When do the Votrient side effects start?

I was on Votrient for almost 2 ½ years, for me the noticeable side effects started  after one month -  high blood pressure, diarrhea, hair turning Santa Clause white, change in taste and weight loss. I lost 25 pounds on Votrient, I went from 192 to 167 but mainly hovered around 170-173. I would have to "borrow" my college age sons clothes. I could eat as much and anything I wanted and I would not gain a pound. I still find it funny as hell, here I am I have stage 4 RCC and everybody including complete strangers would tell me how "good" I look. Go figure?  

Since January 2014 I have been enrolled in a clinical trial (ClinicialTrials.Gov – NCT02178722) with Keytruda (Pembrolizumab) along with INCB24360. It’s now been almost a year since I entered the trial; I have now gained back all the weight back that I lost on Votrient. - BDS        

Votirent affects people in all different ways. I started to get side effects about 2 weeks in. Started on 400mg for 2 weeks, then did 600mg for 4 weeks, then had to go back to 400mg because the 600mg hit me so hard I could not get out of bed. My doc told me the Votrient absorption varies from person to person. That is why they start low and build up to see how your body processes the meds. My limit was 600mg and went back to 400mg which still are bothersome but I can actually function a bit better. Have most of the side effects listed on the packet of info they give you: high blood pressure (which is fixed by blood pressure meds), change in taste, loss of appetitte, weight loss (I lost 50 lbs in 3 months), upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, white hair (I look like Billy Idol from the 80's), change in voice, and bloody nose. Good news is that my last scan showed that everything was shrinking even on the short time being on the meds. Next scan in 2 weeks so I hope for similar results.

Time2luv said:

I've been on Votrient since

I've been on Votrient since May 2015. Started out at 800 mg but after just a week BP was high and sick at stomach.  Changed to 400mg and been good since. Monitor BP often and I'm on BP meds. Take in morning. Don't feel well for a few hours with occasional vomiting but not often. Very tired all the time. Taste buds severely damaged so I have to make myself eat. Lost 25 lbs in 9 months but needed to loose some weight. Dr not worried as I loose only about 2.5 lbs a month. My hair is totally white now. My nails grow pretty fast. Have loose bowels about once a week but have not had full blown diarrhea. Lucky I guess. However when I am loose I can literally say I have a HOT butt as it burns! Guess that is due to the med. Had scan last week and get results in 2 days. Previous scan showed shrinkage in some nodules and no growth in others and no new ones. Dr said when Votrient stops working he will put me on Botiva. Thanks for everyone's honest and to the point info on here. It has helped me a lot.

I was so ill when I started votrient, I was almost comatose. Off 800mg after 4-6 weeks, to 400mg. I needed a wheelchair to visit my doctor. Still down a good 40#. Diarrhea had remained severe enough that I haven't left the house much this past year. That really sucked. Constant upset belly. Now at day 6 without votrient, I feel soooooo good. SE's seem gone. We are all so different. Nivo was like getting infusions with normal saline for me, yet others get significant SE's. I was prepared to remain on votrient as long as it worked regardless of the SE's. Now that I'm off it, I am as happy as a clam. Whatevver the hell that means.