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Precautions and Warnings With Calcipotriene
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should talk to their healthcare provider before taking calcipotriene. Precautions and warnings also apply to people with certain allergies (including to dyes and preservatives) and people with hypercalcemia. By following a few simple guidelines when using this psoriasis medication, you can help ensure a safe, effective treatment process.
Prior to using calcipotriene (Dovonex®), talk to your healthcare provider if you have:
- High blood calcium levels (hypercalcemia)
- Any allergies, including to medications, foods, dyes, or preservatives.
In addition, let your healthcare provider know if you are:
- Pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant
- Breastfeeding.
You should also tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Some warnings and precautions to be aware of prior to beginning treatment with calcipotriene include the following:
- Calcipotriene may increase the level of calcium in the blood. Overuse of this medication may cause dangerous hypercalcemia. Let your healthcare provider know if you develop signs or symptoms of this condition, such as:
- Constipation, nausea, or vomiting
- Muscle aches or weakness
- Kidney stones
- Pain in the abdomen (stomach) or on the side
- Confusion or lethargy
- Increased thirst and frequent urination.
- This medicine should not be applied to the face. Wash your hands after applying it -- unless you are treating your hands -- and make sure to keep it out of the eyes.
- Avoid exposing any treated area of the body to excessive sunlight, including artificial sunlight such as sun lamps or tanning booths.
- Calcipotriene can potentially interact with a few medications (see Drug Interactions With Calcipotriene).
- Calcipotriene is a pregnancy Category C medication, which means that it might not be safe during pregnancy. If you are pregnant, check with your healthcare provider before using this product (see Dovonex and Pregnancy).
- It is unknown if calcipotriene passes through breast milk. Therefore, if you are breastfeeding a child, check with your healthcare provider (or your child's healthcare provider) before beginning treatment (see Dovonex and Breastfeeding).
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD