Nintedanib

​Common side effects include:

• Diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, reduced appetite
• Take the medication after a meal to reduce gastric discomfort and nausea
• Diarrhoea usually occurs within the first 3 months of treatment. Drink more water when having diarrhoea
• Giddiness, feeling tired, headache
  
• Do not drive or operate machinery if you feel giddy or tired
• Upper respiratory tract infection
  

Rare but serious side effects include:

• Liver problem: Signs include dark urine or light coloured stools, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, stomach pain, yellowing of your eyes or skin
• Heart attack: Symptoms include chest pain or pressure, pain in your arms, back, neck, or jaw, or shortness of breath
• Stroke: Symptoms include numbness or weakness on one side of your body, trouble talking, headache, or dizziness
  
• Bleeding problems such as unusual bleeding, bruising, wounds that do not heal
• Tear in your abdominal wall (perforation): Pain or swelling in abdominal area, may or may not be accompanied with chills, fever, nausea or vomiting.
• Leakage of protein in your urine (proteinuria): Symptoms include frothy urine, leg swelling, weight gain
  

The symptoms of a drug allergy include one or more of the following:

• Swollen face/eyes/lips/tongue
• Difficulty in breathing
• Itchy skin rashes over your whole body
  

If you experience any of these symptoms, you should stop your medication and see your healthcare professional immediately.

Inform your healthcare professional if:

• You are allergic to this medication or any of the other ingredients of this medication.
• You are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
• Nintedanib is associated with potential harm, birth defects, or death to an unborn baby. Women who may become pregnant should take a pregnancy test before starting treatment and should use highly effective birth control at the start of treatment, during treatment, and for at least 3 months after the last dose.
• You are taking any other medications, including supplements, traditional medications and herbal remedies.
• You have liver or heart disease, history of blood clots, bleeding problem or a family history of a bleeding problem, or had recent surgery in your abdominal area.
• You are a smoker, and currently smoking.
• You are planning to donate blood. Do not donate blood for at least 3 months after stopping the medication. This is to prevent passing donated blood to a pregnant woman and causing harm to the baby.

​Consult your healthcare professional if you are currently taking any other medications e.g. for epilepsy (seizures) or antibiotics for Tuberculosis treatment, as some of these medications may reduce the effectiveness of Nintedanib.