Details for: OXALIPLATIN INJECTION

Like many chemotherapy drugs, Oxaliplatin Injection may have side effects.

Most of the side effects that occur with Oxaliplatin Injection are manageable. Occasionally, it is necessary to stop the treatment.

Common Side Effects

• Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, change in taste
• Fatigue
• Stomatitis: sores in the mouth
• Pain at the injection site
• Pain in a joint
• Nose bleeding
• Respiratory problems
• Hiccups
• High blood pressure
• Neuropathy: nerve changes that can cause tingling or numbness in the extremities, muscle weakness or other altered sensations.

Exposure to cold is one of the most common triggers of neuropathy. Touching cold objects or frozen items, consuming cold foods or beverages, and breathing cold air may cause these unpleasant nerve sensations (see the section “Warnings and Precautions”).

A less common symptom of neuropathy is pharyngolaryngeal dysesthesia. This is the sensation of tightness or discomfort in the throat, making it seem difficult to breathe or swallow. Although this symptom may be frightening, it is just a sensation and does not really interfere with breathing. The sensation usually goes away on its own after a few minutes.

Some people may experience more debilitating symptoms of neuropathy, which may interfere with daily activities such as the following:

• Writing
• Buttoning clothes
• Swallowing
• Difficulty walking
• Picking up things

Many of these neuropathy symptoms are temporary. However, they may continue long term.

• Neutropenia: a lower-than-normal number of neutrophils, a type of white blood cells. Your white blood cells protect your body against infection. So, if you have neutropenia, you are at higher risk of having an infection, which can be life-threatening. However, most people receiving Oxaliplatin Injection do not develop infections, even when they have neutropenia.
• Thrombocytopenia: a lower-than-normal number of platelets. Platelets have an important role in the control of bleeding. Therefore, a reduction in their number may increase the tendency to bleed
• Anemia: a lower-than-normal number of red blood cells. As a result, people with anemia may feel tired.

Your doctor will be checking routinely your blood count and will alert you if your platelets, white or red blood cells are low.

Other Possible Side Effects are:

• Constipation
• Stomach pain
• Loss of appetite
• Hair loss
• Reversible short-term loss of vision
• Deep vein thrombosis (blood clot in the deep vein)
• Interstitial lung disease (respiratory symptoms such as rapid breathing and shortness of breath)

Discuss with your doctor if you have these symptoms.

Serious side effects, how often they happen and what to do about them

Symptom / effect	Talk with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist only if severe	Talk with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist in all cases	Stop taking drug and talk with your doctor or pharmacist
Uncommon
Persistent vomiting or diarrhea		✔
Persistent cough		✔
Fever or signs of infection, like redness or swelling at the injection site, a cough that brings up mucus, or a sore throat		✔
Allergic reactions such as trouble breathing, tightness in the throat, rash, hives, or swelling of the lips or tongue		✔
Neuropathy symptoms interfering with daily activities		✔
Symptoms such as headache, altered mental functioning, seizures and abnormal vision from blurriness to vision loss		✔
Unknown frequency
Kidney failure (with symptoms such as: difficulty breathing, weakness, tiredness, decreased urinary volume), small purplered marks on the skin or other parts of the body. Kidney failure may be not reversible with discontinuation of therapy and dialysis may be required.		✔
Irregular heartbeat, dizziness or fainting		✔
Muscle pain and swelling, with weakness, fever and darkened urine		✔
Stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, black or red-coloured stools		✔
Disseminated intravascular coagulation (which may be lifethreatening), with symptoms such as: bleeding in urine or stools, small red or brown bruises that happen easily, pain and swelling in the lower leg, or chest pain and shortness of breath.		✔

This is not a complete list of severe side effects. if you have any unexpected effects while taking Oxaliplatin Injection, contact your doctor or pharmacist.