Dosage form:

Oral capsules 10 and 25 mg.

What is Acitretin used for?

• It is used to treat psoriasis.
• It may be given to you for other reasons. Talk with the doctor.

Important notes before taking Acitretin:

• If you are allergic to this drug; any part of this drug.
• If you have any of these health problems: High cholesterol, kidney disease, or liver disease.
• If you are taking any of these drugs: doxycycline, minocycline, tetracycline, a product that has vitamin A in it, a product that is like vitamin A, or St. John’s wort.
• If you are taking methotrexate.
• If you are breast-feeding. Do not breast-feed while you take this drug.
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all of your drugs (prescription or OTC, natural products, vitamins) and health problems. You must check to make sure that it is safe for you to take this drug with all of your drugs and health problems. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor.

Important notes while taking Acitretin:

• Tell all of your health care providers that you take this drug. This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.
• Avoid driving and doing other tasks or actions that call for you to be alert or have clear eyesight until you see how this drug affects you. It may take a few months to see the full effect.
• If you have high blood sugar (diabetes), this drug may sometimes raise blood sugar.
• High cholesterol and triglyceride levels have happened with this drug.
• Call your doctor right away if you have signs of a blood clot like chest pain or pressure; coughing up blood; shortness of breath; swelling, warmth, numbness, change of color, or pain in a leg or arm; or trouble speaking or swallowing.
• Have blood work checked as you have been told by the doctor.
• Have a bone density test as you have been told by your doctor.
• Skin may look worse before it looks better.
• You may get sunburned more easily. Avoid sun, sunlamps, and tanning beds. Use sunscreen and wear clothing and eyewear that protects you from the sun.
• Trouble seeing at night has happened with this drug. This may be sudden. This may clear up after you stop the drug but sometimes it may not go away. Use care at night when driving or doing other tasks that call for clear eyesight. Keep work space well lit. If you have trouble seeing at night while taking this drug, call your doctor right away.
• This drug may cause a severe and sometimes deadly problem called capillary leak syndrome (CLS). CLS may lead to low blood pressure, abnormal heartbeat, chest pain, or heart attack. It may also lead to lung or breathing problems, bleeding or lower blood flow in the stomach or bowel, kidney problems, swelling, or feeling confused.
• Raised pressure in the brain has happened with this drug. This can cause long lasting loss of eyesight and sometimes death. Call your doctor right away if you have a bad headache, dizziness, upset stomach or throwing up, or seizures. Call your doctor right away if you have weakness on 1 side of the body, trouble speaking or thinking, change in balance, or change in eyesight.
• If you are 65 or older, use this drug with care. You could have more side effects.
• Do not use progestin-only birth control pills (mini pills). They may not work well.
• If you think you may be pregnant, or if you miss your period, call your doctor right away.

Acitretin Side Effects:

Even though it may be rare, some people may have very bad and sometimes deadly side effects when taking a drug. Tell your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any of the following signs or symptoms that may be related to a very bad side effect:

• Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash; hives; itching; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever; wheezing; tightness in the chest or throat; trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking; unusual hoarseness; or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Signs of depression, thoughts of suicide, nervousness, emotional ups and downs, thinking that is not normal, anxiety, or lack of interest in life.
• Signs of high blood sugar like confusion, feeling sleepy, more thirst, more hungry, passing urine more often, flushing, fast breathing, or breath that smells like fruit.
• Signs of electrolyte problems like mood changes; confusion; muscle pain, cramps, or spasms; weakness; shakiness; change in balance; an abnormal heartbeat; seizures; loss of appetite; or severe upset stomach or throwing up.
• Mean actions or thoughts of fighting.
• Very bad dizziness or passing out.
• A burning, numbness, or tingling feeling that is not normal.
• Very bad muscle pain or weakness.
• Bone or joint pain.
• Change in eyesight, eye pain, or very bad eye irritation.
• Change in how contact lenses feel in the eyes.
• Fever, chills, or sore throat.
• Swelling.
• Weight gain.
• Stomach pain.
• Severe diarrhea.
• Bleeding from rectum or rectal pain.
• Blood in the urine.
• Thinning of the skin.
• Severe and sometimes deadly pancreas problems (pancreatitis) have happened with this drug. This could happen at any time during treatment. Signs of pancreatitis include very bad stomach pain, very bad back pain, or very upset stomach or throwing up. Call your doctor right away if you have any of these signs.

Call your doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother you or do not go away:

• Dry mouth, eyes, skin, or lips.
• Hair loss.
• Eye irritation.
• It is common to have chapped lips; peeling fingertips, palms, and soles; itching; scaly skin; weak nails; sticky or fragile skin; runny or dry nose; or nosebleeds. Call your doctor if any of these effects are severe, bother you, or do not go away.

These are not all of the side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, call your doctor.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

• If you take this drug on a regular basis, take a missed dose as soon as you think about it.
• If it is close to the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your normal time.
• Do not take 2 doses at the same time or extra doses.
• Many times, this drug is taken on an as needed basis. Do not take more often than told by the doctor.

How do I store and/or throw out this drug?

• Store at room temperature.
• Protect from light.
• Store in a dry place. Do not store in a bathroom.
• Keep all drugs in a safe place. Keep all drugs out of the reach of children and pets.
• Throw away unused or expired drugs. Do not flush down a toilet or pour down a drain unless you are told to do so. Check with your pharmacist if you have questions about the best way to throw out drugs.