Patient/caregiver was educated on how to take Ryanodex as follows:
- Ryanodex is prescribed as a suspension that is administered as a shot into the vein. Ryanodex is administered over a span of at least one minute, as an intravenous push through an IV catheter.
- Take the shot at the same time, every day, to avoid forgetting the medication. Taking the medication at regularly spaced intervals helps to maintain appropriate blood levels of ryanodex needed to derive the desired beneficial effects and also prevent toxicity with the medication.
- Maintain strict compliance with intake of the medication as ordered, with regards to dosage and frequency, to derive the benefit of the medication.
- Do not change the dose on this medication without consulting your physician.
- Ryanodex use can result in episodes of confusion, dizziness, and light-headedness. Starting the medication at a low dose and gradually increasing the dose, to help optimum control of your symptoms, can contribute to reducing the risk for drowsiness and dizziness due to the medication. Do not change the prescribed dose on this medication without consulting your physician. The dizziness should progressively decrease and ease out in due course of time. If the dizziness continues/worsens and becomes bothersome, report it to your physician and other health care personnel, for any change in plan of care to be considered. Stay away from activities, such as, driving and operating heavy machinery, until you are used to the side effects caused by ryanodex intake. Observing compliance with use of recommended assistive devices, such as, cane and walker can further safety during confused states. Avoiding quick changes in position can also contribute towards fall and accident prevention.
- Do not take ryanodex with alcohol or opioid pain medications, such as, hydrocodone and codeine, as these products can add to the dizziness and confusion caused by ryanodex. A number of OTC cough medications, antihistamines, antiseizure, antidepressant, and antianxiety medications, can potentiate the confusion caused by ryanodex and so, must be avoided taking along with ryanodex. Avoid taking any other medications with potential to cause drowsiness along with ryanodex at the same time.
- Ryanodex could potentially interact with a lot of other medications and precipitate serious reactions. If you are being newly started on ryanodex, discuss with your physician regarding all your current medications and their safety with ryanodex. Also, notify your physician regarding any current ryanodex intake, if you are being started on any new medications and discuss their safety with ryanodex.
- Ryanodex could take some time to fairly adjust to your body, before any optimal relief with muscle spasms and easing of side-effects is experienced. So, do not discontinue taking the medication without your physician’s consult, as you failed to see the desired result immediately after taking the medication.
- Ryanodex only helps with relieving muscle spasms, by reducing the availability of calcium ions much needed for muscle contraction. Ryanodex only temporarily relieves the spasms but does not fix the actual condition causing the muscle spasms and so, could not a permanent cure. Continue taking ryanodex as ordered, even if you experience relief from muscle pain and spasms, until your physician orders for the discontinuation on the medication.
- Your physician could change the dose of ryanodex, based on the response you show, relief obtained, and side-effects presented with. So, 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 unresolving muscle spasms, progressively worsening muscle pain and discomfort, compromised range of motion in the involved muscle groups, and any continuing or worsening unpleasant side-effects, so that, your dosage on the medication could be revised.
- Ryanodex is metabolized inside the body by the liver and is excreted out of the body in urine by the kidneys. A portion of the drug is also secreted in the bile into the intestines, which is excreted in feces. If liver function is deficient, metabolism of the drug could be compromised, which can result in higher concentrations of the drug in the body for longer periods of time. If kidney function is deficient, elimination of the drug could be compromised, which also can result in higher concentrations of the drug and metabolites in the body for longer periods of time. Either case can contribute to toxicity. While taking ryanodex, periodical labs could be ordered for evaluation of liver and kidney functions. So, maintain compliance with follow-up physician appointments and lab draws ordered. Be accommodative to the plan of dose changes accordingly to achieve an optimum response and prevent development of any undesired side-effects & toxicity.
- 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, which can result in toxicity. Notify your doctor and other health care personnel regarding your dose noncompliance.
