Doxorubicin (Liposomal) Side Effects and Warnings

What are the precautions when taking this medicine?

• 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.

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

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

• If you have had radiation therapy, talk with healthcare provider.

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

• You may bleed more easily. Be careful. Avoid injury. Use soft toothbrush, electric razor.

• Tell dentists, surgeons, and other healthcare providers that you use this medicine.

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

• Do not take St John's wort with this medicine. It may make this medicine less effective.

• 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?

• Swelling.

• Diarrhea.

• Constipation. More liquids, regular exercise, or a fiber-containing diet may help. Talk with healthcare provider about a stool softener or laxative.

• Anemia, low white blood cell count, and low platelet count can rarely occur.

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

• Flu-like symptoms. These include headache, weakness, fever, shakes, aches, pains, and sweating. Mild pain medicine may help.

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

• Mouth and lip irritation. Frequent mouth care with a soft toothbrush or cotton swabs and rinsing mouth may help.

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

• Skin irritation.

• Heart damage can rarely occur.

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.

• Chest pain or pressure, fast heartbeat, or passing out.

• Severe nausea or vomiting.

• Unusual bruising or bleeding.

• Numbness or tingling of hands or feet.

• Feeling extremely tired or weak.

• Severe skin irritation.

• Any rash.

• No improvement in condition or feeling worse.