H-BIG IM

Redness, pain, or tenderness at the injection site may occur. Nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, dizziness, headache, or back/joint pain may also occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.
This medication may rarely cause blood clots when given by injection into a vein (such as pulmonary embolism, stroke, heart attack, deep vein thrombosis). You may be at increased risk for blood clots if you are severely dehydrated, or have a history of blood clots, heart/blood vessel disease, heart failure, stroke, or if you are immobile (such as very long plane flights or bedridden). If you use estrogen-containing products, these may also increase your risk. Before using this medication, if you have any of these conditions report them to your doctor or pharmacist. Get medical help right away if any of these side effects occur: shortness of breath/rapid breathing, chest/jaw/left arm pain, unusual sweating, sudden dizziness/fainting, pain/swelling/warmth in the groin/calf, sudden/severe headaches, slurred speech, weakness on one side of the body, sudden vision changes, confusion.
A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
In the US -
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

See Side Effects section.
Before receiving hepatitis B immune globulin, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or had a previous reaction to other immune globulins; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: bleeding/blood clotting problems, a certain immune system problem (immunoglobulin A deficiency).
This drug may make you dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do any activity that requires alertness until you are sure you can perform such activities safely. Limit alcoholic beverages.
This medication is made from human blood. Even though the blood is carefully tested, and this medication goes through a special manufacturing process, there is an extremely small chance that you may get infections (such as hepatitis A) from the medication. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Some immune globulin products are made with maltose. This substance can cause false high blood sugar levels when your blood sugar is normal or even low. If you have diabetes, check with your doctor or pharmacist whether the product you are using contains maltose and whether your blood sugar testing supplies will work with this product. Rarely, serious problems have occurred when too much insulin was given because of false high sugar readings or when low blood sugar went untreated.
Tell your doctor of any recent/planned vaccinations. This medication may prevent a good response to live virus vaccines (such as measles, mumps, varicella). If you are vaccinated less than 14 days before receiving this medication or during the 3 months after receiving this medication, you may need to be vaccinated again or tested to see whether the vaccine was effective.
During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.
It is not known whether this drug passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor\'s approval.
This medication may interfere with certain tests (including certain blood sugar tests, Coomb\'s test), possibly causing false test results. The blood sugar interference can lead to serious (possibly fatal) consequences. Tell all laboratory personnel and all your doctors and pharmacists that you use this medication, and which type of blood sugar testing strips you use.

If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call the US National Poison Hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center.

NOTES:
If you are receiving this medication on a regular schedule, laboratory and/or medical tests (such as levels of antibody in the blood) may be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

MISSED DOSE:
For the best possible benefit, it is important to receive each scheduled dose of this medication as directed. If you miss a dose, contact your doctor immediately to establish a new dosing schedule.

STORAGE:
Not applicable. This medication is given in a hospital or doctor\'s office and will not be stored at home.
Information last revised June 2012. Copyright(c) 2012 First Databank, Inc.