Let's take a minute to talk about your medication. 

This is Stivarga. This medicine helps treat certain cancers of the digestive tract. It may have other uses, too. 

You should take Stivarga EXACTLY how your doctor tells you to. It is often given in cycles, which is a treatment period followed by a period of rest. Many people like to use a calendar to track their doses. You should take each dose after a meal. The meal should have less than 600 calories and less than 30% fat. You should swallow the tablet whole with water. 

Many people have side effects, like feeling a little tired or weak. You should wait until you know how it affects you before you do activities that require you to be alert, like driving. You could have a decreased appetite, diarrhea, weight loss, changes to your voice, and a sore mouth or throat. These effects are normal if they are mild and should go away. 

As with any medicine, rare but more serious effects could occur. With Stivarga, this includes liver problems and more. You should read the Patient Information Sheet to know which symptoms to watch for, and when to report changes. To help keep this medicine safe for you, your doctor will follow your condition closely.

Stivarga can interact with other medicines. You should talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking other medicines. You should not take St John's Wort and you should not drink grapefruit juice while taking this medicine.

Stivarga can harm unborn babies. Both men and women must talk to their doctors about which birth control methods to use and for how long. Women should not breastfeed. 

You should keep this medicine in the original bottle with the drying packet.

For best results with Stivarga, work with your doctor to manage side effects.