Hydroxychloroquine (Oral Route)

Side Effects

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Incidence not known

1. Anxiety
2. black, tarry stools
3. bleeding gums
4. blindness
5. blistering, peeling, loosening of the skin
6. blood in the urine or stools
7. blurred vision or other vision changes
8. change in how colors look
9. chest discomfort, pain, or tightness
10. chills
11. cold sweats
12. confusion
13. cough or hoarseness
14. dark urine
15. decreased urination
16. defective color vision
17. diarrhea
18. difficulty seeing at night
19. dilated neck veins
20. dizziness or fainting
21. fast, pounding, uneven heartbeat
22. feeling that others are watching you or controlling your behavior
23. feeling that others can hear your thoughts
24. feeling, seeing, or hearing things that are not there
25. fever
26. headache
27. inability to move the eyes
28. increased blinking or spasms of the eyelid
29. increased hunger
30. joint or muscle pain
31. large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, and sex organs
32. loss of hearing
33. lower back or side pain
34. nervousness
35. nightmares
36. noisy breathing
37. painful or difficult urination
38. pale skin
39. palpitations
40. pinpoint red spots on the skin
41. red irritated eyes
42. red skin lesions, often with a purple center
43. seizures
44. severe mood or mental changes
45. shakiness
46. slurred speech
47. sore throat
48. sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
49. sticking out of the tongue
50. stomach pain
51. swelling of the eye
52. swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs
53. swollen or painful glands
54. trouble with breathing, speaking, or swallowing
55. uncontrolled twisting movements of the neck, trunk, arms, or legs
56. unusual behavior
57. unusual bleeding or bruising
58. unusual facial expressions
59. unusual tiredness or weakness
60. weight gain
61. yellow eyes or skin

Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:

Symptoms of overdose

1. Drowsiness
2. dry mouth
3. increased thirst
4. loss of appetite
5. mood changes
6. no pulse or blood pressure
7. numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, or lips
8. unconsciousness

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Incidence not known

1. Continuing ringing or buzzing or other unexplained noise in the ears
2. darkening of the skin
3. feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings
4. hair loss or thinning of the hair
5. increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight
6. irritability
7. loss of appetite
8. nausea
9. redness or other discoloration of the skin
10. sensation of spinning
11. severe sunburn
12. shakiness and unsteady walk
13. uncontrolled eye movements
14. unsteadiness, trembling, or other problems with muscle control or coordination
15. vomiting
16. weight loss

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

• Precautions

Portions of this document last updated: March 01, 2024

Copyright: © Merative US L.P. 1973, 2024. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.