Side Effects & When to Call
TPE is generally regarded as a safe procedure, but side effects can happen during or after treatment.
The most common patient-reported issues in hospital guidance include feeling cold, tingling or numbness, lightheadedness, dizziness, nausea, and fatigue. More significant problems can include low blood pressure, low calcium, bleeding, anemia, or central line complications such as infection or bleeding.
During treatment: tell the nurse right away if you feel
Cold and uncomfortable
Tingling in your lips, fingers, or feet
Nauseated
Dizzy or lightheaded
Crampy
Weak, faint, or suddenly unwell
Most centers would rather hear about symptoms early than late. Early adjustments are part of safe monitoring.
After you go home: call your team if you have
- Fever or chills
- Night sweats
- Chest pain
- Headache that concerns you
- Palpitations
- Worsening numbness, tingling, or muscle cramps
- Redness, pain, or bleeding from a central line or access site
Those red flags are directly reflected in ACR patient guidance.
Central line warning signs
If you have a central line, take site changes seriously.
New redness, drainage, pain, or bleeding deserves a call.
When to call
During treatment: tell the nurse.
After treatment: call the team using your discharge instructions.
Emergency symptoms: use the emergency plan your treating center gave you.