PlainPill

Guanfacine side effects

Across 105 first-hand reports, people mentioned a side effect 14 times (about 13 per 100 reports). The most common: drowsiness, fatigue, shaky hands. User reports show what people notice — they can't tell you whether Guanfacine is safe for you.

Reported side effects

drowsiness6
fatigue2
shaky hands1
dry mouth1
hair loss1
low blood1
emotional dampening1
hypertensive crisis1

In their own words

“I'm on guanfacine after taking stimulants. It's….. better than taking nothing but guanfacine is like a 2 out of 10.”
Didn't helpRead the discussion ↗
“Currently i am taking clomipramine and guanfacine which helps for the anxiety and dpdr but makes me sleepy all day.”
MixedRead the discussion ↗
“I've tried the traditional ADHD meds like Strattera and Guanfacine, and they don't offer any improvement.”
Didn't helpRead the discussion ↗
“I wouldn't be surprised if this pill does something for you although it didn't for me.”
Didn't helpRead the discussion ↗
“made me very calm and relaxed but not sedated. I could read, work and function without getting impaired by anxiety...one of the best compounds”
MixedRead the discussion ↗
“I recently trialed Intuniv/guanfacine (alpha-2 adrenergic agonist) which induced these same dissociative symptoms 10x worse, but I've discontinued it a month ago”
Didn't helpRead the discussion ↗

Is Guanfacine safe? What the research covers

AResearch: Strong53 meta-analyses · 116 randomized trials on PubMed
Lancet Psychiatry · 2018
Comparative efficacy and tolerability of medications for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children, adolescents, and adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Conclusion: Our findings represent the most comprehensive available evidence base to inform patients, families, clinicians, guideline developers, and policymakers on the choice of ADHD medications across age groups. Taking into account both efficacy and safety, evidence from this meta-analysis supports methylphenidate in children and adolescents, and amphetamines in adults, as preferred first-choice medications for the short-term treatment of ADHD. New research should be funded urgently to assess long-term effects of these drugs.

PLoS One · 2020
Pharmacologic treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

Conclusion: Overall, despite a class effect of improving clinical response relative to placebo, there were few differences among the individual ADHD pharmacotherapies, and most studies were at risk of at least one important source of bias. Furthermore, the certainty of the evidence was very low to low for all outcomes, and there was limited reporting of long-term adverse events. As such, the choice between ADHD pharmacotherapies may depend on individual patient considerations, and future studies should assess the long-term effects of individual pharmacotherapies on patient-important outcomes, including qu

Guanfacine side effects: what 105 users report — PlainPill