Venetoclax and Fatigue: What Users Say

• sus...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 18, 2023

Venetoclax for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia "Easy! I combined my Venclexta treatment with Gazyva infusions. I was improving almost immediately. No side effects except mild fatigue occasionally. Never got sick during year-long treatment. Hoping for a deep and long-lasting remission!"

• Ted...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 24, 2024

Venetoclax for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia "My husband started Venclexta in February 2024. He has had a lot of fatigue, weakness, days where he feels so bad that he only sits in his chair with his eyes closed. When he feels bad, he doesn't feel safe to drive but often doesn't even feel like going anywhere with me driving. Lymph nodes that were enlarged have gone down, but not totally. It has been 9 months since treatment began. Treatment included 6 months of infusion treatments of some other drugs; not sure what was given. Recently, he has begun to experience a headache on some days, but fatigue seems a little better. No nausea, diarrhea, or significant intestinal issues have been experienced. He did have fever blisters on his lips at the beginning of treatment, but they soon were cured with over-the-counter meds. Praying for remission."

• Moi...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 27, 2024

Venetoclax for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia "I was DX'ed with CLL in 2006, then in 2014 had my 1st chemotherapy (F.C.R). I relapsed in 2022 & started on V with rituximab. In Australia, we are only on V for 2 yrs. I'm on 400 mg a day, 4 x 100 mg tabs. In the 20 months I've been on V, it has caused fatigue & the odd bout of diarrhea, but both are manageable. I have found that my head goes wonky if I don't drink plenty of water after taking V. Within 12 months of starting V, my bloodwork returned to normal except for low platelets, but even they have now come back to almost normal. Tablets are fairly easy to swallow with water, but they are a large tablet. I would definitely recommend V to anybody who has CLL. The full cost of V in Australia is A$7400 per month, but it is subsidized by the gov, so at the most, I would pay A$48.50, and if you're on a pension or health care card, A$7.70."

• Lou...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 26, 2024

For Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia "I am just ending month 11 of venetoclax, teaming it up with obinutuzumab for the first 6 months. My blood work has been normal for 6 months. A bone marrow biopsy showed no CLL cells last week. I experienced sore joints, sore muscles, and a cumulative (worsening) lack of energy and exhaustion. It seemed to be worse month after month. I also gained 60 pounds over the 11 months of treatment. I worked up to 400 mg daily. I am looking forward to stopping venetoclax and hope these troublesome side effects dissipate."

• Ste...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 10, 2024

For Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia "I was on V&O, and it is a tough but fantastic combination. Love the fact that I could take V at home. Had to step back month 9 from 400 to 300 as tox'd, as diagnosed by side effects (stomach, lethargy, and general feeling malaise), but the last three months were a breeze. Weight gain unwelcome."

• Pgr...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 19, 2024

For Acute Myeloid Leukemia "I have taken venetoclax in combination with 7/3 chemo for my bi-allelic CEPBA-mutated AML, and it has helped for sure! There are some side effects. I originally started off on a 7-day course, and it took me twice as long to recover for the next round of chemo and more blood product transfusions. So we did 3 days. It has not been near as rough, but it dropped my blood counts within 3 days. I don't find chemo as harsh as this medicine, and I recover quicker from just chemo, BUT this medicine has worked wonders for me, and there are medications to combat the symptoms. (Fatigue, neutropenia, bruising, tiredness, weakness, headaches, gum pain)"