Side effects
Drug side effects are common. There are a huge range of minor side effects. More serious side effects are listed below:
| Side effect | Description |
|---|---|
| Bone marrow suppression | Low red cell, white cell or platelet blood count. |
| Diabetes | Raised blood sugar levels. |
| Hyperlipidaemia | Raised blood lipid levels. |
| Hypersensitivity | Usually fever or rash but may cause non specific symptoms such as vomiting or muscle pain. |
| Kidney stones | Small hard masses that form in the kidney from deposits chiefly of phosphates and urates. |
| Lactic acidosis | Potentially life threatening in severe cases. |
| Lipodystrophy | Change in distribution of subcutaneous fat. May be loss of fat in face and limb and buttock wasting (lipoatrophy) or increase in fat in abdomen and upper back (buffalo hump) and breast enlargement. May be cosmetically distressing and socially disabling. |
| Liver toxicity | Damage to liver that may result in liver failure. |
| Pancreatitis | Abdominal pain. |
| Peripheral neuropathy | Pain, sensory changes and weakness. |
| Psychiatric problems | Nightmares, sleep disturbance, mood changes, behavioural disturbance. |
