Scopolamine Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Feb 15, 2025.

Applies to scopolamine: transdermal patch extended release.

Precautions

If you use this medicine for several days, it is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly and to decide if you should continue to use it.

This medicine may increase the pressure in the eye, which may lead to acute angle-closure glaucoma. Check with your doctor right away if you have eye pain or discomfort, blurred vision, or halos around lights.

This medicine can temporarily increase the size of your pupil and cause blurry vision if it comes in contact with your eyes. It may also cause problems with urination. If any of these reactions occur, call your doctor right away.

This medicine may cause drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, or trouble seeing clearly. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you. If you plan to participate in underwater sports, you may feel lost or confused (disoriented). Talk with your doctor if you have concerns.

If you develop any unusual or strange thoughts and behavior while using scopolamine transdermal patch, be sure to discuss it with your doctor. Some changes that have occurred in people receiving this medicine are like those seen in people who drink too much alcohol. Other changes may be confusion, delusions, hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there), and unusual excitement, nervousness, or irritability.

This medicine may cause seizures in pregnant women with severe preeclampsia (pregnancy with high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine or organ problems). Talk to your doctor if you have concerns.

Tell the doctor in charge that you are using this medicine before having a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. The patch contains aluminum, which can cause skin burns at the application site during this procedure. Ask your doctor if the patch should be removed before having an MRI scan. You might need to put on a new patch after the procedure.

Scopolamine transdermal will add to the effects of alcohol and other central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicines that slow down the nervous system). Some examples of CNS depressants are antihistamines or medicine for allergies or colds, sedatives, tranquilizers, or sleeping medicine, prescription pain medicine or narcotics, barbiturates or medicine for seizures, muscle relaxants, or anesthetics, including some dental anesthetics. Check with your doctor before taking any of the above while you are using this medicine.

Scopolamine transdermal may cause dry mouth. For temporary relief, use sugarless candy or gum, melt bits of ice in your mouth, or use a saliva substitute. However, if your mouth continues to feel dry for more than 2 weeks, check with your medical doctor or dentist. Continuing dryness of the mouth may increase the chance of dental disease, including tooth decay, gum disease, and fungus infections.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Serious side effects of scopolamine

Along with its needed effects, scopolamine 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 while taking scopolamine:

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

Symptoms of overdose

• anxiety
• blurred or loss of vision
• change in consciousness
• decrease in frequency of urination
• decrease in urine volume
• deep or fast breathing with dizziness
• difficulty in passing urine (dribbling)
• disturbed color perception
• double vision
• dry mouth
• dry, flushed skin
• fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
• halos around lights
• headache
• irritability
• loss of consciousness
• nervousness
• night blindness
• numbness of the feet, hands, and around the mouth
• overbright appearance of lights
• painful urination
• pounding in the ears
• seizures
• shaking
• sleepiness
• trouble with sleeping
• tunnel vision
• unusual drowsiness, dullness, tiredness, weakness, or feeling of sluggishness

Other side effects of scopolamine

Some side effects of scopolamine 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:

For healthcare professionals

Applies to scopolamine: compounding powder, injectable solution, oral tablet, transdermal film extended release.

General adverse events

The most commonly reported side effects included dry mouth, dizziness, and somnolence.^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Very common (10% or more): Dry mouth (up to 66.7%)
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Nausea, vomiting
• Frequency not reported: Constipation, gastrointestinal disorders, mild to moderate gastrointestinal tract symptoms, swallowing difficulty^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Very common (10% or more): Dizziness (up to 16.7%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Drowsiness, sedation, somnolence
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Central nervous system simulation
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Attention disturbance, balance disturbances, headache, increased seizure frequency, memory impairment
• Frequency not reported: Anticholinergic effects, coma, dystonia, eclamptic seizures, loss of consciousness, neuroleptic malignant syndrome
• Postmarketing reports: Coordination abnormalities, speech disorder, vertigo^[Ref]

Increased seizure frequency occurred in patients with epilepsy.

Eclamptic seizures occurred in pregnant patients.^[Ref]

Ocular

• Common (1% to 10%): Accommodation disorder, blurred vision, cycloplegia, eyelid irritation, mydriasis/unilateral mydriasis, myopia, pupil dilation, visual accommodation disorder, visual impairment
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Acute glaucoma precipitation, closed angle glaucoma, narrow angle glaucoma
• Frequency not reported: Acute angle closure glaucoma, angle closure glaucoma, increased intraocular pressure, loss of accommodation, periorbital swelling, photophobia
• Postmarketing reports: Amblyopia, dry eyes, eye pruritus^[Ref]

Psychiatric

• Common (1% to 10%): Agitation, confusion
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hallucinations, restlessness
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Disorientation, visual hallucinations
• Frequency not reported: Delirium, mental confusion, mental excitement, neuropsychiatric adverse reactions, psychiatric disorders, psychotic disorder
• Postmarketing reports: Acute psychosis, paranoia^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Skin irritation
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Abnormal sweating, pruritus, skin reactions, urticaria
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Generalized rash
• Frequency not reported: Decreased sweating, dyshidrosis, dry skin, erythema, mild to moderate skin reactions, rash^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Common (1% to 10%): Tachycardia
• Frequency not reported: Arrhythmias, cardiorespiratory distress, decreased blood pressure, edema, flushing, mild to moderate cardiovascular system symptoms, palpitations, transient bradycardia^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Common (1% to 10%): Pharyngitis
• Frequency not reported: Asthma syndrome, dyspnea, mild to moderate respiratory tract reactions, reduced bronchial secretions^[Ref]

Genitourinary

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Urinary retention
• Frequency not reported: Impaired micturition, micturition difficulty, urinary disorders, urinary disturbances, urinary emergency
• Postmarketing reports: Dysuria^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

• Frequency not reported: Allergic reaction, anaphylactic reactions, anaphylactic shock/fatal anaphylactic shock, anaphylactoid reactions, hypersensitivity reactions with respective clinical/laboratory manifestations, other hypersensitivity^[Ref]

Other

• Frequency not reported: Drug withdrawal symptoms/post-removal symptoms, hyperthermia at high temperatures (decreased sweating), idiosyncratic reactions^[Ref]

Local

• Frequency not reported: Injection site pain, MRI skin burns/application site burning (patch)^[Ref]

Immunologic

• Frequency not reported: Facial swelling^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Frequency not reported: Thirst^[Ref]

See also:

Further information

Scopolamine side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.

Medical Disclaimer