Rivastigmine Side Effects and Warnings

What are the precautions when taking this medicine?

All forms:

• If you have lung disease, talk with healthcare provider. You may be more sensitive to this medicine.

• If you have seizures, talk with healthcare provider.

• If you have a slow heartbeat, talk with healthcare provider.

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

• If you have urinary tract blockage, talk with healthcare provider.

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

• Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor).

• Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant.

• Tell healthcare provider if you are breast-feeding.

Skin patch:

• Avoid use of heat sources (such as sunlamps, tanning beds, heating pads, electric blankets, heat lamps, saunas, hot tubs, heated waterbeds). Avoid long, hot baths or sunbathing. Your temperature may rise and cause too much medicine to be released at once.

What are some possible side effects of this medicine?

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

• Headache.

• Belly pain.

• Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard, sugar-free candy, or chewing sugar-free gum may help. This may improve once you are on a stable dose of medicine.

• Diarrhea.

• Not hungry.

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.

• If medicine is stopped for more than several days, dose will need to be decreased.

• Difficulty breathing.

• Severe dizziness or passing out.

• Severe diarrhea.

• Severe nausea or vomiting.

• Any rash.

• No improvement in condition or feeling worse.