Doxercalciferol injection is used to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism in dialysis patients. This condition occurs when the body creates excessive amounts of parathyroid hormone (PTH), a natural substance necessary to regulate the quantity of calcium in the blood (medical treatment to clean the blood when the kidneys are not working properly). Doxercalciferol injection 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 controlling parathyroid hormone synthesis.

At the conclusion of each dialysis session, a solution of doxercalciferol injection is administered intravenously three times per week. It is possible to deliver doxercalciferol injection at home or in a dialysis facility. Your doctor will instruct you on how to use the drug if you receive doxercalciferol injection at home. Make sure you comprehend these instructions, and if you have any issues, consult your healthcare professional.

Your doctor will likely start you off on a low dose of doxercalciferol injection and gradually increase it as needed, depending on how your body reacts to it.

For a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient, ask your pharmacist or doctor.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you believe this drug should be used for something else.

Before using doxercalciferol injection,

• If you have an allergy to doxercalciferol, any other drugs, or any of the ingredients in doxercalciferol injection, let your doctor and pharmacist know 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. If you take any of the following, make sure to mention them: calcium supplements, erythromycin (E.E.S., Ery-Tab, PCE, and others), glutethimide (no longer sold in the United States; Doriden), ketoconazole, phenobarbital, thiazide diuretics (also known as “water pills”), or other sources of vitamin D. Several over-the-counter medicines should not be taken with doxercalciferol injection, as both you and your carer be aware. Before using any over-the-counter medications while using doxercalciferol injection, see your doctor.
• If you are receiving treatment for dialysis and taking magnesium-containing antacids (Maalox, Mylanta), let your doctor know. You’ll likely be advised by your doctor to refrain from using antacids that include magnesium while receiving doxercalciferol injections.
• If your blood calcium or vitamin D levels are high, let your doctor know. Most likely, your doctor will advise against using doxercalciferol injection.
• Inform your doctor if you have liver illness now or ever had liver disease, high levels of phosphorus, or both.
• 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 doxercalciferol injection.

Doxercalciferol injections only function when you consume the required calcium from your diet. Doxercalciferol injection might have dangerous negative effects if you consume too much calcium through your diet. Doxercalciferol injection will not be able to control your condition if you do not consume adequate calcium through meals. Your doctor will advise you on the best foods to eat in order to get these nutrients as well as the recommended daily portion size. Inform your doctor if you have trouble consuming enough of these items. In that situation, your doctor may suggest or prescribe a supplement.

During the course of your doxercalciferol injectable therapy, your doctor might also advise a low-phosphate diet. Pay close attention to these guidelines.

Call your doctor as soon as you can if you don’t receive a doxercalciferol injection during your dialysis treatment.

Injections of doxercalciferol may have unwanted effects. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Headache
• Heartburn
• Dizziness
• Issues with sleep
• Fluid accumulation
• Gaining weight

Some adverse effects may be severe. Call your doctor right away or seek emergency medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms while using doxercalciferol injection:

• Facial, lip, tongue, and airway edoema
• Unresponsiveness
• Pain in the chest
• Breathing difficulty
• Feeling drained, having trouble concentrating, losing your appetite, being sick to your stomach, being constipated, becoming more thirsty, becoming more urinative, or losing weight

Further negative consequences from doxercalciferol injection are possible. If you experience any strange issues while taking this drug, 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 (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

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:

• Feeling worn out
• Having trouble being clear-headed
• Reduced appetite
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Heightened thirst
• More frequent urination
• Slim down

Keep all of your appointments with your physician and the lab. Before to and throughout your doxercalciferol injection therapy, your doctor will order a number of lab tests.

Do not share your medication with anybody else. 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.