Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had liver disease. Your doctor will order laboratory tests to see how well your liver is working before and during your treatment. If the tests show that you have liver problems, your doctor will probably not give you ixabepilone injection and capecitabine (Xeloda). Treatment with both ixabepilone injection and capecitabine may cause serious side effects or death in people who have liver disease.
Talk to your doctor about the risks of receiving ixabepilone injection.
The basics
Ixabepilone (brand name- Ixempra) is an FDA-approved treatment used alone or in combination with capecitabine for breast cancer that cannot be treated with other medications.
Ixabepilone is in a class of medications called microtubule inhibitors. It works by killing cancer cells.
Let us walk you through the key things you need to know about Ixabepilone.
How should I take ixabepilone (Ixempra)?
Ixabepilone injection comes as a powder to be added to fluid and injected over 3 hours intravenously (into a vein) by a doctor or nurse.Your Doctor may need to delay your treatment and adjust your dose if you experience certain side effects.
Be sure to tell your Doctor how you feel during your treatment with ixabepilone injection.
Do not stop taking treatment without talking to your Doctor. You can help them by tracking your side effects in Ankr.
What are the side effects of Ixabepilone (Ixempra)?
Common side effects
- headache
- hair loss
- flaky or darkened skin
- problems with toenails or fingernails
- tender, red palms and soles of feet
- sores on the lip or in the mouth or throat
- difficulty tasting food
- watery eyes
- loss of appetite
- numbness, burning, or tingling in the hands or feet
- weight loss
- rash
- itching
- hives
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- constipation
- joint, muscle, or bone pain
- cough
- weakness
- tiredness
Serious side effects
- difficulty breathing
- sudden reddening of the face, neck or upper chest
- sudden swelling of face, throat or tongue
- pounding heartbeat
- dizziness
- faintness
- heartburn
- chest pain or tightness
- unusual weight gain
- fever (100.5 °F or greater)
- chills
- burning or pain when urinating
- difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
- confusion
- stomach pain
Ixabepilone injection may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while receiving this medication. If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online or by phone (1-800-332-1088).
Use the free Ankr platform or Ankr app to track your symptoms.
What special precautions should I follow?
Before receiving ixabepilone (Ixempra)
- tell your doctor about your allergies
- tell your doctor about other intakes
- tell your doctor if you have or have ever had any disease, symptom, or treatment
- tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. You should not become pregnant while you are receiving ixabepilone injection. Talk to your doctor about birth control methods that will work for you.
While you are on ixabepilone (Ixempra)
- if you become pregnant while receiving ixabepilone injection, call your doctor. Ixabepilone injection may harm the fetus.
- tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding. You should not breastfeed while you are receiving ixabepilone injection.
- you should know that ixabepilone injection contains alcohol and may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
In case of an emergency/overdose
In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can’t be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.
Symptoms of overdose may include:
What special dietary instructions should I follow?
Do not drink grapefruit juice while receiving this medication.
Brand names
- Ixempra®
Last Revised – 06/15/2023, FDA updated- 09/01/2010, SG
Get 24×7 support for ixabepilone (Ixempra)
Don’t go through your cancer journey alone. Use Ankr to:
(1) find the best treatment for your cancer, and
(2) get advanced warning to cut side effects by upto 52%