Many medications can cause side effects. A side effect is an unwanted response to a medication when it is taken in normal doses. Side effects can be mild or severe, temporary or permanent.

The side effects listed below are not experienced by everyone who takes Venclexta (Venetoclax). If you are concerned about side effects, discuss the risks and benefits of Venclexta (Venetoclax) with your doctor.

The following side effects have been reported by at least 1% of people taking Venclexta (Venetoclax). Many of these side effects can be managed, and some may go away on their own over time.

Contact your doctor if you experience these side effects and they are severe or bothersome. Your pharmacist may be able to advise you on managing side effects.

• Constipation
• cough
• Diarrhea
• dizziness
• Fever
• headache
• itching
• muscle and joint pain
• nausea
• tiredness
• vomiting

Although most of the side effects listed below don't happen very often, they could lead to serious problems if you do not seek medical attention.

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

• signs of Anemia (low red blood cells; e.g., dizziness, pale skin, unusual tiredness or weakness, shortness of breath)
• signs of clotting problems (e.g., unusual nosebleeds, bruising, blood in urine, coughing blood, bleeding gums, cuts that don't stop bleeding)
• signs of infection (symptoms may include fever or chills, severe diarrhea, shortness of breath, prolonged dizziness, headache, stiff neck, weight loss, or listlessness)
• swelling of the ankles or feet
• symptoms of liver problems (e.g., swelling, pain, or tenderness or lump in upper abdominal area; yellowing of eyes or skin; skin itching)
• symptoms of pneumonia (e.g., chills, cough with or without mucus, fever, shortness of breath)
• symptoms of a urinary tract infection (e.g., pain when urinating, urinating more often than usual, low back or flank pain)
• upper respiratory tract infection (e.g., nasal congestion, cough, runny nose, Sinusitis)

Stop taking the medication and seek immediate medical attention if any of the following occur:

• chest pain
• irregular heartbeat
• signs of a serious allergic reaction (e.g., abdominal cramps, difficulty breathing, nausea and vomiting, or swelling of the face and throat)
• signs of a serious blood infections (sepsis) (e.g., fever, chills, dizziness, high or low body temperature, weakness, rapid breathing, rapid heartbeat)
• symptoms of tumour lysis syndrome (e.g., producing less urine, cloudy urine, kidney problems, muscle spasms, nausea, shortness of breath)

Some people may experience side effects other than those listed. Check with your doctor if you notice any symptom that worries you while you are taking Venclexta (Venetoclax).

10 mg
Each pale yellow, round, biconvex, film-coated tablet debossed with "V" on one side and "10" on the other contains 10 mg of Venclexta (Venetoclax). Nonmedicinal ingredients: calcium phosphate dibasic, colloidal silicon dioxide, copovidone, iron oxide yellow, polyethylene glycol, polysorbate 80, polyvinyl alcohol, sodium stearyl fumarate, talc, and titanium dioxide.

50 mg
Each beige, oblong, biconvex, film-coated tablet debossed with "V" on one side and "50" on the other contains 50 mg of Venclexta (Venetoclax). Nonmedicinal ingredients: calcium phosphate dibasic, colloidal silicon dioxide, copovidone, iron oxide black, iron oxide red, iron oxide yellow, polyethylene glycol, polysorbate 80, polyvinyl alcohol, sodium stearyl fumarate, talc, and titanium dioxide.

100 mg
Each pale yellow, oblong, biconvex, film-coated tablet debossed with "V" on one side and "100" on the other contains 100 mg of Venclexta (Venetoclax). Nonmedicinal ingredients: calcium phosphate dibasic, colloidal silicon dioxide, copovidone, iron oxide yellow, polyethylene glycol, polysorbate 80, polyvinyl alcohol, sodium stearyl fumarate, talc, and titanium dioxide.

Do not take Venclexta (Venetoclax) if you:

• are allergic to Venclexta (Venetoclax) or any ingredients of the medication
• are taking any of the following medications:
  • "azole" antifungals (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, Voriconazole, posaconazole)
  • clarithromycin or erythromycin
  • protease inhibitors (e.g., indinavir, lopinavir, ritonavir)

There may be an interaction between Venclexta (Venetoclax) and any of the following:

• antiarrhythmics (e.g., Amiodarone, Dipyridamole, Dronedarone, Propafenone, quinidine)
• Apalutamide
• Aprepitant
• "azole" antifungals (e.g., itraconazole, ketoconazole, voriconazole)
• bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)
• Bicalutamide
• Bosentan
• calcium channel blockers (e.g., Amlodipine, Diltiazem, Nifedipine, Verapamil)
• Carvedilol
• Ceritinib
• Clozapine
• Cobicistat
• conivaptan
• Cyclosporine
• daclatasvir
• Deferasirox
• Deferiprone
• Digoxin
• Eliglustat
• Enzalutamide
• Everolimus
• grapefruit juice
• HIV non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs; e.g., efavirenz, etravirine, nevirapine)
• HIV protease inhibitors (e.g., atazanavir, indinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir)
• ledipasvir
• macrolide antibiotics (e.g., clarithromycin, erythromycin)
• mifepristone
• Mitotane
• Modafinil
• protein kinase inhibitors (e.g., Crizotinib, Dasatinib, imatinib, Nilotinib)
• quinine
• rifabutin
• rifampin
• St. John's wort
• Sarilumab
• seizure medications (e.g., Carbamazepine, Phenobarbital, Phenytoin, primidone)
• siltuximab
• Sirolimus
• star fruit
• Stiripentol
• Tocilizumab
• vaccines
• Warfarin

If you are taking any of these medications, speak with your doctor or pharmacist. Depending on your specific circumstances, your doctor may want you to:

• stop taking one of the medications,
• change one of the medications to another,
• change how you are taking one or both of the medications, or
• leave everything as is.

An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of them. Speak to your doctor about how any drug interactions are being managed or should be managed.

Medications other than those listed above may interact with Venclexta (Venetoclax). Tell your doctor or prescriber about all prescription, over-the-counter (non-prescription), and herbal medications you are taking. Also tell them about any supplements you take. Since caffeine, alcohol, the Nicotine from cigarettes, or street drugs can affect the action of many medications, you should let your prescriber know if you use them.

Before you begin using a medication, be sure to inform your doctor of any medical conditions or Allergies you may have, any medications you are taking, whether you are pregnant or breast-feeding, and any other significant facts about your health. These factors may affect how you should use this medication.

Fertility: Venclexta (Venetoclax) may cause low or no sperm production when taken by men. This may affect the ability to father a child after taking Venclexta (Venetoclax). Talk to your doctor about this before starting Venclexta (Venetoclax).

Infection: Venclexta (Venetoclax) reduces the number of cells that fight infection in the body (white blood cells). If possible, avoid contact with people with contagious infections.

Tell your doctor immediately if you notice signs of an infection, such as fever or chills, severe diarrhea, shortness of breath, prolonged dizziness, headache, stiff neck, weight loss, or listlessness. Your doctor will do blood tests regularly to monitor the number of specific types of blood cells in your blood.

Kidney function: The effect of kidney function on how Venclexta (Venetoclax) works has not been determined. It is possible that decreased kidney function may increase the likelihood of experiencing side effects of Venclexta (Venetoclax). If you have Kidney Disease or decreased kidney function, discuss with your doctor how Venclexta (Venetoclax) may affect your medical condition, how your medical condition may affect the dosing and effectiveness of Venclexta (Venetoclax), and whether any special monitoring is needed.

Liver function: The effect of liver function on how Venclexta (Venetoclax) works for you has not been determined. It is possible that decreased liver function may increase the likelihood of experiencing side effects. If you have liver disease or decreased liver function, discuss with your doctor how Venclexta (Venetoclax) may affect your medical condition, how your medical condition may affect the dosing and effectiveness of Venclexta (Venetoclax), and whether any special monitoring is needed.

Other cancers: Taking Venclexta (Venetoclax), may increase your risk of developing Skin Cancer. Report any unusual growths on your skin or changes to growths on your skin to your doctor as soon as possible. Discuss any concerns you may have with your doctor.

Tumour lysis syndrome: Venclexta (Venetoclax), like many other cancer medications, causes many cancer cells to be suddenly killed when treatment is first started. This can overwhelm the body with waste products from the cells. As a result, the body may not be able to keep up with getting rid of all the waste. When this happens, you may have nausea, shortness of breath, cloudy urine, or joint pain. This is called tumour lysis syndrome. Your doctor may prescribe some medications to help your body get rid of the waste products. Make sure you understand how to use these medications and report any of these signs or symptoms to your doctor immediately.

The gradual increase in your dose of Venclexta (Venetoclax) is intended to decrease the risk of developing severe tumour lysis syndrome. Drinking plenty of fluids while taking Venclexta (Venetoclax) will help reduce your risk of developing tumour lysis syndrome.

Vaccines: Vaccines (e.g., yellow fever, BCG, Cholera, typhoid, varicella, meningococcal, diphtheria) should not be given while you are taking Venclexta (Venetoclax). Vaccinations should be completed before starting Venclexta (Venetoclax) or should be postponed until treatment with Venclexta (Venetoclax) is complete.

Pregnancy: Venclexta (Venetoclax) should not be used during pregnancy unless the benefits outweigh the risks. If you may become pregnant and are taking Venclexta (Venetoclax), use an effective method of birth control such as condoms during treatment and for at least 30 days after stopping the medication. If you become pregnant while taking Venclexta (Venetoclax), contact your doctor immediately.

Breast-feeding: It is not known if Venclexta (Venetoclax) passes into breast milk. If you are a breast-feeding mother and are taking Venclexta (Venetoclax), it may affect your baby. Talk to your doctor about whether you should continue breast-feeding.

Children: The safety and effectiveness of using Venclexta (Venetoclax) have not been established for children.