Calcifediol is used to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism in some adults with chronic kidney disease. This condition occurs when the body creates excessive amounts of parathyroid hormone (PTH), a natural chemical required to regulate the quantity of calcium in the blood (condition in which the kidneys stop working slowly and gradually). Calcifediol belongs to the group of drugs known as vitamin D analogues. It functions by enhancing the body’s use of calcium from dietary sources or dietary supplements and by controlling parathyroid hormone synthesis.

Extended-release (long-acting) capsules of calciumfediol are available for oral use. It is often given before bedtime, once daily. Take calcifediol every day at around the same time(s). Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Follow the medication’s directions precisely. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

Do not chew or shatter the extended-release capsules; instead, swallow them whole.

Depending on how your body reacts to calcifediol, your doctor may adjust or increase your dose.

Osteomalacia, a condition in which the bones weaken and soften due to liver illness, is occasionally treated with calcifediol. When using this drug to treat your disease, discuss the risks with your doctor.

Inquire with your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you believe this drug may be prescribed for other purposes.

Before taking calcifediol,

• If you have any allergies, including to any of the ingredients in calcifediol extended-release capsules, notify your doctor and pharmacist right away. Get a list of the components from your pharmacist.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about any additional prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products you are now taking or intend to use. Incorporate any of the following: Digoxin (Lanoxin), cholestyramine, and clarithromycin (Biaxin, in Prevpac); itraconazole (Onmel, Sporanox); ketoconazole; drugs for HIV/AIDS such as ritonavir (Norvir, in Kaletra, in Viekira Pak), atazanavir (Reyataz, in Evotaz), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), and saquinavir (Invirase); nefazodone, phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek), telithromycin (Ketek), and thiazide diuretics (often referred to as “water pills”) are among examples. also voriconazole (Vfend). Your doctor might need to adjust your medication doses or keep a close eye out for any negative side effects. It’s important to inform your doctor about all of the medications you are taking, including any that may not appear on this list, as many other drugs may also interact with calcifediol.
• Inform your doctor if you are undergoing dialysis (a medical procedure used to clean the blood when the kidneys are not functioning normally) or if you currently have excessive calcium levels in your blood or ever had.
• Inform your doctor if you are expecting, intend to get pregnant, or are nursing a baby. Call your doctor if you become pregnant while taking calcifediol.
• Inform your doctor or dentist that you are taking calcifediol if you are having surgery, including dental surgery.

Keep eating normally unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.

Ignore the missed dose and carry on with my normal dosing routine. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

Side effects are possible with cacifediol. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Joints hurt

Some adverse effects may be severe. Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these signs:

• Feeling drained, having trouble concentrating, losing your appetite, being sick or constipated, feeling nauseous or vomiting, having more thirst or urination than usual, or losing weight
• Breathing difficulty
• Light skin
• Fracture

Other adverse reactions to cacifediol could occur. If you have any strange side effects while taking this medicine, call your doctor right away.

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Keep it away from excessive heat and moisture at room temperature (not in the bathroom).

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medications website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

Although many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Moreover, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

Overdose symptoms could include:

• Constipation
• Reduction in appetite
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Muscular tremor
• Vomiting

Keep all of your appointments with your physician and the lab. Before you begin taking calcifediol, 3 months into treatment, if your dose was altered, and at least every 6 to 12 months after that, your doctor will order certain lab tests to monitor your body’s response.

No one else should take your medication. Any queries you may have regarding medication refills should be directed to your pharmacist.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.