REVLIMID® (lenalidomide) logo

This site is intended for US audiences only.

This site is intended for US audiences only.

REVLIMID® (lenalidomide) is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a condition called myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). REVLIMID is for the type of MDS with a chromosome problem where part of chromosome 5 is missing. This type of MDS is known as deletion 5q MDS. People with this type of MDS may have low red blood cell counts that require treatment with blood transfusions. REVLIMID should not be used to treat people who have chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) unless they are participants in a controlled clinical trial. It is not known if REVLIMID is safe and effective in children.

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Some common side effects

Some common side effects

These are not all of the possible side effects of REVLIMID. Your healthcare provider may adjust your dose or have you temporarily or permanently stop taking REVLIMID if you develop certain serious side effects. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Below are some of the most common side effects of REVLIMID

Treatment with REVLIMID can cause diarrhea. Diarrhea happens when your stools become watery and you go to the bathroom much more often than usual. Your doctor needs to know if you have diarrhea. Diarrhea can cause weight loss, fluid loss (dehydration), poor appetite, and weakness.

Diarrhea may cause complications such as:

  • Dizziness
  • Fever
  • Sore or bleeding rectal area

If you have any of these complications or if you have diarrhea and cramps for more than a day, call your doctor or nurse right away.

If you have diarrhea, tell your doctor or nurse. He or she will want to know about any side effects you have.

You may want to ask your doctor:

  • Are there foods I should eat or avoid when I have diarrhea?
  • How much liquid should I drink each day?
  • Is there medicine I can take to help with the diarrhea?

Some tips for diarrhea:

  • Drink plenty of clear fluids, such as water
  • Eat frequent, smaller meals
  • Avoid fiber, sweets, and greasy or spicy foods
  • Avoid caffeine or alcohol

These are just some tips for diarrhea. You should always talk to your doctor or nurse about any side effects you may experience.

Treatment with REVLIMID can cause pruritus, also known as itchiness. Itching can be uncomfortable. If you scratch a lot, it can lead to breaks in the skin and infection.

Rash is another common side effect of REVLIMID. Rash may range in severity from mild irritation to obvious changes in skin color. Some patients have had severe skin reactions that required immediate medical attention or were fatal. If you get any kind of rash, tell your healthcare provider immediately.

If you feel itchy or you notice a rash on your body, tell your doctor or nurse. He or she will want to know about any skin changes you have.

You may want to ask your doctor:

  • Should I take hot or cold baths?
  • Is there anything I can put on my skin that may help the itching?
  • What type of clothes should I wear?
  • Should I avoid the sun?

Treatment with REVLIMID can cause nausea. Nausea is an uneasy or unsettled feeling in the stomach. It often occurs at the same time with the urge to vomit, but doesn’t always lead to vomiting. Some other ways people describe nausea are “feeling sick to my stomach,” “queasy,” or “upset stomach.”

If you have nausea, tell your doctor or nurse. He or she will want to know about any side effects you have.

You may want to ask your doctor:

  • Are there foods I should eat or avoid when I feel nauseous?
  • Should I drink more or less water or liquids?
  • Would exercise help?

Some tips for nausea:

  • Eat and drink slowly; small portions
  • Dry toast and ginger ale among others, may help
  • Eat smaller meals and snack throughout the day
  • Avoid greasy, very rich, or spicy foods

These are just some tips for nausea. You should always talk to your doctor or nurse about any side effects you may experience.

Treatment with REVLIMID can cause constipation. When you have constipation, you do not have as many bowel movements as you normally do. You may also feel bloated and uncomfortable and have hard, painful bowel movements.

If you have constipation, tell your doctor or nurse. He or she will want to know about any side effects you may have.

You may want to ask your doctor:

  • Are there foods I should eat when I have constipation?
  • Are there foods I should avoid when I have constipation?
  • Should I drink more water or liquids?
  • Would exercise help?
  • Should I keep track of my bowel movements?

Some tips for constipation:

  • Drink plenty of clear fluids, such as water
  • Eat high-fiber foods
  • Talk with your healthcare provider about creating a light exercise plan
  • Avoid foods or drinks that may cause gas, such as cabbage, broccoli, and carbonated drinks
  • Avoid foods that lead to constipation (like cheese or eggs)

These are just some tips for constipation. You should always talk to your doctor or nurse about any side effects you may experience.

Fatigue is a common side effect of treatment with REVLIMID. Sometimes people describe fatigue as feeling tired, weak, exhausted, heavy, or slow. Fatigue can affect people physically, mentally, and emotionally.

If you feel tired, tell your doctor or nurse. He or she will want to know about any side effects you may have.

You may want to ask your doctor:

  • Should I change my activity level?
  • Would exercise help me feel less tired?
  • Will sleeping more help my fatigue?

Treatment with REVLIMID can cause a fever. A fever is a body temperature that is higher than normal, which is 98.6º F for an adult.

If you have a fever, tell your doctor or nurse. He or she will want to know about any side effects you have.

You may want to ask your doctor:

  • Are there any dietary restrictions I should follow?
  • Should I drink more or less water or liquids?

Some tips for fever:

  • Get plenty of rest
  • Stay hydrated by drinking water
  • If you feel hot, consider placing a cold compress on your head

These are just some tips for fever. You should always talk to your doctor or nurse about any side effects you may experience.

Treatment with REVLIMID can cause swelling of the limbs (arms, hands, and feet) and skin, called edema. This swelling or puffiness of the tissue directly under your skin is caused by excess fluid trapped in your body’s tissues. Edema is most commonly noticed in the hands, arms, feet, ankles, and legs. Your skin may appear stretched or shiny. With edema, you may experience swelling after sitting or standing for a long period of time.

If you have swelling of the limbs and skin, tell your doctor or nurse. He or she will want to know about any side effects you have.

You may want to ask your doctor:

  • Are there any foods I should avoid?
  • Should I monitor my liquid intake?
  • Would exercise help?

Treatment with REVLIMID can cause insomnia. When you have insomnia, it is difficult to fall asleep and hard to stay asleep. A lack of sleep can make you still feel tired when you wake up.

If you have insomnia, tell your doctor or nurse. He or she will want to know about any side effects you may have.

You may want to ask your doctor:

  • Are there beverages preventing me from sleeping?
  • Would soft music or reading help me fall asleep?
  • What type of exercise would help me sleep?

Some tips for insomnia:

  • While awake, try to exercise, based on discussion with your healthcare team
  • Limit caffeine intake close to bedtime

These are just some tips for sleep problems (insomnia). You should always talk to your doctor or nurse about any side effects you may experience.

Treatment with REVLIMID can cause headaches.

If you have headaches, tell your doctor or nurse. He or she will want to know about any side effects you may have.

You may want to ask your doctor:

  • Could my headaches be serious?
  • What type of headache do I have?

Some tips for a headache:

  • Get plenty of sleep
  • Eat a healthy diet
  • Try to limit stress as much as possible

These are just some tips for headaches. You should always talk to your doctor or nurse about any side effects you may experience.

Treatment with REVLIMID can cause muscle cramps or spasms. People who get a muscle cramp experience a sudden, painful contraction of one or more of their muscles, and have no control over it.

If you have muscle cramps or spasms, tell your doctor or nurse. He or she will want to know about any side effects you may have.

You may want to ask your doctor:

  • Are there any techniques that may help stop the muscle from contracting when it’s cramping?
  • Are there any exercises that may help prevent muscle cramps?

Treatment with REVLIMID can cause shortness of breath. If you experience a shortness of breath, you are not able to get enough air into your lungs.

If you have shortness of breath, tell your doctor or nurse. He or she will want to know about any side effects you may have.

Treatment with REVLIMID can cause you to cough.

If you have a cough, tell your doctor or nurse. He or she will want to know about any side effects you may have.

You may want to ask your doctor:

  • Should I drink more water or liquids?
  • Should I take cough drops?

Treatment with REVLIMID can cause upper respiratory tract infections or bronchitis.

If you have an upper respiratory tract infection or bronchitis, tell your doctor or nurse. He or she will want to know about any side effects you may have.

Treatment with REVLIMID can cause inflammation of the stomach and intestine. This can cause nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.

If you have inflammation of the stomach or intestine, tell your doctor or nurse. He or she will want to know about any side effects you may have.

Treatment with REVLIMID can cause your nose to bleed.

If you have a nose bleed, tell your doctor or nurse. He or she will want to know about any side effects you may have.

Treatment with REVLIMID can cause shaking or trembling (tremor).

If you have shaking or trembling (tremor), tell your doctor or nurse. He or she will want to know about any side effects you may have.

Treatment with REVLIMID may cause your joints to ache which can lead to discomfort, pain, or inflammation.

If you have joint aches, tell your doctor or nurse. He or she will want to know about any side effects you may have.

You may want to ask your doctor:

  • Are there light exercises that may help with joint pain?

Some tips for joint aches:

  • Try stretching
  • Apply ice to the affected area
  • Use a heating pad on sore joints

These are just some tips for joint aches. You should always talk to your doctor or nurse about any side effects you may experience.

Treatment with REVLIMID can cause pain in your back or stomach area (abdomen).

If you have back or stomach area (abdomen) pain, tell your doctor or nurse. He or she will want to know about any side effects you may have.