Vincristine Side Effects
What should I watch for?
Your condition will be monitored carefully while you are receiving this medicine. You will need important blood work done while you are taking this medicine.
This drug may make you feel generally unwell. This is not uncommon, as chemotherapy can affect healthy cells as well as cancer cells. Report any side effects. Continue your course of treatment even though you feel ill unless your doctor tells you to stop.
In some cases, you may be given additional medicines to help with side effects. Follow all directions for their use.
Call your doctor or health care professional for advice if you get a fever, chills or sore throat, or other symptoms of a cold or flu. Do not treat yourself.
Avoid taking products that contain aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, or ketoprofen unless instructed by your doctor. These medicines may hide a fever.
Do not become pregnant while taking this medicine. Women should inform their doctor if they wish to become pregnant or think they might be pregnant. There is a potential for serious side effects to an unborn child. Talk to your health care professional or pharmacist for more information. Do not breast-feed an infant while taking this medicine.
Men may have a lower sperm count while taking this medicine. Talk to your doctor if you plan to father a child.
Common and Rare Side Effects
Along with their needed effects, medicines like vincristine can sometimes cause unwanted effects such as blood problems, nervous system problems, loss of hair, and other side effects. These and others are described below. Also, because of the way these medicines act on the body, there is a chance that they might cause other unwanted effects that may not occur until months or years after the medicine is used. Discuss these possible effects with your doctor.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Less common
Pain or redness at place of injection
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
More common
Blurred or double vision
difficulty in walking
drooping eyelids
headache
jaw pain
joint pain
lower back or side pain
numbness or tingling in fingers and toes
pain in fingers and toes
pain in testicles
stomach cramps
swelling of feet or lower legs
weakness
Less common
Agitation
bed-wetting
confusion
convulsions (seizures)
decrease or increase in urination
dizziness or lightheadedness when getting up from a lying or sitting position
hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there)
lack of sweating
loss of appetite
mental depression
painful or difficult urination
trouble in sleeping
unconsciousness
Rare
Sores in mouth and on lips
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. This medicine often causes a temporary loss of hair. After treatment with vincristine has ended, or sometimes even during treatment, normal hair growth should return.
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
