Side Effects

Medicine side effects and safety information for South Africa

SideEffects.co.za helps South Africans understand possible medicine side effects, check symptoms, recognise serious warning signs, and find safer next steps before speaking to a doctor or pharmacist. You can search by medicine, browse by symptom, compare different types of reactions, or learn how suspected side effects can be reported in South Africa.

Medicines can treat illness, control chronic conditions, prevent complications, and improve quality of life. They can also cause unwanted effects. Some side effects are mild and settle with time; others may need medical advice or urgent care. MedlinePlus describes side effects as unwanted effects caused by medicines and notes that many are mild, while others can be more serious.

Get urgent medical help now if you have trouble breathing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, chest pain, fainting, seizures, severe confusion, a severe or blistering rash, severe bleeding, signs of overdose, or thoughts of self-harm.

This website provides educational information only. It does not diagnose symptoms, confirm that a medicine caused a reaction, or replace advice from a doctor, pharmacist, clinic, hospital, poison information service, or emergency service.

Search for medicine side effects

Start with what you know: the medicine name, active ingredient, symptom, or safety question.

People often search for questions such as:

“ibuprofen stomach pain”
“antibiotic rash”
“blood pressure tablets dizziness”
“can I stop medicine if I have side effects?”
“report medicine side effects South Africa”

Search medicine side effects
Browse medicine side effects A-Z
Read the main medication side effects guide

Not sure where to start?

Many people arrive here because something feels wrong after taking medicine. You do not need to know the medical term before you begin.

If you know the medicine name, use medicine side effects A-Z to look for a tablet, capsule, syrup, injection, inhaler, cream, supplement, or active ingredient.

If you only know the symptom, use side effect symptoms A-Z to start with concerns such as dizziness, rash, nausea, stomach pain, sleepiness, anxiety, headache, diarrhoea, or tiredness.

If the symptom feels severe, unusual, fast-moving, or unsafe, check serious medication side effects.

If you are unsure whether to keep taking the medicine, call a pharmacist, contact a doctor, or get urgent help, read what to do if medicine causes side effects.

Common side effects are different from warning signs

Some side effects are uncomfortable but not usually dangerous. A medicine may cause mild nausea, dry mouth, constipation, drowsiness, dizziness, headache, or stomach upset. These symptoms may improve with time, or they may need advice from a pharmacist.

Other symptoms should not be treated as routine. Trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, chest pain, fainting, seizures, severe bleeding, or a severe rash can signal a medical emergency.

The difference matters because the next step is different.

A dry mouth after starting a new medicine may be something to discuss with a pharmacist. A spreading rash with fever after a new medicine needs medical advice urgently. Wheezing or swelling after taking medicine may be an allergic reaction and needs emergency help. Taking too much medicine, even by mistake, should be treated as a possible overdose.

Learn more about common medication side effects, serious medication side effects, and when to see a doctor for side effects.

What kind of reaction could it be?

Medicine reactions are not all the same. These terms are often confused, but they mean different things.

What you may be dealing with	What it means	Example	Safest next step
Side effect	An unwanted effect that can happen when using a medicine	Nausea, dry mouth, drowsiness, mild dizziness	Check the medicine guide and ask a pharmacist if unsure
Allergic reaction	An immune-system reaction to a medicine	Hives, itching, swelling, wheezing, breathing trouble	Get urgent help for breathing trouble or swelling
Adverse drug reaction	A harmful or unintended response linked to medicine use	A “bad reaction” after taking medicine as directed	Speak to a healthcare professional; consider reporting
Overdose	Too much medicine was taken, accidentally or deliberately	Extra tablets, double dosing, a child swallowing medicine	Get urgent advice immediately
Illness symptom	A symptom from the condition itself, not necessarily the medicine	Fever from infection while taking antibiotics	Track timing and ask a clinician if symptoms continue

A symptom that starts after taking medicine is not always caused by the medicine. Illness, alcohol, food, supplements, other medicines, missed doses, dose changes, and chronic conditions can all affect how you feel.

Useful next pages:

What to do if you think medicine is causing side effects

Do not guess in silence, and do not panic. Start by collecting the details.

Before speaking to a doctor or pharmacist, write down:

the medicine name and strength
how much was taken and when
when the symptom started
whether the symptom began after a new medicine, dose change, or missed dose
any other medicines, supplements, herbal products, or alcohol used
any allergies
pregnancy, breastfeeding, chronic conditions, or recent illness
whether the symptom is mild, worsening, recurring, or severe

For mild symptoms, a pharmacist may be able to explain whether the effect is known, how long it may last, and whether it needs medical attention.

For symptoms that are persistent, worsening, unusual, or affecting daily life, contact a doctor or clinic.

For severe symptoms, possible allergic reaction, overdose, chest pain, breathing trouble, fainting, seizures, severe rash, severe bleeding, or suicidal thoughts, seek urgent medical help.

Do not stop prescribed medicine suddenly unless a healthcare professional tells you to, or unless you are dealing with an emergency and need immediate care. Some medicines can cause withdrawal symptoms, rebound symptoms, or health risks if stopped abruptly.

Next, read:

Choose the guide that fits your situation

Start with the main medication side effects guide

Use this guide if you want a clear overview of how side effects happen, why some people are more likely to get them, and when a symptom needs medical advice.

Find a medicine by name

Use the A-Z medicine library if you already know what was taken and want to look up a medicine, ingredient, or treatment.

Start with a symptom

Use the symptoms A-Z library if you do not know which medicine might be involved, or if your question starts with something you feel, such as dizziness, rash, nausea, sleepiness, or stomach pain.

Check over-the-counter medicine safety

Find safety information for medicines bought without a prescription, such as painkillers, cold and flu medicines, antihistamines, stomach medicines, cough syrups, and pharmacy remedies.

Understand long-term medicine side effects

Read about side-effect questions linked to chronic medicines for conditions such as blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, asthma, epilepsy, pain, or heart disease.

Learn about mental health medicine side effects

Find guidance on antidepressants, anxiety medicines, sleeping tablets, ADHD medicines, mood stabilisers, and related treatments.

Check hormonal and women’s health medicine safety

Read about contraceptives, fertility medicines, menopause treatments, and hormone-related medicine safety.

Review supplement and ingredient safety

Check safety issues linked to vitamins, minerals, herbal products, sports supplements, weight-loss products, and other non-prescription ingredients.

Report suspected side effects in South Africa

If you suspect a medicine caused a side effect, speak to a doctor, pharmacist, nurse, clinic, or hospital. They can help assess what happened and advise what to do next.

In South Africa, suspected adverse drug reactions can also be reported through SAHPRA medicine-safety systems. SAHPRA says the Med Safety App facilitates reporting of adverse drug reactions by the public and healthcare practitioners, and SAHPRA has described the app as a tool to simplify and promote reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions and adverse events following immunisation.

Reporting a suspected reaction does not prove that the medicine caused it. It helps medicine-safety teams monitor patterns and possible safety signals over time.

You can learn more here:

Medicine information you can feel more confident using

Medicine side-effect information should be clear, careful, and based on reliable sources. It should also be honest about uncertainty: a symptom that starts after medicine is not always caused by that medicine.

SideEffects.co.za is designed to help readers understand medicine-safety information without replacing professional care. Our guides use official medicine information, SAHPRA resources where relevant, and recognised medicine references to explain side effects in plain language.

The goal is simple: help you understand what may be happening, know what details to collect, and decide when to ask a doctor or pharmacist for help.

Start with what you know

You might know the medicine name. You might only know the symptom. You might simply know that something feels wrong.

That is enough to begin.

Search medicine side effects
Look up a medicine, ingredient, symptom, or safety question. Browse symptoms A-Z
Start with the symptom if you do not know which medicine is involved. Check serious warning signs
Learn which symptoms may need urgent medical help. Report a suspected side effect
Learn how suspected reactions can be reported in South Africa.

SideEffects.co.za is here to make medicine side-effect information clearer, safer, and easier to act on — one question at a time.