Reminyl

Side effects

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

- Disturbances of the gut such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, indigestion or abdominal pain
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Fever
- Confusion
- Depression
- Falls
- Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
- Inflammation of the lining of the nose (rhinitis) causing a blocked or runny nose
- Urinary tract infections
- Fainting
- Tremor
- Abnormal heart beats
- Decreased blood flow to the heart or brain (possibly causing heart attack or mini-stroke)
- Slow heart rate (bradycardia)
- Seizures
- Hallucinations
- Aggression
- Dehydration (possibly leading to kidney problems)
- Decreased amount of potassium in the blood (hypokalaemia)

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines the patient is already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before they start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before any new medicines are taken with this one, to ensure that the combination is safe.

Galantamine has the potential to slow down the heart rate. This effect may be enhanced if it is taken with other medicines that have this effect, for example those listed below:

- amiodarone
- beta blockers such as atenolol
- calcium channel blockers such as verapamil
- digoxin.

Galantamine should not be taken with other medicines that increase the activity of acetylcholine, as this may increase the risk of side effects. These medicines include the following:

- other cholinergic medicines for Alzheimer's, eg donepezil
- rivastigmine
- neostigmine
- distigmine
- pyridostigmine
- pilocarpine tablets.

Galantamine will oppose the effects of medicines that work by blocking or decreasing the actions of acetylcholine (anticholinergic medicines). These medicines include the following:

- hyoscine
- atropine
- anticholinergics for Parkinson's disease, eg trihexyphenidyl, procyclidine
- anticholinergics for urinary incontinence, eg oxybutinin, tolterodine.

The following medicines may increase the blood level of galantamine. As this may increase side effects such as nausea and vomiting, the doctor may reduce the dose of galantamine for people taking any of these:

- erythromycin
- ketoconazole
- quinidine
- ritonavir
- the SSRI antidepressants paroxetine, fluoxetine and fluvoxamine.

Other medicines containing the same active ingredient

There are currently no other medicines available in the UK that contain galantamine as the active ingredient.

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