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Sodium Oxybate Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of sodium oxybate include nausea, anxiety, and somnolence, based on 73,928 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 3.9% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Sodium Oxybate side effects

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

1
Nausea7.6%5,608
2
Anxiety6.1%4,497
3
Somnolence5.8%4,265
4
Headache4.8%3,582
5
Feeling Abnormal4.8%3,532
6
Insomnia4.8%3,523
7
Depression4.7%3,477
8
Fatigue4.7%3,451
9
Dizziness4.5%3,301
10
Weight Decreased4.3%3,189
11
Condition Aggravated4.0%2,963
12
Drug Ineffective3.9%2,896
13
Fall3.8%2,801
14
Surgery3.7%2,763
15
Sleep Apnoea Syndrome3.7%2,729

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

Report severity

53.8%Serious39,806 reports
12.8%Hospitalizations9,437 reports
1.4%Fatal1,052 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Sodium Oxybate drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside sodium oxybate. 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
Magnesium-oxybate10.6%7,802
2
Calcium-oxybate10.5%7,789
3
Potassium-oxybate10.5%7,789
4
Amphetamine1.3%980
5
Dextroamphetamine1.3%978
6
Modafinil0.9%696
7
Armodafinil0.9%671
8
Methylphenidate0.8%601
9
Acetaminophen0.6%432
10
Solriamfetol0.6%429
11
Gabapentin0.6%428
12
Bupropion0.5%384
13
Oxycodone0.4%322
14
Venlafaxine0.4%305
15
Hydrocodone0.4%266

Taken alongside

1
Dextroamphetamine20.0%14,803
2
Amphetamine17.8%13,141
3
Ergocalciferol16.7%12,369
4
Acetaminophen16.7%12,364
5
Modafinil15.6%11,553
6
Armodafinil14.5%10,715
7
Methylphenidate12.3%9,120
8
Albuterol11.3%8,332
9
Ibuprofen10.7%7,946
10
Levothyroxine-sodium10.7%7,906
11
Gabapentin10.4%7,679
12
Fluticasone10.4%7,653
13
Omeprazole10.0%7,363
14
Aspirin9.0%6,689
15
Bupropion8.6%6,393

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 sodium oxybate side effects

70.2% of sodium oxybate adverse event reports involve female patients and 27.3% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 86%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female70.2%
Male27.3%
Unknown2.4%

Age group

< 20.3%
2–110.9%
12–173.4%
18–6486.4%
65+9.0%

What is sodium oxybate used for

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

Abnormal BehaviourAbnormal Sleep-related EventAccidental ExposureAccidental Exposure To ProductAccidental OverdoseAlcohol DetoxificationAlcohol UseAlcoholismAlpha Interferon TherapyAlternating Hemiplegia Of ChildhoodAmnesiaAnaemiaAnaesthesia ProcedureAnkylosing SpondylitisAnxiety

Showing 15 of 274 indications

Sodium Oxybate brand names and reporting trend

Sodium Oxybate is sold under the brand name Sodium Oxybate.

Brand names

Sodium Oxybate2,890

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

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

Taking sodium oxybate with another medication?

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