Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved dronabinol oral capsule to treat:

lack of appetite associated with weight loss in adults with stage 3 HIV
nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy in adults who have not responded to other medications for nausea and vomiting

This article describes possible side effects of dronabinol oral capsule. You can learn more about dronabinol by talking with your doctor.

Dronabinol oral capsule is a generic version of the brand-name drug Marinol.

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More common side effects of dronabinol

Dronabinol 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 dronabinol oral capsule include:

abdominal pain
nausea
dizziness
euphoria*
paranoia*

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of dronabinol in detail” section below.

Mild side effects of dronabinol

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

Mild side effects of dronabinol oral capsule that occurred in studies include:

abdominal pain
nausea
dizziness
euphoria*
feeling nervous
skin flushing
forgetfulness*
sleepiness
weakness
vomiting

Dronabinol oral capsule may cause more mild side effects than those listed above. For details, see the drug’s prescribing information.

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of dronabinol in detail” section below.

Serious side effects of dronabinol

Dronabinol may cause certain serious side effects. If you have any serious side effects from dronabinol 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.

After the 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 dronabinol.

Serious side effects of dronabinol oral capsule that occurred in studies include:

seizures
severe nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, which can cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalances
cognitive side effects*
heart-related side effects*
new or worsened mental health symptoms*

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of dronabinol in detail” section below.

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Allergic reaction

For some people, dronabinol oral capsule can cause an allergic reaction.

This side effect wasn’t reported in the drug’s studies, but allergic reactions have happened since dronabinol oral capsule was approved for use.

In general, symptoms of allergic reaction can be mild or serious. Learn more about allergy symptoms.

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 whether you should keep taking the medication.

For severe allergic reaction symptoms, such as swelling or trouble 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 dronabinol oral capsule, your doctor may recommend taking a different medication instead.

Common questions about side effects of dronabinol

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

Does dronabinol cause different side effects in older adults?

It’s not clear whether dronabinol oral capsule causes different side effects in older adults (ages 65 years and older). In studies of dronabinol, there weren’t enough participants in this age range to determine whether they experienced different side effects.

However, older adults do face a higher risk for certain side effects dronabinol may cause. Specifically, people ages 65 and older have a higher risk for the following dronabinol side effects:

cognitive side effects*
low blood pressure and syncope*
dizziness
sleepiness

Due to this risk, doctors often prescribe a low starting dose of dronabinol oral capsule for older adults.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about your risk of dronabinol side effects based on your age or other factors.

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of dronabinol in detail” section below.

Does dronabinol 2.5 mg have a lower risk of side effects?

Yes. Genrally, a lower drug dosage carries a lower risk of side effects than a higher dosage. So, a 2.5 milligram (mg) dose of dronabinol likely poses a lower risk of side effects than a 5 mg dose. But exceptions do occur.

With dronabinol oral capsule, side effects are known to be dose-related based on the drug’s studies. For example, cognitive side effects* are more likely with a higher dronabinol dosage than with a lower dose. And new or worsened mental health symptoms* are significantly more likely at the maximum dronabinol dose than with lower doses.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you’d like to know more about your risk of side effects based on your dosage of dronabinol oral capsule.

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of dronabinol in detail” section below.

Side effects of dronabinol in detail

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

Cognitive side effects

In studies, cognitive side effects were common in people taking dronabinol oral capsule. Cognitive side effects may be mild or serious.

Cognition refers to your ability to think and interact with the world around you. It includes skills such as learning, remembering, reasoning, and communicating.

Cognitive side effects reported with dronabinol include:

abnormal thinking
amnesia
confusion
euphoria or feeling “high”
other alterations of your mental state

These side effects can impact your ability to make decisions and think clearly. You should avoid driving or operating machinery during treatment with dronabinol oral tablet until you know how the drug will affect you.

Certain factors can increase the risk of cognitive side effects with dronabinol. These include being age 65 years or older.

Ways to manage

If you experience symptoms of cognitive side effects, tell your doctor. They’ll likely recommend lowering your dosage of dronabinol oral capsule. Or they may suggest stopping treatment with dronabinol. In this instance, they can review other treatments for your condition.

Heart-related side effects

Heart-related side effects were reported in studies of people taking dronabinol oral capsule. Some of these effects were more common, while others were rare. Heart-related side effects may be serious.

Heart-related side effects reported with dronabinol oral capsule include:

heart palpitations (feeling extra or skipped heartbeats)
low or high blood pressure
syncope
tachycardia (fast heart rate)

Certain factors can increase the risk of heart-related side effects with dronabinol. These include having existing heart disease or other heart conditions, such as arrhythmia. Taking certain other medications can also increase this risk.

Ways to manage

During treatment with dronabinol oral capsule, your doctor should periodically monitor your blood pressure and heart rate. They can provide more information on how they’ll do so.

If you experience symptoms of heart-related side effects, tell your doctor. They’ll likely recommend lowering your dosage of dronabinol oral capsule or stopping treatment.

New or worsened mental health symptoms

New or worsened mental health symptoms were rare in studies of people taking dronabinol oral capsule. These side effects may be serious.

Mental health symptoms reported included new or worsened:

Certain factors can increase the risk of new or worsened mental health symptoms when taking dronabinol oral capsule. These include having an existing mental health condition, such as schizophrenia or depression.

Ways to manage

Your doctor may prescribe treatment other than dronabinol if you have an existing mental health condition or other factors that could increase your risk of these side effects.

If you experience symptoms of new or worsening mental health symptoms, tell your doctor. They’ll likely recommend stopping treatment with dronabinol oral capsule and exploring other treatments instead.

Warnings for dronabinol

Below are some factors you may want to discuss with your doctor before taking dronabinol.

Warnings

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

Before taking dronabinol, tell your doctor about your health and medications you take. Things to consider include:

heart disease, arrhythmia, or other heart problems
mental health conditions, including depression, mania, or schizophrenia
epilepsy or seizures due to any cause
substance use disorder
past allergic reaction to dronabinol

Dronabinol and pregnancy

You should not take dronabinol during pregnancy. If you’re planning a pregnancy or can become pregnant, talk with your doctor before taking this medication. Your doctor may suggest birth control options to use during treatment with dronabinol.

Dronabinol and breastfeeding

It is unknown whether you should take dronabinol while breastfeeding. If you’re currently breastfeeding or planning to do so, talk with your doctor before taking this medication.

Dronabinol and alcohol

Dronabinol is known to interact with alcohol. Consuming alcohol while taking dronabinol increases your risk of side effects, including cognitive side effects,* dizziness, and sleepiness.

If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about whether it’s safe to consume it during your treatment with dronabinol. Due to the risk of side effects, your doctor may suggest avoiding or minimizing alcohol consumption while you’re taking dronabinol oral capsule.

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of dronabinol in detail” section above.

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.