Flutamin (Flutamide)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Flutamin Used For?
Flutamin contains the active ingredient flutamide and is used as part of a comprehensive treatment approach for prostate cancer.
Primary Uses
Flutamin is used in combination with medical castration to treat prostate cancer. This combination therapy is called maximal androgen blockade, which blocks androgens (male hormones) from all sources to prevent them from reaching and nourishing cancer cells.
How It Works
Flutamin is an antiandrogen that works by blocking adrenal androgens (male hormones) from reaching cancer cells. Prostate cancer cells need androgens to grow, and there are two sources in your body: the testes and the adrenal glands. While castration stops testosterone production by the testes, Flutamin prevents androgens from the adrenal glands from continuing to nourish the cancer cells.
Good to know: There is no evidence that Flutamin is addictive.
How to Take Flutamin
It’s important to take Flutamin exactly as prescribed by your doctor to ensure the therapy effectively blocks androgens in your body.
Dosage Instructions
Take one tablet by mouth three times a day, exactly as directed by your doctor. Taking Flutamin every eight hours is the best way to ensure effective therapy. Take one tablet when you first get up, one in the afternoon, and one at bedtime. Flutamin can be taken with or without food. Swallow the tablets whole with a full glass of water. Do not use meals as a reminder since meals are not normally 8 hours apart.
What If You Miss a Dose?
If you forget to take a dose, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice. If it’s almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose when scheduled. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, then return to your normal schedule. If you have trouble remembering when to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for advice.
Important: Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed dose.
Available Tablet Strengths
Side Effects
Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.
Common Side Effects
These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:
- rash
- always feeling hungry
- blurred vision
- decrease in sexual desire or sexual ability
- difficulty sleeping
- drowsiness
- feeling fatigued
- headaches and feeling dizzy
- nausea and vomiting
- diarrhea
- hot flushes (sudden sweating and feelings of warmth)
- increased breast size
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- dark urine (amber or yellow-green urine is not a concern)
- itching of the skin
- persistent lack of appetite
- yellow eyes or skin
- tenderness in the right upper stomach
- constant tiredness or flu-like symptoms
- anxiety
- confusion
- bleeding or bruising more than normal
- depression
- high blood pressure
- mood swings
- muscle ache or twitching
- nervousness
- shortness of breath
- slow healing cuts or infection
- difficult or labored breathing
- excessive thirst and urination
- heart rhythm disorder
- leg cramps, tingling/numbness in hands and/or feet
- liver damage or brain coma from liver illness
- unusual weight loss or weight gain
- yellow discoloration of the skin or eyes due to failure to remove bile
- swelling of feet or lower legs
Important Warnings
Before taking Flutamin, it’s crucial to discuss your medical history and current health conditions with your doctor.
Who Should Not Take Flutamin
Do not take Flutamin if you are allergic to flutamide or any ingredients in the medication, have serious liver problems, are pregnant or breastfeeding (Flutamin is for use by men only), or if the packaging is damaged or expired.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to other medicines, foods, dyes or preservatives; liver problems; heart disease, long QT syndrome, or family history of heart conditions; diabetes; anemia or low red blood cell count; low bone mineral density, osteoporosis, or family history of bone fractures; consume large quantities of alcohol and/or tobacco; take epilepsy medications; or take medicines that reduce immune system activity.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Flutamin is for use by men only. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not take this medication.
Drug Interactions
Some medicines may interfere with Flutamin and affect how it works. Always tell your doctor about all medications you’re taking.
- oral anticoagulants such as warfarin
- theophylline (used for asthma)
- medicines for irregular heart rhythm (quinidine, disopyramide, amiodarone, sotalol, dofetilide, ibutilide, dronedarone, flecainide, propafenone)
- medicines for mental illness or behavioral disturbances (chlorpromazine)
- antidepressants (amitriptyline, nortriptyline)
- pain medications (methadone)
- antibiotics (erythromycin, clarithromycin, azithromycin, moxifloxacin)
- quinine (antimalarial)
- azole antifungals
- anti-nausea medications (ondansetron)
- asthma medications (salbutamol)
Alcohol & Driving
Flutamin generally does not cause problems with your ability to drive or operate machinery, but it’s important to be cautious.
Alcohol
Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Make sure you know how you react to Flutamin before you drive a car, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or light-headed.
Storage
Store Flutamin below 25°C in a cool, dry place away from moisture, heat, or sunlight. Keep your tablets in the pack until it’s time to take them. Do not store in the bathroom, near a sink, in the car, or on window sills. Keep out of reach of children – a locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half meters above the ground is recommended.
Overdose Information
If you think you or anyone else has taken too much Flutamin, urgent medical attention may be needed. Immediately phone the Poisons Information Centre (Australia telephone 13 11 26) for advice, contact your doctor, or go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Flutamin works as part of maximal androgen blockade therapy. Your doctor will monitor your progress and may want you to have blood tests occasionally during your therapy to assess how well the treatment is working.
Yes, Flutamin can be taken with or without food. However, don’t use meals as a reminder to take your medication because meals are not normally 8 hours apart, and you need to take Flutamin every 8 hours for best results.
No, there is no evidence that Flutamin is addictive.
Do not stop taking Flutamin or change the dose without checking with your doctor first. Continue taking Flutamin regularly for as long as your doctor tells you to, as it’s part of your cancer treatment plan.
You should tell your doctor if you drink alcohol. This is especially important if you consume large quantities of alcohol, as this information helps your doctor monitor your treatment safely.
If you forget to take a dose, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice. If it’s almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose when scheduled. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember. Never take a double dose to make up for a missed dose.
Yes, decreased sexual desire or sexual ability is a common side effect. Any therapy that stops the production of male hormones will affect your sex drive and may make erection more difficult. If you experience problems, ask your doctor about available treatment options.
Important Disclaimer
This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.