The spot where you get your injection may be red, swollen, or painful after your dose. You could see it right away or not till hours later. You can put a cold pack on the area or take pain medicine and your symptoms should ease up.

You’re more likely to gain weight as a side effect of a long-term injection if you’re starting one for the first time. If you do gain weight, it’s usually in the first six months. Part of the reason for this is that the medication can increase your appetite.

You may start to smack or pucker your lips, puff your cheeks, move your tongue, chew, or not be able to control movement of your arms and legs. This is a movement disorder called tardive dyskinesia. Your risk goes up the longer you’re on injections.

Like many medications, it’s possible this one could make you sleepy. Drinking alcohol with your injection can make it worse. Don’t drive or operate machinery until you know how long-term injections affect you.

Fatigue is different from drowsiness. When you’re drowsy, you feel like sleeping. When you’re fatigued, you have no energy and don’t feel motivated to do anything. With long-term injections for bipolar, you can feel both drowsy and fatigued at the same time.

This is one of the more common side effects of long-term injections. About 1 in 10 people who take this treatment will have headaches. Tell your doctor if it’s severe or goes on for a long time.

If you get up too quickly after lying down, especially right after you get your injection, you may feel dizzy or lightheaded. You could also faint. Try to get up slowly after you get a dose. If you do feel dizzy, lie down until it passes.

About 15% of people getting long-term injections have nausea or vomit when they take it, no matter what dose they’re on. You’re more likely to have some nausea than you are to actually throw up.

You may have a harder time cooling off when you’re taking long-term injections. Let your doctor know if you do intense exercise, live in a hot climate, or aren’t sweating like you used to. If you see the signs of dehydration – like peeing less, dry mouth, or excessive thirst – drink fluids as soon as possible. Water is best, but sports drinks with electrolytes can help, too.

Even if you don’t have diabetes, your blood sugar might go up (hyperglycemia) while you’re on long-term injections. Tell your doctor if you feel very thirsty, pee a lot more than usual, or have blurred vision, extreme hunger, or weakness, all of which can be signs of high blood sugar.