Revlimid (lenalidomide) is a brand-name drug prescribed for certain types of cancers and anemia in adults. Revlimid comes as an oral capsule that’s typically taken on a dosage schedule. The dosage can vary depending on the condition the drug is treating.

Revlimid is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in adults to treat certain types of the following conditions:

Revlimid belongs to a class of drugs called thalidomide analogues because it’s similar to a drug called thalidomide. Revlimid is not available as a generic medication.

Keep reading for information about the dosage of Revlimid, including its strengths and how to take the medication. For a comprehensive look at Revlimid, see this article.

Note: This article describes typical dosages for Revlimid provided by the drug’s manufacturer. When taking Revlimid, always follow the dosage prescribed by your doctor.

Suicide prevention

If you know someone at immediate risk of self-harm, suicide, or hurting another person:

  • Ask the tough question: “Are you considering suicide?”
  • Listen to the person without judgment.
  • Call 911 or the local emergency number, or text TALK to 741741 to communicate with a trained crisis counselor.
  • Stay with the person until professional help arrives.
  • Try to remove any weapons, medications, or other potentially harmful objects if it’s safe to do so.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, a prevention hotline can help. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day at 988. During a crisis, people who are hard of hearing can use their preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988.

Find more links and local resources.

This section describes the typical dosages for Revlimid.

Revlimid form

Revlimid is available as an oral capsule.

Revlimid strengths

Revlimid comes in six strengths: 2.5 milligrams (mg), 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, and 25 mg.

Typical dosages

The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage and dosage schedule to fit your needs.

Note: Your doctor may adjust your dosage if your blood cell levels decrease. Revlimid has a boxed warning about the risk of severely lowered levels of blood cells. This is a serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For more information, see “Dosage adjustments” in the “Factors that can affect your dosage” section below.

Dosage for follicular or marginal zone lymphoma

For follicular or marginal zone lymphoma, the recommended starting dose of Revlimid is 20 mg. You’ll take this dosage on days 1 through 21 of a 28-day cycle. You won’t take the drug on days 22 to 28. Revlimid can be taken for up to 12 cycles.

Your doctor will likely prescribe Revlimid with the medication rituximab (Truxima, Rituxan).

Dosage for mantle cell lymphoma

For mantle cell lymphoma, the recommended starting dose of Revlimid is 25 mg. You’ll take this dosage on days 1 through 21 of a 28-day cycle. You won’t take the drug on days 22 to 28.

You’ll likely continue to take Revlimid in 28-day cycles for as long as you tolerate the medication. If your mantle cell lymphoma worsens, they may recommend stopping treatment.

Dosage for myelodysplastic syndrome

For myelodysplastic syndrome, the recommended starting dosage of Revlimid is 10 mg daily. You’ll likely continue to take Revlimid for as long as you tolerate the medication. If your condition worsens, your doctor may recommend stopping treatment.

Dosage for multiple myeloma

The typical dosage of Revlimid for multiple myeloma depends on whether or not you’ve had an autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (auto-HSCT). With this procedure, you receive stem cells from your own body.

Dosage if you haven’t had a stem cell transplant

If you haven’t had an auto-HSCT, you’ll likely take 25 mg of Revlimid daily. You’ll take this dose on days 1 through 21 of a 28-day cycle. You won’t take Revlimid on days 22 to 28. Revlimid is typically prescribed with the medication dexamethasone (Hemady).

You’ll usually continue with this dosage in 28-day cycles. And you’ll likely keep taking Revlimid for as long as you tolerate the drug. If your condition worsens, your doctor may recommend stopping treatment.

Dosage if you have had a stem cell transplant

If you can have an auto-HSCT, you’ll likely receive it within four cycles of taking Revlimid.

If you have already had an auto-HSCT, the starting dose of Revlimid is 10 mg. You’ll take this dose once daily on days 1 to 28 of a 28-day cycle. After three cycles, your doctor may increase the dose to 15 mg. You’ll likely continue with this maintenance (long-term) dosage in 28-day cycles.

You’ll usually keep taking Revlimid for as long as you tolerate the medication. If your multiple myeloma worsens, your doctor may recommend stopping treatment.

Long-term treatment

Revlimid is meant to be used as a long-term treatment. If you and your doctor determine that Revlimid is safe and effective for you, you’ll likely take it long term.

The Revlimid dosage your doctor prescribes will depend on several factors. These include:

  • the type and severity of the condition you’re taking Revlimid to treat
  • how well you tolerate Revlimid
  • how well your kidneys function

Other medical conditions you have can also affect your Revlimid dosage.

Dosage adjustments

Here’s some information about possible reasons why your doctor may advise dose adjustments while you take Revlimid.

Risk of severely lowered levels of blood cells: Revlimid has a boxed warning about the risk of severely lowered levels of blood cells. This is a serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Revlimid can severely lower blood cell levels. This can cause neutropenia (low levels of white blood cells) and thrombocytopenia (low levels of platelets).

Due to this risk, your doctor will monitor your blood cell levels regularly while you take Revlimid. They may monitor you more closely if you’re being treated for certain types of myelodysplastic syndromes. Based on the results, your doctor may lower your dose or pause your treatment. They may also recommend you receive a transfusion or medication to increase the level of cells in your blood.

Kidney function: If your renal (kidney) function worsens while you take Revlimid, your doctor will likely decrease your dosage. They can provide specifics about what your renal dosing would be.

If you have questions about any Revlimid dosage changes, talk with your doctor.

Revlimid comes as an oral capsule. You should swallow it whole with a glass of water. You should not break, open, or chew the capsule. You can take your dose with or without food.

Be sure to take Revlimid at the same time each day.

If you have trouble swallowing capsules, see this article for tips on how to take this form of medication. You can also talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Accessible drug labels and containers

If you’re having trouble reading your prescription label, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Some pharmacies offer labels with large print, braille, or a code you scan with a smartphone to convert text to speech. If your local pharmacy doesn’t have these options, your doctor or pharmacist might be able to recommend a pharmacy that does.

If you’re having trouble opening medication bottles, ask your pharmacist about putting Revlimid in an easy-open container. They also may recommend tools that can make it easier to open bottles.

You should take your missed dose of Revlimid as soon as you remember. If it’s close to when you would take your next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. If you don’t know whether you should take a missed dose of Revlimid, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

To help make sure that you don’t miss a dose, try using a medication reminder. This can include setting an alarm or using a timer. You could also download a reminder app on your phone.

It’s important that you don’t take more Revlimid than your doctor prescribes. For some medications, taking more than the recommended amount may lead to side effects or overdose.

If you take more than the recommended amount of Revlimid

Call your doctor right away if you believe you’ve taken too much Revlimid. Another option is to call America’s Poison Centers at 800-222-1222 or use its online tool. If you have severe symptoms, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency room.

The dosages in this article are typical dosages provided by the drug’s manufacturer. If your doctor recommends Revlimid for you, they will prescribe the dosage that’s right for you. Always follow the dosage that your doctor prescribes for you.

As with any drug, never change your dosage of Revlimid without your doctor’s recommendation. If you have questions about the dosage of Revlimid that’s right for you, talk with your doctor.

Besides learning about dosage, you may want other information about Revlimid. These additional articles might be helpful to you:

  • More about Revlimid: For information about other aspects of Revlimid, refer to this article.
  • Side effects: To learn about side effects of Revlimid, see this article. You can also look at the Revlimid prescribing information.
  • Drug comparison: To find out how Revlimid compares with similar drugs, read the “Revlimid vs. Velcade” and “Revlimid vs. bendamustine” sections of this article.
  • Cost: If you’d like to learn about Revlimid and cost, see this article.
  • How it works: To learn about about how Revlimid works, see this article.
  • A look at your condition: For details about the cancers that Revlimid is used to treat, our cancer hub may be helpful. You can also refer to our lists of cancer and oncology articles and lymphoma articles.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.