A medicine is only made available to the public if the clinical trials have shown that the benefits of taking the medicine outweigh the risks.
Once a medicine has been licensed, information on the medicine's effects, both intended and unintended, is continuously recorded and updated.
Some side-effects may be serious while others may only be a mild inconvenience.
Everyone's reaction to a medicine is different. It is difficult to predict which side-effects you will have from taking a particular medicine, or whether you will have any side-effects at all. The important thing is to tell your prescriber or pharmacist if you are having problems with your medicine.
The frequency of these side-effects is unknown
- aggressive behaviour
- precipitation of suicide
- sedation
- headaches
- muscle weakness
- dizziness
- coordination problems
- confusion
- speech problems
- tremors
- feeling emotionally numb
- reduced alertness
- tiredness
- eye or eyesight problems
- memory problems
- hangover effect
- changes in libido
- skin problems
- dry mouth
- jaundice
- urinary retention
- lowered blood pressure
- slower heart rate
- blood problems
- breathing problems
- physiological and psychological dependence
- rebound phenomena
- increased risk of falls in the elderly
- psychiatric problems or behavioural changes - seek medical advice if you develop restlessness, agitation, anxiety, mood changes, excitation, euphoria, irritability, aggressiveness, hostility, delusion, rages, difficulty sleeping, nightmares, hallucinations, psychoses and behaving in an inappropriate or less inhibited way
- chest pain
- gastrointestinal problems
- abnormal laboratory test results
- hypersensitivity reactions
- anaphylactic reactions
- breast enlargement in men
- urinary incontinence
- feeling anxious
If you feel unwell or if you have concerns about a side-effect, you will need to seek advice. If you feel very ill, get medical help straight away. Contact your prescriber, pharmacist, nurse or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.