Medication side effects — when to worry

Is this normal — or should I call?

Here’s where your medicine’s own safety leaflet draws the line.

Medicine name Required

Brand or generic name is fine. Even a rough spelling works — if I can’t match it, I’ll point you to your own pack’s leaflet.

What you’re noticing Required

0/800

Messy or half-finished is fine. I’ll sort it into “ring now”, “ring today”, or “note for next visit” — using your medicine’s own leaflet, not a guess.

Or tap an example to see how it works:

This tool helps you prepare — it can’t tell if a medicine reaction is serious. If you’re worried it might be urgent, call 000, ring Poisons on 13 11 26, or call your GP now.

Decide which one you’ve got before you read on.

Where your medicine’s leaflet points

The honest bit

This tool can’t tell whether your medicine is actually causing this — only your doctor can, and sometimes only by carefully stopping or changing it. Two honest things: (1) plenty of symptoms that turn up after a new medicine have nothing to do with it, and (2) some real side effects feel mild at first. That’s exactly why the answer here is “who to ask and how soon” — not “yes it’s a side effect” or “no it’s fine.” Don’t stop a prescribed medicine on the strength of this page — ask first, unless the leaflet itself tells you to stop and seek help (like a serious rash).

What to say when you call

Call lines

Emergency 000 · healthdirect 1800 022 222 (24/7 nurse) · Medicines Line 1300 633 424 (Mon–Fri 9–5 EST) · Poisons Information 13 11 26 (24/7)

Take it with you

Email the one-pager so it’s in your hand when you call — your medicine, what you noticed, which list it’s on, and the exact words to use.

If you want the full picture

This is the general version. The full medicine side-effect kit has every “ring today” sign for your exact tablet, the questions that get you a straight answer about whether to switch, and a one-page tracker for your GP.

Plan the “should I switch or stop?” conversation →

General information to help you prepare for a conversation about your medicine. Not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an emergency service. It can’t tell whether your medicine is causing what you’re feeling, and it can’t tell you to start, stop, or change a medicine — only your doctor can. In an emergency call 000. — drhblo.com/tools · generated

Where this comes from (Australian sources)

NPS MedicineWise — Medicine & side effects — nps.org.au/medical-info/consumer-info/medicine-and-side-effects
NPS MedicineWise — Consumer medicine information (CMI) explained — nps.org.au/consumers/consumer-medicine-information-cmi
NPS MedicineWise — Managing your medicines — nps.org.au/medical-info/consumer-info/managing-your-medicines
healthdirect — Side effects of medicines — healthdirect.gov.au/medicine-and-side-effects
healthdirect — How to read Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) — healthdirect.gov.au/how-to-read-cmis
TGA — Black Triangle Scheme — tga.gov.au — Black Triangle Scheme
TGA — Safety information / report a problem — tga.gov.au/safety/safety-monitoring-and-information/safety-information
Australian Prescriber — Severe adverse drug reaction to allopurinol (the allopurinol “stop and seek advice promptly on rash” framing) — australianprescriber.tg.org.au — allopurinol severe ADR
Australian Prescriber — Antiepileptic drugs and serious cutaneous adverse reactions (the lamotrigine “rash — seek medical advice promptly” framing) — australianprescriber.tg.org.au — antiepileptic cutaneous reactions
healthdirect — Metformin consumer medicine information (the “rare but serious — lactic acidosis” seek-help signs) — healthdirect.gov.au — metformin CMI
NPS MedicineWise / healthdirect — Alendronate (bisphosphonate) — how to take it and when to stop (the oesophageal “stop and contact your doctor” instruction) — healthdirect.gov.au — alendronate CMI

Per-medicine bands are drawn from each medicine’s Australian Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) / Product Information and Australian Medicines Handbook entry. Your own pack’s leaflet is always the specific source for your tablet.

© Dr HB Lo, Integrative GP · drhblo.com · Emergency routing numbers verified 2026-06-09 against AU primary sources (000, Poisons 13 11 26, healthdirect 1800 022 222, Medicines Line 1300 633 424, Lifeline 13 11 14, 13YARN 13 92 76). AHPRA-registered. This tool prepares you for a conversation — it does not diagnose, and it does not tell you to start, stop, or change a medicine.