What special precautions should I follow?  

Before using abatacept,

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to abatacept or any other medications.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: anakinra (Kineret), adalimumab (Humira), etanercept (Enbrel),and infliximab (Remicade). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
• tell your doctor if you have an infection anywhere in the body, including infections that come and go, such as cold sores, and chronic infections that do not go away, or if you often get any type of infection such as bladder infections. Also tell your doctor if you have or have ever had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; a group of lung diseases that includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema); any disease that affects your nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis; any disease that affects your immune system, such as cancer, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), or severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome (SCID). Also tell your doctor if you have or have ever had tuberculosis (TB; a lung infection that may not cause symptoms for many years and that may spread to other parts of the body) or if you have been around someone who has or has had tuberculosis. Your doctor may give you a skin test to see whether you are infected with tuberculosis. Tell your doctor if you have ever had a positive skin test for tuberculosis in the past.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while using abatacept, call your doctor.
• if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using abatacept.
• tell your doctor if you have recently received or are scheduled to receive any vaccines. You should not have any vaccinations while you are using abatacept or for 3 months after you stop using abatacept without talking to your doctor.

What special dietary instructions should I follow?  

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.

What should I do if I forget a dose?  

If you miss an appointment to receive an abatacept infusion, call your doctor as soon as possible.