Benzonatate side effects: A detailed guide

Benzonatate oral capsule is a generic drug that’s prescribed to relieve coughing. It’s also available as a brand-name drug called Tessalon.

This article describes possible side effects of benzonatate oral capsule. You’ll also find information on cost savings and coupon options for benzonatate.

You can explore this benzonatate overview article to learn more about its uses, dosage, and more.

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More common side effects of benzonatate

Benzonatate oral capsule may cause mild or serious side effects. Below are some of the more common side effects of this medication.

Commonly reported side effects of benzonatate include:

• nausea
• dizziness
• headache
• sedation

Mild side effects of benzonatate

Benzonatate may cause certain mild side effects. Usually, mild side effects are temporary and can be managed easily. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have side effects that don’t go away or become bothersome.

Mild side effects of benzonatate may include:

• nausea
• dizziness
• headache
• sedation
• confusion
• indigestion
• constipation
• stuffy nose
• burning sensation in the eyes
• cold or “chilly” sensation
• numbness in the chest
• mild allergic reaction (to learn more, see the “Side effects of benzonatate in detail” section on this page)

Note: An allergic reaction is possible with benzonatate oral capsule. But it’s unclear whether it occurred in the drug’s studies.

Benzonatate may cause additional mild side effects besides those listed above. For details, see the drug’s prescribing information.

Serious side effects of benzonatate

Benzonatate may cause certain serious side effects. If you have any serious side effects from benzonatate oral capsule, call your doctor right away. But if you think you’re having a medical emergency or your side effects feel life threatening, take immediate action. Call 911 or a local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency room.

Serious side effects reported with benzonatate include:

• unusual behavior, including severe confusion
• hallucinations
• numbness or tingling in the mouth, throat, or face
• sudden impaired or irregular heart function
• very low blood pressure
• severe allergic reaction

To learn more about some of these side effects, see the “Side effects of benzonatate in detail” section on this page.

Note: An allergic reaction is possible with benzonatate oral capsule. But it’s unclear whether it occurred in the drug’s studies.

After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. Visit MedWatch’s website if you’d like to notify the FDA about a side effect you’ve had with benzonatate oral capsule.

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Side effects of benzonatate in children

Benzonatate may be prescribed to treat cough in children who are 10 years of age or older. Side effects in children are expected to be the same as in adults. (See the “Mild side effects of benzonatate” and “Serious side effects of benzonatate” sections on this page for details.)

Taking the capsules properly

It’s important that children who are prescribed benzonatate take the capsules properly.

Children must swallow the capsules whole. They must not suck, chew, or crush the capsule. Doing so can lead to serious side effects such as numbness or tingling in the mouth, throat, or face. Other serious side effects may include sudden impaired or irregular heart function and very low blood pressure.

Be sure to instruct your child to swallow benzonatate capsules whole.

Keeping the capsules out of children’s reach

Keep benzonatate capsules out of reach of children, whether they’re prescribed for you or a child.

Benzonatate is only approved for use in children ages 10 years and older. In extreme cases, benzonatate has led to death when taken accidentally by children under 10 years of age. (Benzonatate is not approved for use in this age group.) Some of these deaths occurred rapidly within 1 hour of taking the capsule.

If a child has not been prescribed benzonatate but accidentally takes it, seek medical care immediately.

Side effects of benzonatate in detail

Below you’ll find details on some of the side effects of benzonatate oral capsule.

Hallucinations

Taking benzonatate can cause hallucinations as a side effect. It’s not known whether this side effect occurred in studies.

Talk with your doctor if you have concerns about your sleep while taking benzonatate.

Your risk of hallucinations during benzonatate treatment is higher if you also take other drugs that can cause hallucinations. Examples of these other drugs include:

• certain sleep medications, such as zolpidem (Ambien) and eszopiclone (Lunesta)
• benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam (Xanax) and clonazepam (Klonopin)
• antipsychotic medications, including quetiapine (Seroquel) and olanzapine (Zyprexa)

Ways to manage

Be sure to discuss your mental health with your doctor before you take benzonatate. Having a mental health condition, such as bipolar disorder, may raise your risk of hallucinations with benzonatate.

If you experience hallucinations during benzonatate treatment, call your doctor immediately. They’ll likely recommend that you stop taking the drug.

Numbness or tingling in your mouth, throat, or face

Taking benzonatate capsules incorrectly may cause numbness or tingling in your mouth, throat, or face. This occurs if you suck, chew, break, or crush the capsules inside your mouth. Always swallow the capsules whole.

While this side effect is usually temporary, it can increase your risk of choking.

Ways to manage

If you have numbness or tingling in your mouth, throat, or face after taking benzonatate, do not drink or eat until your symptoms go away. If your symptoms don’t go away, seek medical care at the closest urgent care center or emergency room.

To lower your risk of this side effect, swallow benzonatate capsules whole. Do not suck, chew, break, or crush the capsules.

Allergic reaction

For some people, benzonatate oral capsule can cause an allergic reaction. It’s not known whether this side effect occurred in the drug’s studies.

Symptoms can be mild or serious, and they may include:

• itchiness
• skin rash
• swelling under the skin, usually affecting eyelids, lips, hands, or feet
• swelling of the mouth, tongue, or throat, which can make it hard to breathe
• flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color)

Ways to manage

For mild allergic reaction symptoms, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may recommend treatments to help manage your symptoms. They’ll also let you know if you should keep taking the medication.

For severe allergic reaction symptoms, such as swelling or difficulty breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms require immediate medical care because they can become life threatening. If you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to benzonatate oral capsule, your doctor may recommend taking a different medication instead.

Warnings for benzonatate

Below are some factors you may want to discuss with your doctor before taking benzonatate oral capsule.

Warnings

It may not be safe for you to take benzonatate oral capsule if you have specific health conditions. These are sometimes called drug-condition interactions. Other things may also affect whether benzonatate oral capsule is a safe treatment option for you.

Before taking benzonatate oral capsule, tell your doctor about your health and medications you take. Things to consider include those listed below.

Mental health conditions, such as depression: In extreme cases, benzonatate has been reported to cause mental health side effects. These include hallucinations and “bizarre” behaviors. Your risk may be higher if you have an existing mental health condition, such as depression or bipolar disorder. Your doctor can help determine whether benzonatate is safe to take with your mental health condition.

Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to benzonatate oral capsule or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe this medication. Ask them about other treatment options that may be better for you.

Benzonatate and pregnancy

Doctors don’t know whether benzonatate is safe to take during pregnancy. Information on whether it’s safe to take the drug during pregnancy is limited.

Talk with your doctor to learn more about safe ways to treat your cough if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

Benzonatate and breastfeeding

Doctors don’t know whether benzonatate passes into breast milk or causes side effects in a child who is breastfed.

If you’re taking benzonatate, you can learn more about safe feeding options for your child by asking your doctor. Keep in mind that benzonatate typically isn’t prescribed long term. It’s usually taken only for a short time. So your doctor might suggest you temporarily avoid breastfeeding until you finish benzonatate treatment.

Benzonatate and alcohol

Benzonatate oral capsule is not known to interact with alcohol.

But consuming alcohol during benzonatate treatment may raise your risk of certain side effects. Examples include nausea, headache, and confusion.

If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about whether it’s safe to consume it during your treatment with benzonatate oral capsule.

Common questions about side effects of benzonatate

Here are answers to some common questions about side effects of benzonatate. If you have other questions, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Can benzonatate cause changes in blood pressure?

No, swallowing benzonatate capsules whole typically won’t cause changes in blood pressure. This side effect wasn’t reported in studies of the drug.

But sucking, chewing, breaking, or crushing benzonatate oral capsules can cause serious side effects. These include very low blood pressure and sudden impaired or irregular heart function. For this reason, it’s important that you always swallow benzonatate capsules whole. The capsules should not be sucked, chewed, broken, or crushed.

If you have concerns about blood pressure issues and taking benzonatate, talk with your doctor.

Will benzonatate keep you awake at night?

No, benzonatate isn’t expected to interfere with sleep. There aren’t reports of benzonatate causing an increase in energy or problems with sleep.

In extreme cases, taking benzonatate can cause instances of unusual behavior, including severe confusion. It’s possible that this side effect could keep you awake at night. If you’re prescribed benzonatate, you and someone close to you should watch out for “bizarre” or unusual behavior. Get immediate medical care if you notice any behavior that’s out of the ordinary.

It’s important to note that sedation is a side effect reported by people taking benzonatate. This means you could have excessive sleepiness while taking benzonatate.

Talk with your doctor if you have concerns about your sleep while taking benzonatate.

Is benzonatate a steroid?

Benzonatate is not a steroid. It is an antitussive drug. These types of medicines which help suppress a cough, are also commonly known as cough suppressants. They work to ease coughing by targeting a part of the brain that controls the cough reflex.

Antitussive medications, like benzonatate, are prescribed to treat acute coughing. This is a cough that tends to last 3 weeks or less, and may be caused by conditions such as the common cold, bronchitis, and other respiratory tract infections.

Does benzonatate cause long-term side effects?

No, benzonatate isn’t expected to cause long-term side effects. Long-term side effects were not reported in people who took benzonatate.

Side effects that occur during treatment should be temporary. They will likely go away once you stop taking benzonatate.

That said, your experience with benzonatate may differ from how it affects other people. If you have concerns or think you’re experiencing long-term side effects from benzonatate, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Coupon for benzonatate

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Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.