trivaris

Trivaris (triamcinolone ophthalmic injection) is a steroid injection for use in the eye. It prevents the release of substances in the body that cause inflammation.

Trivaris is injected into the eye to treat inflammation caused by disease or injury. Trivaris is usually given after steroid eye drops have been used without successful treatment of symptoms. Triamcinolone ophthalmic injection is also used during a certain type of eye surgery.

Trivaris may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Important information

You should not receive Trivaris if you are allergic to triamcinolone, or if you have a fungal infection anywhere in your body. Do not use Trivaris if you are pregnant.It could harm the unborn baby. Use effective birth control, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment.

Before receiving Trivaris, tell your doctor if you have any type of bacterial, fungal, or viral infection (including tuberculosis). Also tell your doctor if you have cataracts or glaucoma, herpes infection of your eye, diabetes, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, a thyroid disorder, myasthenia gravis, a stomach or intestinal disorder, or a history of recent heart attack.

Before you receive any vaccine, talk with the doctor who is treating you with Trivaris. Some vaccines may not work as well or could cause harmful side effects during treatment with steroid medicine.

Steroids can lower the blood cells that help your body fight infections Avoid being near people who are sick or have infections. Call your doctor for preventive treatment if you are exposed to chicken pox or measles.

There are many other medicines that can interact with Trivaris. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. Keep a list with you of all the medicines you use and show this list to any doctor or other healthcare provider who treats you.

Before receiving Trivaris

You should not receive Trivaris if you are allergic to triamcinolone, or if you have a fungal infection anywhere in your body.

If you have any of these other conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely receive Trivaris:

• herpes infection of your eye;

• eye conditions such as cataract or glaucoma;

• diabetes;

• high blood pressure, congestive heart failure;

• any type of bacterial, fungal, or viral infection (including tuberculosis);

• a thyroid disorder;

• a muscle disorder such as myasthenia gravis;

• diverticulitis, stomach or intestinal ulcer, or recent stomach surgery; or

• if you have recently had a heart attack.

FDA pregnancy category D. Do not use Trivaris if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby. Use effective birth control, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. Triamcinolone can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use Trivaris without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

See also: Pregnancy and breastfeeding warnings (in more detail)

This medication can decrease bone formation which could lead to osteoporosis, especially with long-term use. Talk with your doctor about your specific risk of bone loss while using Trivaris.

Steroids can affect growth in children. Talk with your doctor if you think your child is not growing at a normal rate while using this medication.

How is Trivaris given?

Trivaris is given as an injection into your eye. Your doctor will use a medicine to numb your eye before giving you the injection. You will receive this injection in your doctor"s office or other clinic setting.

For at least 30 minutes after your Trivaris injection, your eyes will be checked periodically to make sure the injection has not caused any side effects.

Long-term use of steroids can cause harmful effects on the eyes, such as glaucoma or cataracts. If you receive Trivaris for longer than 6 weeks, your doctor may want you to have regular eye exams.

Steroids can lower the blood cells that help your body fight infections. This can make it easier for you to get sick from being around others who are ill, or from bacteria in a skin wound. Steroids can also slow the healing of skin wounds. Use caution to prevent illness, infection, or injury.

Your doctor may instruct you to limit your salt intake while you are receiving Trivaris. You may also need to take potassium supplements. Follow your doctor"s instructions.

Trivaris can cause you to have unusual results with certain medical tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are being treated with Trivaris.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Call your doctor for instructions if you miss an appointment for your injection.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Since this medication is given by a healthcare professional in a medical setting, an overdose is unlikely to occur.

What should I avoid?

Do not receive a smallpox vaccine or any other "live" vaccine if you are being treated long-term with Trivaris. Some vaccines may not work as well during treatment with steroid medicine at certain doses. Some vaccines may even cause dangerous side effects when used during steroid treatment. Before you receive any vaccine, talk with the doctor who is treating you with Trivaris.

Avoid being near people who are sick or have infections. Call your doctor for preventive treatment if you are exposed to chicken pox or measles. These conditions can be serious or even fatal in people who are using steroids.

Trivaris side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to Trivaris: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

• problems with your vision, blurred vision, or seeing halos around lights;

• eye swelling, redness, severe discomfort, crusting or drainage (may be signs of infection);

• large red or purple spots on your skin;

• fast or slow heart rate;

• feeling short of breath, swelling in your hands or feet;

• dangerously high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, confusion, chest pain, uneven heartbeats, seizure);

• severe dizziness or nausea;

• severe depression, changes in mood or behavior, seizures (convulsions); or

• severe pain in your upper stomach.

Less serious Trivaris side effects may include:

• mild eye discomfort;

• headaches, back aches, weakness;

• bloating, appetite changes, weight gain;

• changes in the shape or location of body fat (especially in your arms, legs, face, neck, breasts, and waist), roundness in your face;

• increased acne or facial hair;

• menstrual problems (in women), impotence or loss of interest in sex (in men);

• dry skin, thinning skin, changes in skin color;

• bruising, sweating more than usual; or

• any wound that will not heal.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

See also: Side effects (in more detail)

What other drugs will affect Trivaris?

Many drugs can interact with triamcinolone. Below is just a partial list. Tell your doctor if you are using:

• amphotericin B (Fungizone, AmBisome, Abelcet);

• birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy;

• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);

• cholestyramine (Prevalite, Questran);

• cyclosporine (Neoral, Gengraf, Sandimmune);

• digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin);

• a diuretic (water pill);

• insulin or an oral diabetes medication;

• isoniazid (for treating tuberculosis);

• rifabutin (Mycobutin), rifampin (Rifadin, Rifater, Rifamate), or rifapentine (Priftin);

• an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E.E.S., EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin), or telithromycin (Ketek);

• an antifungal medication such as itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), or voriconazole (Vfend);

• aspirin or other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), diclofenac (Voltaren), etodolac (Lodine), indomethacin (Indocin), piroxicam (Feldene), and others;

• heart or blood pressure medication such as diltiazem (Cartia, Cardizem), quinidine (Quin-G), or verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan);

• HIV/AIDS medicine such as atazanavir (Reyataz), delavirdine (Rescriptor), efavirenz (Sustiva), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), indinavir (Crixivan), nevirapine (Viramune), saquinavir (Invirase, Fortovase), ritonavir (Norvir, Kaletra), and others;

• medications to treat dementia, such as donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), galantamine (Razadyne), tacrine (Cognex); or

• seizure medication such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol), phenobarbital (Solfoton), phenytoin (Dilantin), and others.

This list is not complete and there are many other drugs that can interact with Trivaris. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to any healthcare provider who treats you.