Before taking flutamide, tell your doctor if you:

• smoke,
• have liver disease,
• have glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, or
• have hemoglobin M deficiency.

You may not be able to take flutamide, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.
Flutamide is not indicated for use by women. Flutamide is in the FDA pregnancy category D. This means that it is known to harm an unborn baby. Do not take flutamide if you are pregnant. Flutamide is not indicated for use by women. It is not known whether flutamide passes into breast milk. Do not take flutamide without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding.

In rare cases, flutamide has caused severe liver damage resulting in death or hospitalization. Notify your doctor immediately if you develop nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, unusual fatigue, loss of appetite, "flu-like" symptoms, yellow skin or eyes, itching, clay-colored stools, or dark urine. These symptoms may be early signs of liver damage.

Your doctor will need to monitor your liver function with blood tests before starting treatment with flutamide, every month for the first 4 months of treatment, and periodically thereafter.
Do not stop taking this medication without first talking to your doctor.

Stop taking flutamide and seek emergency medical attention if you experience an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives).

In rare cases, flutamide has caused severe liver damage resulting in death or hospitalization. Notify your doctor immediately if you develop:

• nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, unusual fatigue, loss of appetite, "flu-like" symptoms, yellow skin or eyes, itching, clay-colored stools, or dark urine. These symptoms may be early signs of liver damage.

Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take flutamide and talk to your doctor if you experience:

• hot flashes, diarrhea, skin rash, increased skin sensitivity to sunlight, loss of sex drive, impotence, lowered sperm count, enlarged breasts, amber or greenish discoloration of the urine, rectal bleeding or inflammation, or blood in the urine.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.