contents leaking, making sure the contents will not come into skin contact with either you or any family members. .
- Dutasteride takes some time to fairly adjust to your body and show the beneficial effect of shrinking of the prostate gland, relieving symptoms of BPH, promoting urine flow, and reducing urine retention. It could take about 3 – 6 months to see these beneficial effects. So, do not discontinue taking the medication without consulting your physician, as you failed to see the improvement with symptoms of prostatic enlargement immediately after taking the medication.
- Dutasteride only helps with managing the symptoms of BPH, by reducing the formation of compounds that promote prostate growth and enlargement. You will have this beneficial effect, only as long as the medication is taken. Discontinuing on Dutasteride intake can result in recurrence of symptoms of BPH, with the prostate continuing to grow and obstructing urine flow. Continue taking Dutasteride, as long as it is recommended, even if you experience relief with symptoms of BPH. Discontinuing the medication should only be on your physician’s recommendation.
- The dose of Dutasteride needs to be finely regulated, in order to experience relief with symptoms of BPH. Your physician could change the dose of Dutasteride, based on the relief obtained and side-effects developed. Maintain compliance with follow-up physician appointments and be accommodative to the plan of dose changes, until you show an optimum response.
- Notify your doctor of any unresolved and worsening symptoms of BPH or continuing unpleasant side-effects, so that, your dosage on the medication could be revised.
- Periodical labs could be ordered to evaluate the levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), which is a marker indicating any inflammation of prostate and risk for prostate cancer. With continued Dutasteride use, the levels of PSA are expected to fall, thus indicating reduced inflammation of prostate. Observe compliance with any lab draws ordered.
- If you miss a dose, try taking it at the earliest notice of noncompliance. If it is time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take the dose scheduled. Do not take an extra dose to try making up for the missed dose. Notify your doctor and other healthcare personnel regarding your dose noncompliance.
