Cyclophosphamide Side Effects and Warnings

What are the precautions when taking this medicine?

• If you are 65 or older, use this medicine with caution. You could have more side effects.

• If you have kidney disease, talk with healthcare provider.

• If you have liver disease, talk with healthcare provider.

• If you have a weakened heart, talk with healthcare provider.

• Check medicines with healthcare provider. This medicine may not mix well with other medicines.

• Talk with healthcare provider before receiving any vaccinations. Use with this medicine may either increase the risk of serious infection or make the vaccination less effective.

• Talk with healthcare provider before using aspirin, aspirin-containing products, other pain medicines, blood thinners, garlic, ginseng, ginkgo, or vitamin E.

• Urinate often. It is important to empty your bladder often. Drinking plenty of liquids will help.

• Use birth control that you can trust to prevent pregnancy while taking this medicine.

• If you are a male and sexually active, protect your partner from pregnancy. Use birth control that you can trust.

What are some possible side effects of this medicine?

• Risk of infection. Avoid people with infections, colds, or flu.

• Headache.

• Anemia, low white blood cell count, and low platelet count.

• Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard, sugar-free candy, or chewing sugar-free gum may help.

• Hair loss. Hair usually grows back when medicine is stopped.

• Infertility.

• Other forms of cancer can rarely occur later in life.

Reasons to call healthcare provider immediately

• If you suspect an overdose, call your local poison control center or emergency department immediately.

• Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Signs or symptoms of infection. These include a fever of 100.5 degrees or higher, chills, severe sore throat, ear or sinus pain, cough, increased sputum or change in color, painful urination, mouth sores, wound that will not heal, or anal itching or pain.

• Shortness of breath.

• Severe belly pain.

• Severe nausea or vomiting.

• Severe back pain.

• Not able to eat.

• Unusual bruising or bleeding.

• Dark urine or yellow skin or eyes.

• Blood in the urine.

• Unable to pass urine.

• Feeling extremely tired or weak.

• Any rash.

• No improvement in condition or feeling worse.