Understanding Side Effects

Report any side effects to your doctor or nurse as soon as they happen. Talk to your doctor if you are nauseated or vomiting. Your doctor will likely give you medication to help reduce these side effects.

It is important to tell your doctor or nurse about any side effects you may have so that you can discuss your treatment plan. Some side effects related to VIDAZA, including a reduced blood cell count, may lessen after the first few treatment cycles.

The most common side effects by subcutaneous injection include:

• Nausea
• Anemia
• Thrombocytopenia
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Redness of the skin at the injection site
• Constipation
• Neutropenia
• Bruising of the skin at the injection site

The most common side effects for an IV infusion are the same as those for a subcutaneous injection, but also include:

• Small reddish-purple spots on the body
• Chills
• Weakness
• Low potassium in the blood, or hypokalemia

Other side effects may occur, such as:

• Dizziness
• Chest pain
• Febrile neutropenia
• Myalgia
• Injection site reaction
• Malaise

Myelosuppression

In some patients, treatment with VIDAZA may cause myelosuppression. This common condition causes bone marrow to make fewer blood cells than normal. Myelosuppression can cause any or all of the following:

• Reduced RBC counts, also called anemia—This may make you feel tired
• Reduced WBC counts, also called neutropenia—This may make you more likely to get an infection
• Reduced platelet counts, also called thrombocytopenia—This may cause bleeding for no reason (such as nosebleeds or bleeding gums)

Be sure to ask your doctor or nurse about any symptoms you may have or other side effects that may occur. It is important to tell your doctor or nurse about any side effects you may have so that you can discuss your treatment plan.

Nausea and vomiting

Nausea and vomiting are the most common side effects of treatment with VIDAZA. Your doctor will likely give you medicine before your treatment to help reduce these symptoms.

In addition, these tips may help with nausea and vomiting:

• Breathe deeply and slowly if you start to feel ill
• Eat several small meals daily instead of 3 large ones
• Avoid sweet, fried, or fatty foods
• To avoid cooking odors, eat foods cold or at room temperature
• Eat dry foods like toast (even before getting out of bed) if you feel ill in the mornings
• Drink cool, clear, unsweetened fruit juices. You might try apple juice or light-colored sodas that have lost their fizz
• Wear loose clothing

Injection site reactions

Another common side effect of treatment is an injection site reaction. An injection site reaction can be anything from a bruise to a large, painful, red welt. Injection site reactions usually go away after several days.

In addition, these tips may help with injection site reactions:

• If an injection site is painful or red, apply a compress for 15 minutes at a time. You may use a cool or warm compress, whichever is more comfortable
• Do not use hot compresses; these may make your symptoms worse or make your skin blister at the injection site
• Do not ice the injection site; this may affect how VIDAZA gets into your bloodstream
• When receiving VIDAZA treatment, you may want to ask the doctor or nurse to find places where you can get your injection that will not be rubbed by your clothing (such as a belt). Remember that other items (such as seat belts or elastic waistbands) could make you uncomfortable

• Learn What Else You Need to Know About Treatment with VIDAZA

Please see Important Safety Information and full Prescribing Information.