Side effect(s) of Mesna

Last Updated on Mar 02, 2023

Review the side-effects of Mesna as documented in medical literature. The term "side effects" refers to unintended effects that can occur as a result of taking the medication. In majority of the instances these side-effects are mild and easily tolerable, however sometimes they can be more severe and can be detrimental.

If the side effects are not tolerable adjusting the dosage or switching to a different medication can help to manage or overcome side effects. If you have any doubts or questions, we recommend seeking advice from your doctor or pharmacist.

  Gastrointestinal: Loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, indigestion, unpleasant taste, gas and constipation

  Central Nervous System: Headache, dizziness, confusion, and drowsiness

  Cardiovascular system: Decrease or increase in blood pressure, abnormal heart rate, chestpain, accumulation of fluid in legs, face and around the eyes

  Respiratory: Breathlessness, cough, rhinitis, pharyngitis, pneumonia

  Skin: Rash, injection site reaction, itching, loss of hair, ulceration of the skin and mucosa, serious reactions like toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome

  Musculoskeletal: Back pain, muscle pain, pain in the joints, extreme tiredness or weakness

  Blood: Anemia (low red blood cell), leukopenia (low white blood cell), thrombocytopenia (low platelet count), granulocytopenia (low count of granulocytes, which are types of white blood cells

  Allergic reactions: Allergic reactions may be severe and include anaphylaxis

Other Precautions :

• Monitoring blood cell count and urine analysis to check the presence of blood in urine should be performed during the treatment.
• It is necessary to advise the patient to empty the bladder frequently during chemotherapy treatment especially in the first 24 hours after taking the medication.
• The patient should be advised to report immediately for any discoloration (pink or red color) of urine that may occur.
• Medicines that are injected into the vein must be pre-checked for any visible particulate matter, discoloration and leakage.
• Patients who feel stomach discomfort can take limited but frequent meals. Self-care tips to maintain adequate nutrition and plenty of rest can be advised.

Drug Name : Mesna

Mesna generic Mesna is prescribed as a preventive medicine to reduce the risk of hemorrhagic cystitis caused by the chemotherapy drugs ifosfamide and cyclophosphamide. Hemorrhagic cystitis is a condition characterized by bleeding from the bladder. Mesna works by detoxifying the metabolites of the above drugs that cause hemorrhagic cystitis in the urine. Some preparations of mesna have been used to break thick mucus of the respiratory tract.