After a year I developed a strange cough. After 7 months my pharmacist told me this was an ill affect? Stopped for a month and it took 27 days for cough to stop 100%. Now take Brukinsa at 50% dose with blood tests 100% normal. My first year developed bruising on my legs from jogging and walking. No jogging in a year and no bruising. I am very active and happy & healthy.

Hello Mike, I started taking another BTK inhibitor for my CLL as a part of a clinical trial in December of 2025. I had side effects immediately such as food tasting bad and no appetite for food anyway. I also had some more concerning side effects about two weeks into my treatment: fainting and a low platelet count of 48. My oncology team stopped treatment for two weeks and then restarted. I had problems with fainting again, so after another pause in treatment I started taking the daily pill again at a lower dose.

The bad taste has faded a little or maybe I am just getting used to it. I have lost some weight I didn't need to lose. I still have to make myself eat, including healthy snacks between meals. But on the plus side of things, my lymph nodes are all back to normal size instead of enlarged. The treatment made my lymphocyte count increased from 65 to 163 (my Oncologist had told me to expect this), but at my last blood draw in August my lymphocyte count had come down to 96. Hopefully, it will continue to decrease until it reaches normal levels.

If you are having concerning side effects reach out to your oncology office and let them know.

I have been on brukensa for about 6 months. No side effects. I feel confident that I am doing something positive to help my cll.

I took Brukinsa for a year it stopped working. I’ve been taking jaypirca. For a year with much better results it’s expensive but there are grants to help.

I took BRUKINSA for about 6 weeks and developed severe peripheral edema. Gained 6 pounds in 4 hours total 10 pounds in 24 hours. It was awful ! Had to come off the med and start strong diuretics which then put me into kidney failure. What a mess Now no treatment and having a flare of the CLL with pain , fatigue and very swollen lymph nodes.