Side effects
Like all medications, procyclidine may cause some side effects, and in some cases they can be serious.
However, most side effects are mild and should get better within a few days. If they do not, you should go back to your doctor.
Common side effects (affecting up to one in ten people) include:
- constipation
- dry mouth
- blurred vision
- difficulty peeing
Please do not be worried by the side effects listed on this page. Some people take procyclidine without any side effects or only a few mild side effects. Some side effects wear off after a few days or weeks.
If you think you might be getting a side effect from procyclidine, then you should discuss this with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.
Body
Procyclidine itself is unlikely to affect your weight, but it is often taken with antipsychotic medications which may cause weight gain.
Talk to your doctor about this if it worries you.
You should have your weight checked, and have some blood tests, when you start taking your antipsychotic. You should then have your weight, blood sugar, blood fats, blood pressure and pulse measured regularly during the early stages of your treatment and then at least every six months after that, depending on your age.
The doctor may also check your heart with an ECG (electrocardiogram).
They may also check your height and development, and, if you have periods, whether your periods are regular.
It is very important to go for these checks when you are asked to do so.
Sex and fertility
Sex
Procyclidine is often taken to treat the side effects of an antipsychotic medication. If you are taking it for this reason, you should check whether the antipsychotic medication you take causes side effects that may affect your sex life. See our Medications page for more information.
Fertility
Procyclidine is unlikely to affect fertility, but you should talk to your doctor if you are planning to get pregnant.
Procyclidine is often taken to treat the side effects of an antipsychotic medication. If you are taking it for this reason, you should check whether the antipsychotic medication you take affects your fertility. See our Medications page for more information.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Pregnancy
As procyclidine is usually taken to help with side effects caused by other drugs (usually antipsychotics), studies do not look at the effects on developing babies of procyclidine on its own.
It is a good idea to look at the information available for the antipsychotic medication you are taking. This should be available on our Medications page.
Breastfeeding
We do not know how much procyclidine is transferred through breast milk, so most information sites will say not to breastfeed your child if you are on this medication. However, it is your choice.
If your baby is healthy and full-term, and you do decide to breastfeed, keep an eye out for side effects in your baby like constipation, difficulty peeing, and a fast pulse.
If your baby was premature or has health problems, then you will need to be extra careful about taking medicines while breastfeeding.
If your baby becomes restless, very sleepy, or develops feeding problems, then stop breastfeeding and seek medical advice immediately.
Talk to your doctor or midwife about feeding options.
Driving and transport
Taking procyclidine may make you feel tired or dizzy when you start taking it. It will also slow down your reaction time. This could affect you if you drive a car, ride a bike, or do anything that needs a lot of focus. It might be best to stop doing these things for the first few days, until you know how it affects you.
Don't worry - most people drive as normal while taking procyclidine.
School and exams
Procyclidine can make you feel tired or dizzy, and it may affect your memory.
You should talk to your doctor about any future exams before you start taking procyclidine. You might decide together to delay starting it until you have done them. You might find that it is better, however, to start procyclidine to improve your overall wellbeing and your ability to study for your exams.
Don't worry - most people take exams as normal while taking procyclidine.
Friends and family
You may want to let your family and friends know you are taking procyclidine so they can support you and help you look out for side effects.
For guidance on this, check out our page on getting support with your medication.
Sport
Procyclidine is not a banned substance in sport.
However, it can make you feel tired or dizzy, which may affect your performance in sports that require a lot of focus. You may want to stop these sports for a few days when you first start taking procyclidine until you see how it affects you.
Don't worry - most people play sports as normal while on procyclidine.
Alcohol, street drugs and smoking
Alcohol
You can drink alcohol while taking procyclidine, but it may make you sleepy and make you fall over. If you drink a lot alcohol, these effects will be more serious.
Drinking a lot of alcohol can also make the symptoms of your condition worse.
It might be best to stop drinking alcohol for a few days when you start taking procyclidine until you know how the medicine affects you.
If you want to drink alcohol while on procyclidine, remember that it may make you sleepy, so make sure you can get home safely.
Street drugs
Procyclidine does not mix well with street drugs.
Cannabis and procyclidine taken together increases your heart rate and may also make any drowsiness worse.
Amfetamine and procyclidine taken together increases your heart rate.
Methadone can make the more common side effects of procyclidine (such as dry mouth, blurred vision and constipation) worse.
If you are taking procyclidine to help treat the side effects of an antipsychotic medication, it is important to look up how your antipsychotic medication interacts with other drugs. For more information, look at our Medications page.
Procyclidine on its own can, in large doses, cause a high and make psychosis symptoms worse. Do not share your procyclidine with anyone else.
Smoking
Cigarette smoke does not affect the amount of procyclidine in your body, so you shouldn't have to change your dose of procyclidine if you start or stop smoking while on it.
Prescription medicines
Procyclidine does not mix well with some other medicines and drugs, so you should always tell your doctor if you are taking other medication before you start taking procyclidine.
You should also tell your pharmacist you are taking procyclidine if you buy medicines for common illnesses, including things you put on your skin.