Side effects do occur with octreotide (Fig. 3.28). Initial diarrhoea and abdominal pain usually settle with time. Gallstones have been found with increased frequency in patients on octreotide, due to a combination of factors including gallbladder stasis, induced by octreotide, as well as biliary saturation with cholesterol. The gallstones are usually without clinical effects. Some patients have been found to have gastritis, histologically, but without symptoms.
