Side Effects

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

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

  1. Pain or redness at place of injection

Rare

  1. Black, tarry stools
  2. blood in urine or stools
  3. cough or hoarseness
  4. fever or chills
  5. pinpoint red spots on skin
  6. unusual bleeding or bruising

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

  1. Blurred or double vision
  2. constipation
  3. difficulty in walking
  4. drooping eyelids
  5. headache
  6. jaw pain
  7. joint pain
  8. lower back or side pain
  9. numbness or tingling in fingers and toes
  10. pain in fingers and toes
  11. pain in testicles
  12. stomach cramps
  13. swelling of feet or lower legs
  14. weakness

Less common

  1. Agitation
  2. bed-wetting
  3. confusion
  4. convulsions (seizures)
  5. decrease or increase in urination
  6. dizziness or lightheadedness when getting up from a lying or sitting position
  7. hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there)
  8. lack of sweating
  9. loss of appetite
  10. mental depression
  11. painful or difficult urination
  12. trouble in sleeping
  13. unconsciousness

Rare

  1. 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:

Less common

  1. Bloating
  2. diarrhea
  3. loss of weight
  4. nausea and vomiting
  5. skin rash

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.

Portions of this document last updated: April 01, 2024

Copyright: © Merative US L.P. 1973, 2024. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.