Albendazole

• You may experience dizziness.
• Avoid activities that require a high degree of alertness, sense of balance or performance of skilled tasks until you know how Albendazole affects you. Avoid alcohol.
• You may experience headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or stomach pain.
• Continue the course unless the side effects become unbearable.
• You may experience temporary thinning of hair.
• This is usually reversible after completing the medication.

Some side effects that require you to seek medical advice immediately:

The symptoms of a drug allergy include one or more of the following:

• Swollen face/eyes/lips/tongue
• Difficulty in breathing
• Itchy skin rashes over your whole body
  

Some of these side effects include:

• Liver problem: Signs include dark urine or light coloured stools, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, stomach pain, yellowing of your eyes or skin.
• Severe headache, nausea and vomiting, ringing in your ears, fits, problems with your vision or pain behind your eyes.
• Severe skin reactions (such as severe rashes with blisters, swelling and peeling).
• Anaemia, which may present with worsening tiredness, rapid breathing, pale skin/lips/nails, fast heartbeat while resting.
• Frequent or severe infection, which may present with high fever, severe chills, body aches, sore throat.

If you experience any of these symptoms, you should stop your medication and see your healthcare professional immediately.

​Inform your healthcare professional if:

• You are allergic to this medication or any of the other ingredients of this medication.
• You are taking any other medications, including supplements, traditional medications and herbal remedies.
• You have a history of liver problems, kidney problems, eye problems (especially a problem with your retina) or bone marrow suppression.
• You are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.

Inform your pharmacist or doctor before using Albendazole if you are taking any other medications.

Avoid grapefruit or grapefruit juice while taking this medication. Avoid Chinese Ginseng while taking this medication. You do not need to use laxatives or change your diet.

Treatment of family members and other close contacts may be necessary. Some worm infections are spread very easily to others in close contact with the infected person.

To stop you and your family infecting others or reinfecting yourselves, follow the advice below for at least six weeks:

• Keep nails short
• Discourage nail biting or finger sucking
• Wear pyjamas or underclothes in bed
• Wash your bottom thoroughly in the mornings
• Use a separate towel for each person in the house
• Change clothes regularly
• Wash and iron bed linen regularly
• Wash hands and nails well after using the toilet and before meals
• Toilets should be disinfected regularly