Before taking fingolimod,
tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to fingolimod. If you have had a serious allergic reaction to fingolimod or any of the ingredients in fingolimod capsules (rash, hives, swelling of the face, eyes, mouth, throat, tongue, lips, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs), your doctor will probably tell not to fingolimod. Also, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any other medications. Ask your pharmacist or check the Medication Guide for a list of the ingredients.
tell your doctor if you are taking medications for irregular heartbeat such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Nexterone, Pacerone), disopyramide (Norpace), dofetilide (Tikosyn), dronedarone (Multaq), procainamide, quinidine (in Nuedexta), and sotalol (Betapace, Sorine, Sotylize). Your doctor will probably tell you not to take fingolimod if you are taking one or more of these medications.
tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take during your treatment with fingolimod and for 2 months after your treatment. Be sure to mention any of the following: beta-blockers such as atenolol (Tenormin, in Tenoretic), carteolol, labetalol (Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol-XL, in Dutoprol, in Lopressor HCT), nadolol (Corgard, in Corzide), propranolol (Hemangeol, Inderal LA, Innopran XL), and timolol; calcium channel blockers such as diltiazem (Cardizem, Cartia, Tiazac, others) and verapamil (Calan, Covera, Verelan, in Tarka); chlorpromazine; citalopram (Celexa); oral corticosteroids such as dexamethasone, methylprednisolone (Medrol), and prednisone (Rayos); digoxin (Lanoxin); erythromycin (E.E.S., Ery-Tab, PCE, others); haloperidol; ketoconazole (Extina, Nizoral, Xolegel); medications to control the immune system; medications for cancer, heart problems, or high blood pressure; and methadone (Dolophine, Methadose). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. Many other medications may also interact with fingolimod, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list.
tell your doctor if you have or have had any of these conditions in the last six months: fainting, heart attack, angina (chest pain), stroke or mini-stroke, or heart failure. Also tell your doctor if you have long QT syndrome (condition that increases the risk of developing an irregular heartbeat that may cause fainting or sudden death) or irregular heart rhythm. Your doctor may tell you not to take fingolimod.
tell your doctor if you have ever fainted, if you currently have a fever or other signs of infection, if you have an infection that comes and goes or that does not go away, and if you have or have ever had diabetes; sleep apnea (condition in which you briefly stop breathing many times during the night) or other breathing problems; high blood pressure; uveitis (inflammation of the eye) or other eye problems; a slow heartbeat; low levels of potassium or magnesium in your blood; or liver, or kidney disease.
tell your doctor if you have never had chicken pox and have not received the chicken pox vaccine. Your doctor may order a blood test to see if you have been exposed to chicken pox. You may need to receive the chicken pox vaccine and then wait one month before beginning your treatment with fingolimod.
tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. You should use birth control to prevent pregnancy during your treatment and for 2 months after your treatment. If you become pregnant while taking fingolimod or within 2 months after you stop taking fingolimod, call your doctor.
if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking fingolimod.
do not have any vaccinations during your treatment with fingolimod or for 2 months after your treatment without talking to your doctor.