Gleevec's Potential Side Effects: A Breakdown and Strategies for Coping
Gleevec, a medication used to treat certain types of blood cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, and skin cancer, comes with a range of potential side effects. It is crucial for individuals taking Gleevec to be aware of these effects and discuss any concerns with their healthcare provider.
Pregnant women should avoid taking Gleevec, as there have been reports of pregnancy loss and harm to the fetus when the drug was taken during pregnancy. If you can become pregnant, it's essential to talk with your doctor about birth control options while taking Gleevec. You'll need to use birth control while taking Gleevec and for at least 14 days after your last dose. Breastfeeding is also not recommended while taking Gleevec and for at least one month after your last dose, as the drug could cause serious side effects in a breastfed child.
Common side effects of Gleevec include edema (fluid retention), nausea and vomiting, muscle cramps, muscle pain, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue, mild skin problems (rash), joint pain, nasopharyngitis (common cold), bleeding, and weight gain. However, Gleevec may also cause serious side effects such as blood disorders (anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia), gastrointestinal problems (perforations), heart problems (heart failure), kidney damage, liver damage, severe edema, severe hemorrhage, tumor lysis syndrome, eye side effects, serious skin problems, delayed growth in children, allergic reaction, and more.
If you have blurry vision or other eye problems, your doctor may recommend you see an eye doctor or specialist, decrease your Gleevec dosage, or recommend that you stop taking Gleevec and try a different medication.
Long-term side effects of Gleevec can include liver damage, serious skin reactions such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis, muscle cramps, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, edema (swelling), nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, headache, and changes in taste. Regular monitoring of liver function, skin condition, and clinical signs of severe reactions or tumor lysis syndrome is necessary to manage and mitigate risks effectively.
In children, the side effects are generally similar, but dosing and monitoring recommendations differ, with particular caution regarding liver enzyme elevations and therapy interruptions if severe toxicity occurs.
It's essential to discuss any concerns about long-term side effects with your doctor. They may suggest ways to reduce your risk for certain side effects and monitor you for symptoms of long-term side effects while you're taking Gleevec.
If you stop taking Gleevec suddenly, you may experience withdrawal side effects, such as bone pain and muscle pain, which may last for several months to a year.
Before taking Gleevec, it's essential to discuss your health history with your doctor. This drug may not be the right treatment if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health, such as being age 65 years or older, heart or kidney problems, use of levothyroxine (Synthroid) after thyroidectomy, liver problems, allergic reaction, and alcohol use.
For more information about Gleevec's side effects, refer to the drug's prescribing information. If you develop a side effect while taking Gleevec and want to tell the FDA about it, visit MedWatch. If you have swelling around your eye, your doctor may prescribe a diuretic (water pill).
[1] DrugBank Online: https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00639 [2] Pediatric Drug Information: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544883/
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- While Gleevec, a medication used for treating certain types of cancer, offers significant benefits, it is crucial to be aware of potential side-effects such as edema, nausea, skin-problems, and blood disorders, and discuss these concerns with medical-providers.
- Pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and those who may become pregnant should avoid Gleevec, and discuss birth-control options with their healthcare provider to mitigate risks.
- Long-term use of Gleevec may lead to serious health implications such as liver damage, skin reactions, muscle cramps, and fatigue, so regular health-and-wellness checks are recommended to monitor long-term side-effects.
- Therapies-and-treatments for Gleevec-related side-effects may include diuretics for swelling around the eye, and cautious liver and kidney function monitoring for pediatric patients, as indicated.
- In the pursuit of holistic health, one may consider exploring alternative treatments like skin-care products containing CBD to help manage side effects of cancer treatments and support mental-health during these challenging times.