Side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in intensity, inform your physician as soon as possible. Only your physician can determine if it is safe for you to continue taking Terazosin.
More common side effects may include: Difficult or labored breathing, dizziness, headache, heart palpitations, light-headedness upon standing, nausea, pain in the arms and legs, sleepiness, stuffy nose, swollen wrists and ankles, weakness. If these symptoms persist, tell your physician. Your dosage of Terazosin may be higher than needed.
Less common or rare side effects may include: anxiety, back pain, blurred vision, bronchitis, conjunctivitis (inflamed eyes), constipation, decreased sex drive, depression, diarrhea, dimmed vision, dry mouth, facial swelling, fainting, fever, flu or cold symptoms (cough, sore throat, runny nose), fluid retention, frequent urination, gas, gout, impotence, inability to hold urine, increased heart rate, indigestion, inflamed sinuses, insomnia, irregular heartbeat, itching, joint pain and inflammation, low blood pressure, muscle aches, nasal inflammation, nervousness, nosebleed, numbness or tingling, painful lasting erection, pain in the abdomen, chest, neck, or shoulder, rash, ringing in the ears, severe allergic reaction, sweating, urinary tract infection, vertigo, vision changes, vomiting, weight gain. Why should Terazosin not be prescribed?
Do not take Terazosin if you are sensitive to it or have ever had an allergic reaction to it. Special warnings about Terazosin
When your blood pressure falls in response to Terazosin, you may faint. Other less severe reactions include dizziness, heart palpitations, light-headedness, and drowsiness. You are also likely to feel dizzy or faint whenever you rise from a sitting or lying position; this should disappear as your body becomes accustomed to Terazosin. If your occupation is such that these symptoms might cause serious problems, make sure your physician knows this from the start; he or she will increase your Terazosin dosage very cautiously.
Regardless of your occupation, avoid driving, climbing, and other hazardous tasks at the following times:
For 12 hours after your first dose of Terazosin
With each new dosage increase
When you re-start Terazosin after any treatment interruption
If you are taking Terazosin for benign prostatic hyperplasia, remember that although Terazosin helps relieve the symptoms of BPH, it does NOT change the size of the prostate, which may continue to grow. You may still need surgery in the future. In addition, it is possible to have BPH and prostate cancer at the same time. If you develop the side effect called priapism - a painful erection that last for hours - call your physician without delay. The condition can lead to impotence if not treated immediately.
