The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Weight gain
- Increased appetite
- High blood sugar
Less Common Side Effects
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Vaginal bleeding
- Hair loss
- High blood pressure
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Mood changes
- Hot flashes
- Feeling unwell or weak
- Sweating
- Skin rash
Megestrol serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Blood clots: legs (pain, swelling, warm to the touch, redness), lungs (trouble breathing, chest pain, cough)
Source: DailyMed
The following Megestrol side effects have also been reported
Along with their needed effects, progestins used in high doses sometimes cause some unwanted effects such as blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes, or problems of the liver and eyes. Although these effects are rare, some of them can be very serious and cause death. It is not clear if these problems are due to the progestin. They may be caused by the disease or condition for which progestins are being used.
The following side effects may be caused by blood clots. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they need immediate medical attention.
Get emergency help immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
More common
Changes in vaginal bleeding (increased amounts of menstrual bleeding occurring at regular monthly periods, lighter vaginal bleeding between menstrual periods, heavier vaginal bleeding between regular monthly periods, or stopping of menstrual periods)
symptoms of blood sugar problems (dry mouth, frequent urination, loss of appetite, or unusual thirst)
Rare
For megestrol—During chronic treatment
Backache
dizziness
filling or rounding out of the face
irritability
mental depression
nausea or vomiting
unusual decrease in sexual desire or ability in men
unusual tiredness or weakness
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:
More common
Abdominal pain or cramping
bloating or swelling of ankles or feet
blood pressure increase (mild)
dizziness
drowsiness (progesterone only)
headache (mild)
mood changes
nervousness
pain or irritation at place of injection site
swelling of face, ankles, or feet
unusual or rapid weight gain
Less common
breast pain or tenderness
brown spots on exposed skin, possibly long-lasting
loss or gain of body, facial, or scalp hair
loss of sexual desire
trouble in sleeping
Not all of the side effects listed above have been reported for each of these medicines, but they have been reported for at least one of them. All of the progestins are similar, so any of the above side effects may occur with any of these medicines.
After you stop using this medicine, your body may need time to adjust. The length of time this takes depends on the amount of medicine you were using and how long you used it. During this period of time check with your doctor if you notice the following side effect:
Delayed return to fertility
stopping of menstrual periods
unusual menstrual bleeding (continuing)
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.
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