Side Effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Also call your doctor at once if you have:

• headache, confusion, change in mental status, vision loss, seizure (convulsions);
• blisters or ulcers in your mouth, trouble eating or swallowing;
• severe skin redness, swelling, oozing, or peeling during or after radiation treatment;
• liver problems–loss of appetite, stomach pain (upper right side), itching, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
• low blood cell counts–fever, chills, tiredness, skin sores, cold hands and feet, feeling light-headed;
• fluid build-up in or around the lungs–pain when you breathe, feeling short of breath while lying down, wheezing, gasping for breath, cough with foamy mucus, cold, clammy skin, anxiety, rapid heartbeats; or
• signs of damaged red blood cells–unusual bruising or bleeding, pale skin, bloody diarrhea, red or pink urine, swelling, rapid weight gain, and little or no urination.

Your cancer treatments may be delayed or permanently discontinued if you have certain side effects.

Common side effects of gemcitabine may include:

• fever;
• nausea, vomiting;
• low blood cell counts;
• abnormal blood or urine tests;
• shortness of breath;
• swelling in your hands or feet;
• rash; or
• red or pink urine.