Side Effects Of Solifenacin

Like all medicines, solifenacin can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. Side effects often improve as your body gets used to the medicine.

Common side effects of solifenacin

These common side effects of solifenacin happen in more than 1 in 100 people. They're usually mild and do not last long. There are things you can do to help cope with them:

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if the advice on how to cope does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects are rare.

Call a doctor or call 111 straight away if you have:

• stomach pain (especially after meals), feeling sick or being sick, a long-lasting urge to poo, not being able to poo or you have runny poos - these are all signs of faecal impaction, where large, hardened poo gets stuck and you cannot push it out
• difficulty fully emptying your bladder, or difficulty in starting to pee - these are signs of urinary retention, where pee builds up in your bladder because you're unable to pee
• a high temperature, shivering or chills, a burning feeling when peeing, pain in your back or side, or bloody or cloudy pee - these can be signs of a severe urinary tract infection (UTI)
• swollen ankles or legs (oedema) - where fluid builds up in your legs

Serious allergic reaction

In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to solifenacin.

Call 999 now if:

• your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
• you're breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you're choking or gasping for air)
• your throat feels tight or you're struggling to swallow
• your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
• you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
• someone faints and cannot be woken up
• a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)

You or the person who's unwell may also have a rash that's swollen, raised, itchy, blistered or peeling.

These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.

Other side effects

These are not all the side effects of solifenacin. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicines packet.

Reporting side effects

You can report any suspected side effect using the Yellow Card safety scheme.

Visit the Yellow Card website for more information about reporting side effects.

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