What should I avoid while taking INTRON® A?

Avoid becoming pregnant while taking INTRON A. INTRON A alone and INTRON A taken in combination with REBETOL® may harm your unborn child or cause you to lose your baby (miscarry). If you or your partner becomes pregnant during treatment or during the 6 months after treatment with INTRON A/REBETOL combination therapy, immediately report the pregnancy to your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider will make decisions about your treatment. Your healthcare provider should call 1-800-593-2214. Your healthcare provider will be asked to give follow-up information about the pregnancy.
Do not breast-feed your baby while taking INTRON A.
Avoid taking telbivudine (Tyzeka), a drug used to treat hepatitis B. People who take INTRON A or other alpha interferon products with telbivudine (Tyzeka) can have nerve problems such as continuing numbness, tingling, or burning sensation in the arms or legs, or problems walking.
What are the possible side effects of INTRON® A?

INTRON A may cause serious side effects including:

See "What is the most important information I should know about INTRON A?"
Other body organ problems. Certain symptoms like severe pain in the middle of your body, nausea, and vomiting may mean that your liver or pancreas is being damaged. A few patients have inflammation of the kidney. If you have severe stomach or back pains or a fever, you should call your health care provider right away.
Thyroid problems. Some patients develop changes in the function of their thyroid. Symptoms of thyroid changes include the inability to concentrate, feeling cold or hot all the time, a change in your weight and changes to your skin.
New or worsening autoimmune disease. Some patients taking INTRON A develop autoimmune diseases (a condition where the body's immune cells attack other cells or organs in the body), including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, sarcoidosis, and psoriasis. In some patients who already have an autoimmune disease, the disease may worsen while on INTRON A.
Nerve problems. People who take INTRON A or other alpha interferon products with telbivudine (Tyzeka) can have nerve problems such as continuing numbness, tingling, or burning sensation in the arms or legs (peripheral neuropathy). Call your healthcare provider if you have any of these symptoms.
Common but less serious side effects include:

Flu-like symptoms. Most patients who take INTRON A have "flu-like" symptoms (headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and fever) that usually lessen after the first few weeks of therapy. You can reduce some of these symptoms by injecting your INTRON A dose at bedtime. Over-the-counter pain and fever medications can be used to prevent or reduce the fever and headache. If your fever does not go away you should tell your healthcare provider.
Extreme fatigue (tiredness). Many patients become extremely tired while on INTRON A.
Appetite problems. Nausea, loss of appetite, and weight loss occur commonly.
Blood sugar problems. Some patients develop problems with the way their body controls their blood sugar and may develop high blood sugar or diabetes.
Skin reactions. Redness, swelling, and itching are common at the site of injection. If after several days these symptoms do not disappear, contact your healthcare provider. You may get a rash during therapy. If this occurs, your healthcare provider may recommend medicin