Sodium Thiosulfate (Systemic)

Brand Names : Cyanide Antidote Package

Before Receiving This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. When sodium thiosulfate is to be used to lessen the side effects of cancer medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to sodium thiosulfate. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Studies on effects in pregnancy have not been done in humans or animals.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether sodium thiosulfate passes into breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who receive this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children - Although there is no specific information comparing use of sodium thiosulfate in children with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does in adults.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information comparing the use of sodium thiosulfate in the elderly with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of sodium thiosulfate. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Edema (swelling of feet or lower legs) or
• Heart disease or
• High blood pressure (hypertension) or
• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease or
• Toxemia of pregnancy - Sodium thiosulfate may cause the body to retain (keep) water, which may make these conditions worse