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Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
If you notice any of the following rare but serious side effects, stop taking this medicine and
contact a doctor or go to the nearest hospital casualty department immediately:
Sudden wheezing, swelling of your lips, tongue and throat or body, rash, fainting or difficulties in
swallowing and breathing (severe allergic reaction).
Reddening of the skin with blisters or peeling. There may also be severe blisters and bleeding in
the lips, eyes, mouth, nose and genitals. This could be ‘Stevens-Johnson syndrome’ or ‘toxic
epidermal necrolysis’.
Severe liver problems leading to liver inflammation or failure and inflammation of the brain.
Symptoms can include jaundice which can cause yellow skin, dark urine, and tiredness.
A reduction in your red or white blood cells or platelets which may lead to more frequent
infections (such as sore throat and mouth ulcers), fever, weakness, easy bruising or bleeding, pain
in the neck, throat or mouth.
Severe kidney problems (interstitial nephritis). You may pass little or no urine, have cloudy urine
or blood in the urine or have severe pain in the lower back.
Inflammation of the bowel with signs such as abdominal pain, bloating, inability to control bowel
movement and nausea (feeling sick).
An infection called “thrush” which can affect the gut and is caused by a fungus.
Rash, possibly with pain in the joints.
Other possible side effects:
Common: may affect up to 1 in 10 people
Headache.
Effects on your stomach or gut: diarrhoea, stomach pain, constipation, wind (flatulence), benign
polyps in the stomach.
Feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting).
Uncommon: may affect up to 1 in 100 people
Swelling of the feet and ankles.
Disturbed sleep (insomnia).
Dizziness, tingling feelings such as “pins and needles”, feeling sleepy.
Spinning feeling (vertigo).
Changes in blood tests that check how the liver is working.
Skin rash, lumpy rash (hives) and itchy skin.
Generally feeling unwell and lacking energy.
Fracture in the hip, wrist or spine
Rare: may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people
Low levels of sodium in the blood. This may cause weakness, being sick (vomiting) and cramps.
Feeling agitated, confused or depressed.
Taste changes.
Eyesight problems such as blurred vision.
Suddenly feeling wheezy or short of breath (bronchospasm).
Dry mouth.
An inflammation of the inside of the mouth, sore mouth or ulcers.
Hair loss (alopecia).
Skin rash on exposure to sunshine.
Joint pains (arthralgia) or muscle pains (myalgia).
Increased sweating.
Very rare: may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people