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Meftal Spas side effects: common and serious

Also in: हिन्दी தமிழ் मराठी తెలుగు ಕನ್ನಡ বাংলা ગુજરાતી മലയാളം

Also known as: Meftal Spas, Meftal-Spas, Meftal Spas tablet

Many people who take Meftal Spas for a short time have no or only mild side effects. The mefenamic acid part can irritate the stomach, and the dicyclomine part can cause effects such as dry mouth and dizziness. You can report side effects to the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India helpline, 1800-180-3024.

Meftal Spas: Uses, How It Works, Side Effects

Active ingredient
Mefenamic acid 250 mg + Dicyclomine 10 mg
Type of medicine
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), Antispasmodics
Used for
Abdominal cramps, Period pain
Starts working in
Usually within about 1 to 2 hours
Effect lasts
About 6 to 8 hours
With or without food
Take with or just after food
Alcohol
Avoid
Pregnancy
Not usually recommended. Ask your doctor
Habit-forming
No
Made by
Blue Cross Laboratories

Pharmacist review in progress. This page is based on the sources listed below and is being checked by our registered pharmacist.

On this page
  1. Side effects of Meftal Spas
  2. Who should be careful
  3. If someone takes too much
  4. Common questions

Side effects of Meftal Spas

Many people who take Meftal Spas for a short time have no or only mild side effects. The mefenamic acid part can irritate the stomach, and the dicyclomine part can cause effects such as dry mouth and dizziness. You can report side effects to the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India helpline, 1800-180-3024.

Uncommon or mild

  • Dry mouth and thirst
  • Dizziness, drowsiness or tiredness
  • Blurred vision
  • Nausea, indigestion, heartburn or tummy pain
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhoea (stop the medicine and tell your doctor if this happens)
  • Headache

Rare but serious: get medical help

  • Signs of bleeding in the stomach or gut: black, tarry stools, vomiting blood or material that looks like coffee grounds, or severe tummy pain
  • Signs of a severe allergic reaction: swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing
  • A widespread rash with fever, swollen glands or a swollen face, which can appear days to weeks after starting the medicine. This can be DRESS, a rare but serious reaction. Stop the medicine and get medical help immediately
  • Red skin with blisters or peeling, or sores in the mouth or eyes
  • Passing very little urine, or swelling of the legs or ankles
  • Chest pain, sudden breathlessness, weakness on one side of the body or slurred speech
  • Yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine or unusual tiredness
  • Confusion, seeing or hearing things that are not there, or a fast heartbeat
  • Unusual paleness, tiredness, bruising or bleeding, which can be rare signs of a blood problem

Who should be careful

Meftal Spas is not suitable for everyone. Check with a doctor before taking it if any of the following apply to you.

  • A stomach ulcer or stomach bleeding now or in the past, or inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis)
  • Asthma, especially if aspirin or other painkillers have made your breathing worse, or a past allergy to any NSAID
  • Kidney, liver or heart disease, high blood pressure, a past heart attack or stroke, or recent heart bypass surgery
  • Glaucoma (raised pressure in the eye), an enlarged prostate or difficulty passing urine: dicyclomine can make these worse, and the medicine is generally not suitable
  • Myasthenia gravis, a blockage in the gut, or reflux with inflammation of the food pipe
  • Age over 65: a higher chance of stomach bleeding, kidney problems and confusion
  • Pregnancy: NSAIDs such as mefenamic acid are generally avoided from about 20 weeks of pregnancy and must not be used in the last 3 months. Earlier in pregnancy, use it only if a doctor advises it
  • Breastfeeding: not usually recommended, because dicyclomine passes into breast milk and young babies are sensitive to it
  • Hot weather or hard physical work: dicyclomine reduces sweating, which raises the risk of overheating and heat stroke
  • Driving or using machines: it can cause drowsiness, dizziness or blurred vision
  • Children: Meftal Spas tablets are not meant for children

If someone takes too much

Taking too much Meftal Spas is a medical emergency. An overdose of mefenamic acid can cause fits (seizures), drowsiness, vomiting, stomach bleeding, and kidney or liver damage. Too much dicyclomine can cause hot, dry skin, wide pupils, a fast heartbeat, confusion and muscle weakness. Call 112 or go to the nearest hospital immediately and take the medicine pack with you.

Common questions

Is Meftal Spas safe?

Many adults use it without problems for a short time at the advised dose. Like all NSAIDs, it can cause stomach, kidney and heart problems. In November 2023 the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission asked doctors and patients to watch for DRESS, a rare but serious reaction to mefenamic acid. Get medical help quickly for a rash with fever.

Can I take Meftal Spas during pregnancy or breastfeeding?

It is not usually recommended. NSAIDs such as mefenamic acid are avoided from about 20 weeks of pregnancy because they can affect the baby's kidneys and the fluid around the baby, and must not be used in the last 3 months. Dicyclomine passes into breast milk. Always ask your doctor first.

What are the side effects of Meftal Spas?

Common ones are dry mouth, dizziness, drowsiness, blurred vision, nausea, indigestion, constipation and headache. Stop it and tell your doctor if you get diarrhoea. Get urgent help for black stools, vomiting blood, a rash with fever or swelling, difficulty breathing, or passing very little urine.

Sources

  1. Monthly Drug Safety Alert, November 2023 (File No. P.17019/01/2023-DA, dated 30 November 2023). Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI)
  2. Drug Alerts 2023. Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission
  3. ADR Reporting. Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI)
  4. IPC alert advises patients to monitor possibility of mefenamic acid's adverse effects: Meftal makers. The Tribune (news report, December 2023)
  5. List of drugs prohibited for manufacture and sale through gazette notifications under section 26A of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act 1940. Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)
  6. List of prohibited FDC drugs (156 FDCs) dated 02.08.2024. Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)
  7. PONSTEL (mefenamic acid capsules) prescribing information and Medication Guide (revised 12/2025). US Food and Drug Administration
  8. Mefenamic acid capsule label. DailyMed, US National Library of Medicine
  9. Ponstan Capsules 250mg: Summary of Product Characteristics. electronic medicines compendium (emc), UK
  10. BENTYL (dicyclomine hydrochloride) prescribing information. US Food and Drug Administration
  11. Dicyclomine hydrochloride tablet label. DailyMed, US National Library of Medicine
  12. Dicycloverine 10 mg Tablets: Summary of Product Characteristics. electronic medicines compendium (emc), UK
  13. Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs). StatPearls, National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), US National Library of Medicine
  14. Dysmenorrhea. StatPearls, National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), US National Library of Medicine
  15. Mefenamic Acid (Drugs and Lactation Database, LactMed). National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), US National Library of Medicine
  16. Dicyclomine (Drugs and Lactation Database, LactMed). National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), US National Library of Medicine
  17. FDA recommends avoiding use of NSAIDs in pregnancy at 20 weeks or later because they can result in low amniotic fluid (Drug Safety Communication, October 2020). US Food and Drug Administration
  18. NSAIDs. NHS (UK)
  19. Period pain. NHS (UK)