Official Gleevec Site

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This information comes from the official Gleevec site:

The following serious side effects have been reported in patients taking

Gleevec:

a.. Severe fluid retention, which can be seen in swelling around the eyes or

swelling of the lower legs, lungs and heart

b.. Low levels of certain blood cells

c.. Heart failure

d.. Liver problems

e.. Muscle or bone pain

f.. Abnormal bleeding (including gastrointestinal bleeding)

g.. Skin blistering

Your doctor will check you closely for any side effects reactions to stop more

serious complications from occurring. Patients with heart disease or risk

factors for heart failure should also be monitored carefully.

Gleevec is sometimes associated with stomach or intestinal irritation. Gleevec

should be taken with food and a large glass of water to minimize this problem.

There have been rare reports, including deaths, of stomach or intestinal

perforation.

Common side effects of Gleevec

A majority of patients with Ph+ CML or Kit+ GIST experience side effects at some

time. Most side effects are mild to moderate in severity. Some common side

effects you may experience include:

a.. Fluid retention

b.. Vomiting

c.. Muscle cramps

d.. Muscle or bone pain

e.. Diarrhea

f.. Fatigue

g.. Nausea

h.. Rash

i.. Abdominal pain

j.. Hemorrhage (Abnormal bleeding)

Some mild to moderate side effects can be managed with the help of other

medicines and advice from your doctor. However, in some cases, your dose of

Gleevec may be stopped for a while or may be changed.

Be sure to tell your doctor and nurse if you have any side effects during

Gleevec therapy. Some signs or symptoms of side effects include sudden weight

gain, fatigue, fever, shortness of breath, blood in stools or yellowing of the

skin or eyes. Also tell your doctor if you have a history of heart disease or

risk factors for heart disease.

Talk to your doctor and/or nurse about other medications you may be taking.

Taking Gleevec with medicines such as ketoconazole; Tylenol® (acetaminophen);

Coumadin® (warfarin); rifampin, St. 's wort (hypericum perforatum);

erythromycin and Dilantin® (phenytoin) may have an effect on how these drugs

work, and these drugs may affect how Gleevec works.

Patients should also avoid grapefruit juice and other foods that may have an

effect on how Gleevec works. Tell your doctor if you are taking or plan on

taking iron supplements.

Take Gleevec exactly as prescribed. Do not change your dose or stop taking

Gleevec unless you are told to do so by your doctor. If you miss a dose, take

your dose as soon as possible, unless it is almost time for your next dose. In

this case, your missed dose should not be taken. A double dose should not be

taken to make up for any missed dose. You should take Gleevec with a meal and a

large glass of water. http://www.gleevec.com/info/ag/SideSafety.jsp?print=yes

Blessings,

Lottie