OpenClaim

Methylnaltrexone Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of methylnaltrexone include death, nausea, and constipation, based on 1,624 FDA adverse event reports from 2008 to 2025. 11.8% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Methylnaltrexone side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for methylnaltrexone.

1
Death14.2%231
2
Drug Ineffective11.8%191
3
Nausea6.7%109
4
Constipation6.5%105
5
Pain5.2%84
6
Abdominal Pain5.1%83
7
Fatigue5.0%82
8
Diarrhoea4.3%70
9
Vomiting4.0%65
10
Off Label Use3.8%62
11
Headache3.4%56
12
Abdominal Pain Upper3.3%53
13
Weight Decreased2.8%46
14
Dyspnoea2.5%41
15
Muscle Spasms2.5%41

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that methylnaltrexone caused these reactions.

Report severity

60.0%Serious975 reports
23.5%Hospitalizations381 reports
20.3%Fatal329 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Methylnaltrexone drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside methylnaltrexone. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Sodium-oxybate4.4%72
2
Fentanyl2.0%33
3
Acetaminophen1.8%30
4
Lenalidomide1.8%29
5
Metronidazole1.6%26
6
Esomeprazole1.5%24
7
Omeprazole1.5%24
8
Oxycodone1.4%23
9
Baclofen1.4%23
10
Ibuprofen1.2%19
11
Alprazolam1.1%18
12
Apomorphine-hydrochloride1.1%18
13
Methocarbamol1.0%17
14
Pomalidomide1.0%17
15
Erythromycin1.0%17

Taken alongside

1
Oxycodone17.9%290
2
Acetaminophen15.8%256
3
Ondansetron12.6%204
4
Gabapentin10.5%171
5
Albuterol10.5%170
6
Ergocalciferol10.4%169
7
Levothyroxine-sodium9.4%153
8
Fentanyl8.7%142
9
Pantoprazole-sodium8.1%132
10
Omeprazole8.0%130
11
Aspirin7.6%124
12
Duloxetine-hydrochloride7.5%121
13
Pregabalin7.3%119
14
Hydrocodone7.0%114
15
Alprazolam6.7%108

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports methylnaltrexone side effects

56.5% of methylnaltrexone adverse event reports involve female patients and 36.0% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 63%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female56.5%
Male36.0%
Unknown7.5%

Age group

< 20.0%
2–110.4%
12–170.3%
18–6462.8%
65+36.5%

What is methylnaltrexone used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking methylnaltrexone when the adverse event was reported.

Abdominal DiscomfortAbdominal DistensionAbdominal PainAbdominal Pain LowerAbnormal FaecesAcneAlcohol AbuseAlcoholismAnxietyAbdominal DiscomfortAutonomic Nervous System ImbalanceBack PainBowel Movement IrregularityBowel Movement IrregularityColonic Pseudo-obstruction

Showing 15 of 79 indications

Methylnaltrexone brand names and reporting trend

Methylnaltrexone is sold under the brand name Relistor.

Brand names

Relistor179

Quarterly reports (20082025)

20082010201520202025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking methylnaltrexone with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.