Thioxanthenes (Systemic)
Before Using This MedicineIn deciding to use a medicine,
the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will
do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For thioxanthenes, the
following should be considered:
Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or
allergic reaction to thioxanthene or to phenothiazine medicines. Also tell
your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances,
such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.
Pregnancy - Studies have not been done in pregnant women. Although
animal studies have not shown that thioxanthenes cause birth defects, the
studies have shown that these medicines cause a decrease in fertility and
fewer successful pregnancies.
Breast-feeding - It is not known if thioxanthenes pass into the
breast milk. However, similar medicines for nervous, mental, or emotional
conditions do pass into breast milk and may cause drowsiness and increase
the risk of other problems in the nursing baby. Be sure you have discussed
the risks and benefits of this medicine with your doctor.
Children - Certain side effects, such as muscle spasms of the
face, neck, and back, tic-like or twitching movements, inability to move the
eyes, twisting of the body, or weakness of the arms and legs, are more likely
to occur in children, who are usually more sensitive than adults to the side
effects of thioxanthenes.
Older adults - Constipation, dizziness or fainting, drowsiness,
dryness of mouth, trembling of the hands and fingers, and symptoms of tardive
dyskinesia (such as rapid, worm-like movements of the tongue or any other
uncontrolled movements of the mouth, tongue, or jaw, and/or arms and legs)
are especially likely to occur in elderly patients, who are usually more sensitive
than younger adults to the effects of thioxanthenes.
Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used
together at all, in other cases 2 different medicines may be used together
even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to
change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking
thioxanthenes, it is especially important that your health care professional
know if you are taking any of the following:
-
Amoxapine (e.g., Asendin) or
-
Methyldopa (e.g., Aldomet) or
-
Metoclopramide (e.g., Reglan) or
-
Metyrosine (e.g., Demser) or
-
Other antipsychotics (medicine for mental illness) or
-
Pemoline (e.g., Cylert) or
-
Pimozide (e.g., Orap) or
-
Promethazine (e.g., Phenergan) or
-
Rauwolfia alkaloids (alseroxylon [e.g., Rauwiloid], deserpidine [e.g.,
Harmonyl], rauwolfia serpentina [e.g., Raudixin], reserpine [e.g., Serpasil])
or
-
Trimeprazine (e.g., Temaril) - Taking these medicines with thioxanthenes
may increase the chance and severity of certain side effects
-
Central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicine that causes drowsiness)
or
-
Tricyclic antidepressants (medicine for depression) - Taking
these medicines with thioxanthenes may add to the CNS depressant effects
-
Epinephrine (e.g., Adrenalin) - Severe low blood pressure (hypotension)
and fast heartbeat may occur if epinephrine is used with thioxanthenes
-
Levodopa (e.g., Sinemet) - Thioxanthenes may keep levodopa from
working properly in the treatment of Parkinson's disease
-
Quinidine (e.g., Quinidex) - Unwanted effects on your heart may
occur
Other medical problems - The presence of other medical
problems may affect the use of thioxanthenes. Make sure you tell your doctor
if you have any other medical problems, especially:
-
Alcohol abuse - Drinking alcohol will add to the central nervous
system (CNS) depressant effects of thioxanthenes
-
Blood disease or
-
Enlarged prostate or
-
Glaucoma or
-
Heart or blood vessel disease or
-
Lung disease or
-
Parkinson's disease or
-
Stomach ulcers or
-
Urination problems - Thioxanthenes may make the condition worse
-
Liver disease - Higher blood levels of thioxanthenes may occur,
increasing the chance of side effects
-
Reye's syndrome - The risk of liver problems may be increased
-
Seizure disorders - The risk of seizures may be increased
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