Posted by Jost on September 21, 2006, at 19:05:14
In reply to Re: Important Info Re: Emsam Dose and Heat » Jost, posted by SFY on September 21, 2006, at 14:50:40
>
> BMS and Somerset are not unaware of the possible negative effects of heat on EMSAM.
>
> The included medication guide insert clearly states:
>
> "Avoid exposing the EMSAM application site to external sources of direct heat, such as heating pads or electric blankets, heat lamps, saunas, hot tubs, heated water beds, and prolonged direct sunlight."It actually says:
"The effect of direct heat applied directly to the emsam patch on the bioavailability of selegiline HAS NOT BEEN STUDIED. However, IN THEORY, heat may result in an increase in the amount of selegiline absorbed...and produce elevated serum levels of selegiline. Patients should be advise to avoid exposing the Emsam application site to external sources of direct heat...such as .....PROLONGED DIRECT SUNLIGHT."
The full passage produces a significantly less clear warning than the part of it that you quoted.
By the way, I was not so advised. While I noticed the mention of this issue, I was by no means aware of its importance.
Also, "prolonged direct sunlight" (the last item in a long list of otherwise more similar items) is not, in my mind, external heat applied "directly" to the patch. It raises a whole other set of issues than saunas, heating pads, etc.
Plus subject was discussed on this board when I started taking emsam. Most people seemed to conclude that baths etc were probably safe. This is apparently very possibly or very likely not the case.
Third, my reactions, and those of other patients of my pdoc, were not produced by saunas, etc. They were produced by normal activities, in the summer-- and attaching the patch to a suggested area of the body.
So the problem may be more significant than one would conclude from the Emsam insert or PDR description.
Jost
poster:Jost
thread:687518
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060919/msgs/687977.html