Mefloquine Side Effects and Warnings

What are the precautions when taking this medicine?

• Have patient safety card with you at all times.

• If you have liver disease, talk with healthcare provider.

• If you have heart disease, talk with healthcare provider.

• Other protective measures are needed along with this medicine including using screens, bednetting, insect repellent (10% to 35% DEET), and permethrin spray on clothing and nets. Avoid spraying most insect repellents on children. Decrease evening and night-time outdoor activity.

• Check medicines with healthcare provider. This medicine may not mix well with other medicines.

• You may not be alert. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or activities until you see how this medicine affects you.

• Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor) or other medicines and natural products that slow your actions and reactions.

• Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice.

• Use birth control that you can trust to prevent pregnancy while taking this medicine.

What are some possible side effects of this medicine?

Treatment of malaria:

• Headache.

• Feeling lightheaded, sleepy, having blurred vision, or a change in thinking clearly. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or activities that require you to be alert or have clear vision until you see how this medicine affects you.

• Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard, sugar-free candy, or chewing sugar-free gum may help.

Prevention of malaria:

• Feeling dizzy. Rise slowly over several minutes from sitting or lying position. Be careful climbing.

• Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard, sugar-free candy, or chewing sugar-free gum may help.

• Hallucinations.

• Inability to sleep.

• Bad dreams.

• Psychosis can rarely occur.

• Seizures can rarely occur.

Reasons to call healthcare provider immediately

• If you suspect an overdose, call your local poison control center or emergency department immediately.

• Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Signs or symptoms of depression, suicidal thoughts, nervousness, emotional ups and downs, abnormal thinking, anxiety, or lack of interest in life.

• Chest pain or pressure or fast heartbeat.

• Severe dizziness or passing out.

• Difficulty breathing.

• Flu-like symptoms.

• Very nervous and excitable.

• Severe nausea or vomiting.

• Significant change in thinking clearly and logically.

• Any rash.

• No improvement in condition or feeling worse.