Patricia Weiser, PharmD

Healthline • July 11, 2022

Belsomra: Side Effects, Dosage, Uses, and More

If you have insomnia (trouble sleeping or staying asleep), your doctor may prescribe Belsomra. It’s a prescription drug used in adults with this condition. Belsomra contains the active ingredient suvorexant. (An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.) It belongs to a group of drugs called dual orexin receptor antagonists (DORAs). Belsomra is a tablet that you’ll swallow. It’s available in four strengths: 5 milligrams (mg), 10 mg, 15 mg, and 20 mg. Belsomra is a brand-name medication and is

Healthline • May 24, 2022

Truxima: Side Effects, Cost, Uses, Dosage, and More

Your doctor may prescribe Truxima if you have a certain kind of cancer or another condition that affects your immune system. Truxima is prescribed to treat the following conditions in adults: • microscopic polyangiitis, a rare disorder in which your small blood vessels become inflamed To learn more about Truxima’s uses, see “Is Truxima used for rheumatoid arthritis?” and “Is Truxima used for other conditions?” below. The active ingredient in Truxima is rituximab-abbs. (The active ingredient is w

Healthline • May 16, 2022

Lupron Depot: Side Effects, Dosage, Uses, and More

If you’re an adult with one of the following conditions, your doctor may prescribe Lupron Depot in certain situations: Doctors may also prescribe a form of this medication, called Lupron Depot-Ped, to certain children. It’s used to treat early-onset puberty. To learn more about the drug’s uses, including limitations of its use, see the “What is Lupron Depot used for?” section below. Lupron Depot contains the active drug leuprolide acetate. The medication isn’t currently available in generic form

Healthline • May 14, 2022

Nexlizet: Side Effects, Cost, Uses, Dosage, and More

If you have high cholesterol, your doctor may prescribe Nexlizet along with a statin drug and a low fat diet. Nexlizet is a prescription drug used in adults with either: • heart disease related to atherosclerosis (narrowing or hardening of your arteries due to a buildup of cholesterol) Specifically, Nexlizet is used to lower a type of cholesterol called low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as “bad cholesterol.” For more details about how the drug is used, including its limitations of use, s

Healthline • May 5, 2022

Xgeva: Side Effects, Cost, Dosage, and More

If you have a certain kind of cancer or tumor, your doctor may prescribe Xgeva to help prevent serious bone problems. Xgeva is a prescription drug that’s used in adults to: • prevent bone fractures in people with multiple myeloma or cancer that has spread to the bones from a solid tumor • treat hypercalcemia (high calcium levels in the blood) caused by cancer • treat giant cell tumors (a rare type of bone tumor) that can’t be safely removed by surgery Doctors may also prescribe Xgeva for certain

Healthline • April 24, 2022

Tagrisso: Side Effects, Cost, Uses, and More

If you have a certain type of lung cancer, your doctor may prescribe Tagrisso. It’s used to treat specific kinds of non-small cell lung cancer in adults. For more details about Tagrisso’s uses, see the “Is Tagrisso used for lung cancer?” section below. The active drug in Tagrisso is osimertinib. A generic version of the drug is not currently available. Tagrisso comes as a tablet that you swallow. Keep reading to learn more about Tagrisso’s side effects, cost, uses, and more. Like most drugs, Ta

Healthline • March 3, 2022

Aristada Side Effects: What They Are and How to Manage Them

If you have schizophrenia, your doctor might suggest Aristada (aripiprazole lauroxil) as a treatment option for you. Learning about the possible side effects of Aristada can help you and your doctor decide if it’s a good treatment option for you. Aristada is a prescription medication that’s used to treat schizophrenia in adults. Aristada is typically a long-term treatment. A healthcare professional will give you the drug as an injection into a muscle. Prior to Aristada treatment, you may receive

Healthline • February 25, 2022

Aristada: Dosage, Side Effects, Uses, and More

If you have schizophrenia, your doctor may prescribe Aristada (aripiprazole lauroxil). Aristada is a prescription drug that’s typically used as a long-term treatment for schizophrenia in adults. Aristada contains the active drug aripiprazole lauroxil and belongs to a group of medications called atypical antipsychotics. Aristada is a brand-name medication. It currently isn’t available in a generic version. A healthcare professional will administer the drug as an injection into a muscle. Read on t

Healthline • February 23, 2022

Tradjenta Dosage: Form, Strength, How to Take, and More

If you have type 2 diabetes, your doctor may suggest Tradjenta as a treatment option. It’s a prescription drug used to treat high blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. It’s meant to be used along with diet and exercise. Tradjenta comes as a tablet that you swallow. The active ingredient in this medication is linagliptin. (This is the ingredient that makes Tradjenta work.) Tradjenta belongs to a group of drugs called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors. These drugs help your body rele

Healthline • February 17, 2022

Tazorac: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, and More

If you have acne or plaque psoriasis, your doctor may prescribe Tazorac. It’s a prescription drug used to treat these conditions in adults and some children. For more details about how Tazorac is used to treat these conditions, see the “Is Tazorac used for acne?” and “Is Tazorac used for other conditions?” sections below. Tazorac contains the active drug tazarotene. It belongs to a group of drugs called retinoids. Retinoids are made from vitamin A. Tazorac is a topical medication, which means yo

Healthline • February 1, 2022

Vraylar: Side Effects, Dosage, Uses, Cost, and More

Your doctor may recommend Vraylar for certain mental health conditions. Vraylar is a prescription drug that’s used to treat: • mixed or manic episodes in adults with bipolar I disorder For more details about these conditions and how Vraylar is used, see the “What is Vraylar used for?” section below. Vraylar is classified as an antipsychotic drug. (A drug’s classification refers to the group of medications that it belongs to.) Vraylar contains the active ingredient cariprazine. Vraylar does not c

Healthline • December 22, 2021

Ibrance: Side Effects, Cost, Dosage, How to Take, and More

If you have breast cancer, your doctor may prescribe Ibrance. It’s used with other medications to treat specific types of breast cancer in certain adults. To learn more about Ibrance’s uses, see the “Is Ibrance used for breast cancer?” section below. The active drug in Ibrance is palbociclib. This drug belongs to a group of drugs called kinase inhibitors. Ibrance isn’t currently available in generic form. Ibrance is a type of targeted therapy. This means the drug targets only certain cells to pr

Healthline • December 20, 2021

Piqray Side Effects: What They Are and How to Manage Them

If you have a certain type of breast cancer, your doctor might suggest Piqray (alpelisib) for you. Learning about the possible side effects of Piqray can help you and your doctor decide if it’s a good treatment option for you. Piqray is a prescription drug used to treat breast cancer in adults in certain situations. Specifically, it’s used for breast cancer that has all of these traits: Piqray comes as a tablet you take by mouth. It’s used as a long-term treatment along with Faslodex (fulvestran

Healthline • December 13, 2021

Vyepti Side Effects: What They Are and How to Manage Them

If you have migraine, your doctor might suggest Vyepti (eptinezumab-jjmr) for you. Knowing Vyepti’s possible side effects can help you and your doctor decide whether to add it to your treatment plan. Vyepti is a prescription drug used to prevent migraine episodes in adults. It’s a , which means it’s made from living cells. A healthcare professional will give you Vyepti as an intravenous (IV) infusion. This is an injection that’s given slowly into your vein. You’ll receive it once every 3 months.

Healthline • November 30, 2021

Revlimid: Side Effects and What to Do About Them

If you have blood cancer, your doctor might suggest Revlimid (lenalidomide) as a treatment option. Revlimid is a prescription drug that’s taken to treat certain types of the following blood cancers in adults: Revlimid comes as a capsule that you swallow. It’s typically used as a long-term treatment. Your doctor might prescribe Revlimid along with another cancer treatment. Keep reading to learn about Revlimid’s mild and serious side effects. For more information about Revlimid, including details

Healthline • November 30, 2021

Levemir and Dosage: Forms, Strength, How to Use, and More

If you have diabetes, your doctor might prescribe Levemir as a treatment option. The active drug in Levemir is insulin detemir, which is a long-acting insulin. It’s used to lower blood sugar levels in: • adults and some children with type 1 diabetes Levemir comes as a liquid solution that you inject under your skin. It’s available in two forms: a prefilled pen and a vial. This article describes the dosages of Levemir, as well as its forms, strength, and how to use it. To learn more about Levemir

Healthline • November 29, 2021

Invokana: Side Effects, Dosage, Cost, Uses, and More

If you have type 2 diabetes, your doctor may recommend Invokana as a treatment option. It’s a prescription medication that’s used in adults with type 2 diabetes to: • help manage blood sugar levels, along with a balanced diet and exercise • lower the risk of serious cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) problems in people who also have cardiovascular disease • lower the risk of certain complications from diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage caused by diabetes) Your doctor may prescribe Invokana

Healthline • November 19, 2021

Imitrex and Dosage: Forms, Strengths, How to Take, and More

If you have migraine, your doctor may suggest Imitrex (sumatriptan) as a treatment option. It’s a prescription medication used to treat migraine (with or without aura) in adults. The injected form of this drug is also used to treat cluster headaches in adults. In addition to an injection given under your skin, Imitrex is also available as an oral tablet and a nasal spray. This article describes the dosages of Imitrex, as well as its forms, strengths, and how to take it. To learn more about Imitr

Healthline • November 17, 2021

Kyprolis: Side Effects and How to Manage Them

If you have multiple myeloma, your doctor may suggest Kyprolis (carfilzomib) as a treatment option. Learning about possible side effects can help you decide if this medication is the right choice for you. Kyprolis is a prescription drug used in adults to treat multiple myeloma in certain situations. Kyprolis is given as an intravenous (IV) infusion by a healthcare professional. (An IV infusion is an injection given into a vein over a period of time.) How long you’ll receive Kyprolis depends on y

Healthline • October 28, 2021

Humulin R U-500 for Diabetes: How to Use and More

If you’re looking at treatment options for diabetes, your doctor might suggest Humulin R U-500 (insulin human). Humulin R U-500 is a prescription medication that’s used to manage blood sugar levels in certain adults and children. Specifically, it’s used in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who need more than 200 units of insulin per day. For details about diabetes, see the “What is diabetes?” section below. Humulin R U-500 belongs to a group of biologic drugs called insulins. The active ingr