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Navelbine Side Effects
If you are receiving Navelbine and develop unusual bleeding, severe constipation, or persistent vomiting, seek urgent medical treatment. Clinical trials on this drug have shown that a majority of people who receive this form of chemotherapy will develop some type of reaction to the drug. Some of the other possible side effects of Navelbine include nausea, hair loss, and fatigue.
from eMedTV.comAs with any chemotherapy medicine, Navelbine® (vinorelbine) can cause side effects. In fact, most people will experience some type of reaction to this drug, and some problems can be quite significant. Talk to your healthcare provider about ways to prevent or lessen reactions to this medicine.
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Navelbine. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list with you.)
Navelbine has been studied extensively in clinical trials. In these studies, the side effects that occurred in a group of people given Navelbine were carefully documented and compared to those that occurred in a similar group of people given a different chemotherapy medication. As a result, it was possible to see what side effects occurred, how often they appeared, and how they compared to the other medication.
In these studies, the most common Navelbine side effects included:
- Low levels of white blood cells (see Chemotherapy and Infections) -- in up to 92 percent of people
- Anemia (see Chemotherapy and Anemia) -- up to 83 percent
- An increase in certain liver enzymes, which could be a sign of liver damage -- up to 67 percent
- Nausea (see Chemotherapy and Nausea) -- up to 44 percent
- Loss of strength and energy -- up to 36 percent
- Constipation -- up to 35 percent
- Hair loss (see Chemotherapy and Hair Loss) -- up to 30 percent
- Redness, irritation, swelling, pain, or other reactions at the site of the injection -- up to 28 percent
- Fatigue -- up to 27 percent
- Numbness, tingling, burning, or pricking sensations in the hands or feet -- up to 25 percent
- Vomiting -- up to 20 percent.
Other common side effects, occurring in 1 percent to 17 percent of people, included:
- Diarrhea (see Chemotherapy-Induced Diarrhea)
- Shortness of breath
- Low levels of platelets (see Blood Clotting Problems and Chemotherapy)
- Chest pain
- Jaw pain
- Muscle or joint pain
- Rash.
Written by/reviewed by: Susan Lakey, PharmD, MPH, BCPP
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD