History Main / SideEffectsInclude

** Medicines to treat an overactive bladder may list constipation as a side effect.

* ''Film/{{Elysium}}''. When Max gets understandably annoyed that his robot parole officer has extended his parole, the robot asks if he wants a sedative, and a pop-up tray appears holding various colored pills. The tray lid is printed with a LongList of possible side effects culminating in "death".

** Birth control pills often warn, "Do not take if you may become pregnant." It's often thought to be a legal coverup for the surprisingly frequent situation where a woman who ''wants'' to get pregnant ''forgets'' to go off the pill. It's actually due to the very rare case when the dose is low enough not to allow conception but not implantation -- meaning the pill is technically an early abortifacient that might fall into some ''really'' messy legal grey areas. The same can apply to medicine for post-menopausal women.

* '''"Ask your doctor if Happypills are right for you."''' This commercial actually does tell you what the pill is for, and then spends the rest of the commercial breaking the bad news gently: "If you have seasonal allergies, [[Franchise/DCUniverse Mxyzptlk]][[TheUnpronounceable acine]] may be right for you. Side effects of Mxyzptlkacine are [[BlatantLies uncommon]], and include headache, nausea, vomiting, [[FourIsDeath death]], dizziness, [[{{Squick}} vaginal ejaculations]], [[VideoGame/TheOregonTrail dysentery]], cardiac arrhythmia, [[Series/TheColbertReport mild heart explosions]], varicose veins, darkened stool, [[SuperpoweredEvilSide darkened soul]], [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent lycanthropy]], [[PerfectlyCromulentWord trucanthropy]], more vomiting, arteriosclerosis, [[UsefulNotes/AmericanEnglish hemorrhoids]], [[Memes/{{Advertising}} diabeetus]], [[ArtisticLicenseBiology virginity]], [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking mild discomfort]], [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampirism]], [[GenderBender gender impermanence]], [[Series/TheOfficeUS spontaneous dental hydroplosion]], sugar high, [[RuleOfThree even more vomiting]], [[RealIsBrown brown]], [[YourMom your mom]], and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking mild rash]]." \\

* OlderThanPrint: The 6th-century Chinese medical text ''Records of the Rock Chamber'' list the following side effects for an alleged elixir of immortality, and [[RefugeInAudacity suggests that this means the elixir is working]]. Modern toxicologists will instead recognise them as classic signs of acute mercury poisoning, a likely result of many Chinese "[[ImmortalitySeeker immortality elixirs]]" of the era.

--> Side effects of this TV Tropes entry may include [[TVTropesWillRuinYourLife Ruining your life]], AuthorAppeal, {{Gorn}}, {{Brontophobia}}, [[ArtisticLicensePaleontology Brontosaurophobia]], and InvoluntaryShapeshifting. This TV Tropes entry is not for children under 12, people who are nursing or pregnant, are about to become pregnant, have been pregnant before, are trying to become pregnant while reading this entry, [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs pregnant nurses]], or people with gall bladders. Prolonged use may result in [[OverlyLongGag over-extending humourous situations to the point where they are no longer amusing]] or [[HilarityEnsues the ensuing of hilarity]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheBoondocks'' episode "Mr. Medicinal", Granddad received multiple prescription pills to relieve his stress. One of the pills had this type of commercial to promote it. The lift of side effects is so rediculous, he trashes all of the prescriptions and resort to smoking marijuana instead. HilarityEnsues.

--> Side effects of this TV Tropes entry may include [[TVTropesWillRuinYourLife Ruining your life]], AuthorAppeal, {{Gorn}}, {{Brontophobia}}, [[ArtisticLicensePaleontology Brontosaurophobia]], and InvoluntaryShapeshifting. This TV Tropes entry is not for children under 12, women who are nursing or pregnant, are about to become pregnant, have been pregnant before, are trying to become pregnant while reading this entry, [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs pregnant nurses]], or people with gall bladders. Prolonged use may result in [[OverlyLongGag over-extending humourous situations to the point where they are no longer amusing]] or [[HilarityEnsues the ensuing of hilarity]].

* OlderThanPrint: The 6th-century Chinese medical text ''Records of the Rock Chamber'' list the following side effects for an alleged elixir of immortality, and [[RefugeInAudacity suggests that this means the elixir is working]]:
---> After taking an elixir, if your face and body itch as though insects were crawling over them, if your hands and feet swell dropsically, if you cannot stand the smell of food and bring it up after you have eaten it, if you feel as though you were going to be sick most of the time, if you experience weakness in the four limbs, if you have to go often to the latrine, or if your head or stomach violently ache—do not be alarmed or disturbed. All these effects are merely proofs that the elixir you are taking is successfully dispelling your latent disorders.
** One problem: As any modern toxicologist would tell you, these are classic signs and symptoms of acute mercury poisoning--and indeed, cinnabar (mercury (II) sulfide) is a primary ingredient in most Chinese "elixirs of immortality" of the era.
* Some sleep medicines list as a side effect "drowsiness"... others list "insomnia". Think they got their bases covered there.
** Also watch out, as they might cause you to "drive while asleep, with amnesia for the event".
** It can also make cause lost weekends. And lost ''weeks''.
* Antidepressants "may increase suicidal thoughts in teens".
** Which is actually justified; two common symptoms of depression are suicidal ideation and lack of motivation, so many depressed people want to kill themselves but can't work up the energy to follow through. Antidepressants tend to first remove the patient's lack of motivation, and only then start working at helping them actually feel better. This means that sometimes when the medication kicks in, the patient [[NiceJobBreakingItHero will still want to die, but will actually have enough energy]] to [[OhCrap make and carry out a plan]].
* Diabetes Medication with the side effect of low blood sugar.
* The immortal "Contact your doctor if you receive [[RagingStiffie an erection lasting longer than 4 hours.]]"[[note]]A normal erection basically involves stopping blood from leaving the penis. When the blood is not released back to the heart for too long, it becomes stale, and the penis itself could become gangrenous and begin to rot from lack of oxygen. The stale blood could also form clots, which can cause further complications when it finally travels into the rest of the body. That is if the pileup of blood still trying to enter the penis doesn't cause blood vessels to burst. This condition already has a name, priapism, and is considered a ''medical emergency''. So see your doctor if you don't want to have your dick amputated.[[/note]]:
** Several thousand comedians' responses: "If ''I'' have an erection lasting longer than four hours, I'm contacting a ''hooker''!"
** Jeff Foxworthy's joke on having to go to the hospital with this.
--->"I'm wearing that gown they give you ''backwards''...and walkin' the halls, baby!"
** And fellow comedian Creator/BillEngvall has his own take on meds that induce this effect.
--->"If I took this pill "the weekender" with effects that last 36 hours, I would just die from the lack of oxygen to my brain. The only good thing is they'd have a handle so they could carry me outta there."
** The song from the [[Quotes/SideEffectsInclude quotes page]] has, among other side effects, "Do not have sex while operating heavy machinery" and "In case of an erection lasting longer than 4 hours, [[ObligatoryJoke insert your own joke here.]]"
** One erectile-dysfunction tablet is warning against "delayed backache or muscle ache". Is this from the drug, or from the intended effect of the drug? "Doc, I have this pain in my back after the wife and I go for a face-to-face motorcycle ride, is it from the Erectrol?"
** SNL, in a commercial for the fictional ED treatment Dr. Porkenheimer's Boner Juice, also pokes fun at that side effect:
---> Should your erection last less than four hours, up the dosage by as much as you like. In the rare instance that an erection lasts more than [[UpToEleven twenty-four hours]], ''call a friend and brag about it.''
* From one extreme to the other: some medications for overactive bladder have constipation as a side effect.
* One possible disease ended its list of symptoms with "and the feeling of [[DoomyDoomsOfDoom impending doom]]."
** This is actually far more serious than it sounds. The human body is usually pretty good about communicating what's wrong, but it's not perfect; certain serious medical problems, like heart attacks, may show up with no discernible physical symptoms beforehand, accompanied only by the feeling that [[ThisIsGonnaSuck something is about to go horribly wrong]].
* All the nasal decongestants that cause nosebleeds.[[note]]Because they raise your blood pressure. That's the reason they ''also'' state they're not recommended for people who ''already'' have high blood pressure.[[/note]] Mucus or blood, the choice is yours! Well, as we all know, [[WitchDoctor it's a very good way to balance out your humours.]]
* The asthma medication Advair lists as one of its side effects an increased risk of ''Asthma Related Deaths.'' This is partly due to it [[http://youtu.be/GKCq9sJU8T8?t=29s containing Salmeterol]].
* Many antipsychotics have sudden death listed as a side effect. It can be sudden cardiac death, or death from choking because that reflex is suppressed by the drug.
* The sleep aid Ambien lists "sleep-eating" as one of its side effects. Not listed, but known to have happened to at least one person each, are sleep-painting and sleep-sex.
** There is at least one case of someone claiming sleep-robbery as a side effect of Ambien. As in, he was claiming that he robbed a store. In his sleep. ''And he's a police officer.''
** Speaking of sleep-sex, an Australian man got acquitted of rape because the defense claimed he had this condition.
* Many birth control pills warn "Do not take if you may become pregnant." Well, most likely she's taking the pills because she's doing things that could cause pregnancy, but that's what the pills are for... One of the proposed reasons for this bizarre phrase is a legal coverup for the surprisingly frequent situation when women ''wanting'' to get pregnant ''forget'' to go off the pill.
** It's also due to the (actually very) rare case where the dose can be low enough to not prevent conception, but still low enough to prevent implantation, technically causing the pill to act as a very early abortifacient (that possibility required a legal redefinition of the term "contraception" to include such cases).
* A surprising number of drugs have both weight gain and weight loss listed as possible side-effects[[note]]Justified in that many drugs affect the body's metabolism, so that some users may have it sped up, while others may slow down, and some may yo-yo between both[[/note]].
* A common topical antifungal medicine has, as a common side effect, dry, cracked skin. Doesn't sound too odd? The major symptom of the fungus it's supposed to treat is dry, cracked skin. This is the same reason why allergy medications almost always have allergy symptoms as a side-effect. It's a legal issue to prevent people from suing if they're taking the medication for the wrong condition, so it doesn't help.
* Accutane to treat skin: The list of side-effects include blood-red vision; suicidal thoughts & tendencies; and worsening of acne. Accutane worsens acne at first, then it gets better. Supposedly, some of the suicidal thoughts come from the fact that your acne is worsening so you think it's incurable.
* Rheumatoid arthritis medications can potentially result in tuberculosis. This is because rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, where your body attacks itself, specifically your joints. Thus, the medications for rheumatoid arthritis are immune system suppressants; the possibility of debilitating secondary infections go up just like it would if you'd developed AIDS. Your immune system recovers once you stop the drugs -- [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption but then your arthritis comes back]].
* Midol, a medication for the alleviation of menstrual cramps and related symptoms, is marked "Not to be taken if you are taking medication for prostate cancer". Apparently it's useful for addressing other kinds of cramps, too, some of which men ''are'' able to get.
* Saw Palmetto is a herbal remedy for enlarged prostate. Apparently "it can interfere with the contraceptive pill". [[note]]Some of the [[http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-971-SAW%20PALMETTO.aspx?activeIngredientId=971&activeIngredientName=SAW%20PALMETTO other uses]] are for health problems women can have, but prostate issues ''are'' the main one.[[/note]]
* In a similar vein, finasteride (Proscar/Propecia) and dutasteride (Avodart) are used to treat enlarged prostates. It warns that it should "not be taken by pregnant women or women of childbearing potential without adequate contraception".
* And then you have medications intended for post-menopausal women... which warn you against taking them "if you are pregnant or may become pregnant". Most of the intended users of these are past having to worry about pregnancy...
* Some psychiatric medications may cause "unusually grand ideas".
* A number of medicines may, as one commercial put it, cause men to develop female breasts.
* "Do not operate heavy machinery" has been spotted on a container of, of all things, feline medication. One has to wonder what they thought the cat was doing when it was sober. In at least one case (like [[http://www.notsorandommusings.com/2012/03/this-is-your-cat-on-drugs.html this one]]) the medicine was also one given to humans (fluoxetine-- yes, the cat was on Prozac), and the pharmacists may just reflexively slap the standard warning labels on even if they don't apply to animal patients.
* Some medications (most notably, [=SSRIs=]) cause {{Anorgasmia}} or difficulty reaching orgasm. Yep, a pill meant to deal with your depression actually makes it less enjoyable to have sex with your partner.
** In a case where adverse effects can be used to treat different conditions, Paroxetine (an SSRI) can be used in the treatment of premature ejaculation.
* Weight-loss treatment Orlistat (marketed in most countries under the trademark name Xenical, and over-the-counter in the UK and US as Alli). It works by binding dietary fat to prevent the person's body from absorbing and storing the fat (thereby reducing/preventing weight gain, and in fact slightly improving weight loss when combined with sensible diets and exercise). The major side effect of this is that eating foods which are high in dietary fats will cause them to be passed through the person's body unimpeded and result in loose oily stools, and often also continual oily anal leakage (smelling vaguely like a combination between faeces and burnt grease/chipfat, and BRIGHT ORANGE). It's extremely unpleasant.
** While not a drug, the fat substitute Olestra, once marketed to the food industry as a way to reduce the caloric content of the high-fat junk foods like potato chips, suffered from essentially the same problem. Because it reduced the caloric intake by refusing to get absorbed in the gut, it ended up lubricating the stool much in the same way the unabsorbed fats did in the Orlistat-taking patients above, with much the same results. While the effects of both were greatly exaggerated by the sensation-seeking journalists, Olestra was quickly withdrawn.
* Anti-diabetic drug Metformin, marketed by Merck under the Glucophage brand, is also known to induce soft, oily stools, and promote the intestinal gas production, though not to the same extent as Orlistat. It is also frequently taken off-label as a weight loss medication because it reduces the absorption of the carbohydrates, but it pales in comparison with its side effects -- which, [[SubvertedTrope in a subversion of the usual take on this trope]], reduces in its takers the probability of getting cancer by 40%, and is implicated in extending the lifespan of the experimental animals by as much as 50%. Scientists hope that with the further study they can develop it into the medicine able of extending the human life up to the 120 years, while avoiding the AgeWithoutYouth.
* A particularly infamous example is thalidomide, a medication used nowadays in cancer and skin condition treatments. It also used to be prescribed over-the-counter as a treatment for anxiety and morning sickness... until it turned out that, in this case, Side Effects Include causing [[BodyHorror massive, horrifying, and often lethal birth defects in babies]] when taken by pregnant women or even the men who impregnated them. The result was [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thalidomide_scandal the biggest man-made medical disaster in recorded history]]; over 10,000 babies were born with defects, 40% of those babies died from their deformities, and thousands of women miscarried, all because the drug was marketed to the general public without proper testing. The 1974 horror movie ''Film/ItsAlive'' was inspired by this scandal, which led to a major changes in drug regulation, criminal trials, and many lawsuits.
* Non-medical example: Synaptic, the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Package_manager package manager]][[note]]or rather a graphical front-end for one, but unless you speak fluent command-line the distinction means little[[/note]] included by default in most variants of Ubuntu, used to display a textbox on launch warning the user that using this app could result in all kinds of disastrous things happening to your operating system if you were careless and that you were probably better off with Software Centre (the "app store" program). Like most other examples on this page, the odds of any real harm resulting were pretty low but not negligible in practice.

* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' manages to hide {{foreshadowing}} in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0324.html such a list]].
* [[http://nonadventures.com/2007/02/24/merchant-of-menace/ This]] episode of ''Webcomic/TheNonAdventuresOfWonderella'', in the fifth panel.
* ''Webcomic/PennyArcade'':
** Parodied in [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/02/08 this strip]].
** Followed-up [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/2/18/ here]], with the success of the treatment being described in [[JustForFun/OneOfUs typical nerdy fashion]].
** Also this one: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/2/19/ "...not recommended for adults, or children interested in becoming adults."]]
* From ''[[http://www.otterdude.com Dume]]'', [[http://www.otterdude.com/?Strip=24 "...Gruesome, Screaming, Meaty Death."]]

* In ''Webcomic/{{Sinfest}}'', the ad for ForbiddenFruit Loops ends with [[http://www.sinfest.net/view.php?date=2007-06-02 May cause banishment from paradise, eternal damnation, old age, suffering, painful childbirth, and death -- but that's what makes it cool!]]

** Jeff Foxworthy's joke on having to go to the hospital with this is, "I'm wearing that gown they give you ''backwards''...and walkin' the halls, baby!"

* Parodied in a fake anti-depressant commercial on ''Series/WandaVision'', which warns that side effects include "feeling your feelings, confronting your truth, seizing your destiny, and possibly more depression."

-->''Some people with Space Bugs in their heads experience stumbling, loss of balance, or loss of hearing in one ear. This is normal since part of your brain needs to come out somewhere. Some people with Space Bugs report an aversion to sex and also alcohol, plus an interest in vegetables, vegetable juices, and the curative properties of juicing in general.''

* This is a RunningGag on [[http://www.villainsource.com/ Villain Source]] (Your Online Source For Everything Evil) which sells awesome superpowers then lists all the unfortunate side effects in the small print.

* "Side Effects", in ''Theatre/MidlifeTheCrisisMusical'', indicates that the fictional drug of Lipodexterine, meant to cure high cholesterol, may induce high cholesterol, blinking and rude outbursts, stigmata in men with comb-overs, comb-overs, false optimism when consumed with beers, leg spasms if Riverdance videos are watched, and multiple nipples in lab monkeys. And sudden stoppage may cause death...

* In ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'', clicking repeatedly on the Priest unit (the human side's healer) eventually results in him issuing the following disclaimer: "Side effects may include: Dry mouth, Nausea, Water retention, Painful rectal itch, Hallucinations, Psychosis, Coma, Death, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Halitosis]]. Magic is not for everyone, consult your doctor before use."
* ''VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines'' features a cigarette warning with side effects including "jock itch", "alien invasion" and "the death of cute little puppies".
* Valentine from ''VideoGame/{{Skullgirls}}'' lists a few of these in one of her intro quotes.
-->''"Side effects may include nausea, headaches, [[BreadEggsMilkSquick and death.]]"''
* One ad that plays on the radio in ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureACrackInTime'' is Commander Qwark selling a revolutionary product called Q-Pore.

* In ''VideoGame/WeHappyFew'', [[BigBrotherIsWatching Uncle Jack]] likes to assure the citizens of [[FalseUtopia Wellington Wells]] that any rumors that [[GovernmentDrugEnforcement Joy]] causes increased aggressiveness, memory loss, paranoia, and other nasty side effects are ''completely untrue''.
* In ''VideoGame/LightningReturnsFinalFantasyXIII'', an alchemist named Velno gives Lighting a potion mixed from two poisons called Nektar that she wants her to test in battle. She promises great things, though she can't say exactly what it does and warns her that "Side effects may include dementia, gangrene, sudden death and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking hair loss]]."
* In ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', the Sunset Sarsaparilla mascot Ol' Festus has a "silly ol' advisory" about the possible effects of drinking the soft drink including but not limited to "kidney damage, nausea, digital numbness, anxiety, loss of visual acuity, dizziness, occasional nosebleeds, joint inflammation, tooth decay, sore throat, bronchitis, [[BreadMilkEggsSquick organ rupture]], and halitosis." He does note that you have to drink a "a helluva lot" of them to actually experience them.[[note]]They may have had to say this due to their Star Bottle Cap Contest, which they made up ''after'' the rumor about it started.[[/note]]
* In ''VideoGame/Portal2'', repulsion gel was originally sold as a diet aid, but was pulled from shelves for "various reasons." Cave Johnson's voice-over hints at one side effect that probably contributed to the recall:[[note]]Thing is, it's a case of NowYouTellMe, as the test Chell just finished usually involves running under a gel spout ''and getting covered in Repulsion Gel''.[[/note]]

* In the Leviathans DLC for ''VideoGame/{{Stellaris}}'', one of the trading enclaves sells a substance that helps colonists survive on alien worlds. Purchase it, and you'll also be given a LongList of potential side effects, including psychotic episodes, grain elevator explosions, unexpected supernova detonations, ''the collapse of the space-time continuum''...
* In ''VideoGame/SaintsRow2'', one of [[MegaCorp the Ultor Corporation's]] many commercials is an ad for a sleeping pill designed to treat adolescent night terrors. The ad plays soothing music and encourages the listener that "Their family deserves sweet dreams" before rattling off the list of side effects including seizures, chronic pain, jaundice, Asperger's and sudden paralysis, before ending with "...and night terrors"[[labelnote:*]]The full list is "Impaired motor skills, back pain, neck pain, cold sweats, seizures, depression, narcolepsy, social anxiety disorder, jaundice, sudden paralysis, Asperger's syndrome, loss of hair pigmentation, delusions of grandeur and night terrors"[[/labelnote]] [[SarcasmMode Well that sounds like the key to a good night's sleep, doesn't it?]]
* In ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity'', we hear an example in a radio ad...for hairspray:
-->''Sissy Sprits may cause dry mouth, dilated pupils, paranoia, heart palpitations, and nosebleeds. Plus, your hair will be great!''
* In ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'' another hair-care product, Castrodone, works by stopping testosterone production (as tendency towards balding correlates with high testosterone). As expected, the side effects involve making the user stereotypically "girly".
-->''Disclaimer: May impair driving time, map-reading, and home improvement skills. Castrodon may also cause periodic moodiness, retail addiction, face-painting and menstruation.''

* ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' does the gag with a [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique forbidden spell]] designed to render its subject smart for six days:

* In ''VideoGame/{{Portal 2}}'', repulsion gel was originally sold as a diet aid, but was pulled from shelves for "various reasons." Cave Johnson's voice-over hints at one side effect that probably contributed to the recall:[[note]]Thing is, it's a case of NowYouTellMe, as the test Chell just finished usually involves running under a gel spout ''and getting covered in Repulsion Gel''.[[/note]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* ''Webcomic/PennyArcade''

Compare and contrast WhatWereTheySellingAgain, where specifics about the product are obscured unintentionally. Objects with more extreme or fantastic warnings fall under DoNotTauntHappyFunBall.

-->'''Dr. Quymn:''' Have you not tried Viagra?\\