Side Effects

Possible side effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) have been reported rarely (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people). You should see your doctor immediately if you experience symptoms such as • Swelling of the face, tongue or throat (angioedema) • Hypersensitivity (rashes, itching and rapid swelling of the tissues of the neck, face, mouth or throat) • Difficulty with swallowing • Hives and difficulty with breathing Cases of inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) have been reported uncommonly (may affect up to 1 in 100 people) in patients receiving this medicine. Pancreatitis can be a serious, potentially life-threatening medical condition. • Tell your doctor if you have had pancreatitis, gallstones, alcoholism or very high triglycerides. These medical conditions can increase the risk of getting pancreatitis, or getting it again, whether or not you are taking this medicine. • STOP taking this medicine and contact your doctor immediately if you experience severe and persistent stomach pain, with or without vomiting, because you could have an inflamed pancreas (pancreatitis). Very common side effects (may affect more than 1 in 10 people) • hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) when taken with a medicine that contains a sulphonylurea When this medicine is used with a medicine that contains a sulphonylurea, episodes of low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia, generally mild to moderate) can occur. The dose of your sulphonylurea medicine may need to be reduced while you use this medicine. The signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include headache, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, confusion, irritability, hunger, fast heartbeat, sweating, and feeling jittery. Your doctor should tell you how to treat low blood sugar. Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people) • hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) when taken with an insulin • headache • dizziness • nausea (nausea is most common when starting this medicine, but decreases over time in most patients) • diarrhoea • vomiting • constipation • indigestion • heartburn • bloating • pain in the stomach area • injection site itchiness or redness • tiredness (fatigue) Uncommon side effects • hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) when this medicine is used with a medicine that does not contain a sulphonylurea • reduced appetite This medicine may reduce your appetite, the amount of food you eat, and your weight. If you lose weight too quickly (more than 1.5 kg per week) talk to your doctor about it since this may cause problems such as gallstones. • dehydration • unusual taste in the mouth • sleepiness • flatulence (passing gas) • burping • intestinal obstruction (blockage in intestine) • hives • increased sweating • rash, itching • hair loss • decrease in kidney function • injection site reactions If you have an injection site reaction (redness, rash, or itching) you may like to ask your doctor for something to help relieve any signs or symptoms. You may see or feel a small bump under the skin after your injection; it should go away after 4 to 8 weeks. You should not need to stop your treatment. • loss of energy and strength • a delay in the emptying of the stomach • gallstones • inflamed gallbladder Rare side effects • feeling jittery Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data) In addition some other side effects have been reported: • bleeding or bruising more easily than normal due to low level of blood platelets. • skin reactions at the injection site following injection of exenatide. These include: cavity containing pus (abscess) and swollen, or red area of skin that feels hot and tender (cellulitis). • changes in INR (measurement of blood thinning) have been reported when used together with warfarin. Reporting of side effects If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or diabetes nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme Website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.