Fluphenazine, Oral floo-FEN-a-zeen

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: antipsychotic; neuroleptic; phenothiazine

Generic and brand names: fluphenazine hydrochloride, oral

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is used to treat mental disorders such as schizophrenia.

It may be used to treat other medical conditions as determined by your healthcare provider.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• an allergic reaction to any medicine
• asthma or other breathing problems
• blood or bone marrow disorder
• brain damage or coma
• breast cancer
• glaucoma
• heart disease, especially long QT syndrome or any irregular heartbeat
• high blood pressure
• kidney disease or liver disease
• myasthenia gravis
• Parkinson's Disease
• pheochromocytoma (a tumor of the adrenal gland)
• Reye’s syndrome
• seizures
• trouble urinating or prostate problems

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while taking this medicine. It is not know whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not breast-feed while taking with this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval. Taking this medicine during the last 3 months of pregnancy may cause problems for the baby. Symptoms the baby may have include agitation, tight muscles, floppy muscles, shaking, trouble breathing, or trouble feeding. Talk with your provider about this.

How do I use it?

Check the label on the medicine for directions about your specific dose. Take this medicine exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes. Do not take more of it or take it longer than prescribed. Do not stop taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval. You may have to reduce your dosage gradually.

If you have the liquid form of this medicine, use a specially marked measuring spoon to measure each dose. The average household teaspoon may not hold the right amount of liquid. This medicine may come in different forms. If your healthcare provider prescribes the oral concentrate form, you must dilute it with 2 to 4 ounces of water, tomato juice, or orange juice before taking it. Do not mix with liquids that contain caffeine (coffee, tea, or cola) or with apple juice. Avoid getting the medicine on your skin as it may cause a rash or irritation. Use prepared medicine right away.

You may take this medicine with food or milk to lessen stomach upset. Do not take this medicine within 2 hours of taking an antacid such as Mylanta, Maalox, or Amphojel.

What if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is almost time for the next scheduled dose. In that case, skip the missed dose and take the next one as directed. Do not take double doses. If you are not sure of what to do if you miss a dose, or if you miss more than one dose, contact your healthcare provider.

What if I overdose?

If you or anyone else has intentionally taken too much of this medicine, call 911 or go to the emergency room right away. If you pass out, have seizures, weakness or confusion, or have trouble breathing, call 911. If you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much of this medicine, call the poison control center. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. The poison control center number is 800-222-1222.

Symptoms of an acute overdose may include: uncontrollable movements, restlessness, seizures, severe dizziness, fainting, coma, very deep sleep, irregular heartbeat, fever, chills.

What should I watch out for?

This medicine may make you drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert.

You may feel dizzy or faint when you get up quickly after sitting or lying down. Getting up slowly may help. Also, drinking alcohol may make it worse. Do not drink alcohol unless your healthcare provider approves.

While taking this medicine, be careful when you exercise, especially when it is hot. This medicine affects your body's ability to cool down, and you may get too hot. If you get too hot, you might vomit, feel dizzy, have a fast heartbeat, get very stiff muscles, or be confused. Contact your provider right away if you have these symptoms.

If you need emergency care, surgery, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you are taking this medicine.

You may need to have blood tests regularly to see how this medicine affects you. Keep all appointments for these tests.

This medicine can cause changes in your eyes. Have eye exams at least once a year while you are taking this medicine.

This medicine may make your skin more sensitive to the sun, which may lead to painful sunburns. While you are taking this medicine, avoid long exposure to the sun. Wear protective clothing, a hat, and sunscreen lotion when you need to be outdoors. Do not use a sunlamp. If you get a severe sunburn, contact your healthcare provider right away.

Using this medicine for a long time may cause muscle spasms, twitching in the face and body, and uncontrolled tongue or jaw movement. Adults over the age of 65 may be at great risk of side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider about this.

Older adults with dementia are at greater risk for side effects. Talk with your provider about this.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help): Allergic reaction (hives, itching, rash, trouble breathing, tightness in your chest, swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat), severe confusion or coma, drooling, fast or irregular heartbeat, fever, changes in blood pressure, increased sweating, loss of bladder control, severe muscle stiffness, trouble speaking or swallowing, seizures.

Serious (report these to your healthcare provider right away): Increased movements of tongue, mouth, hands, and other muscles, changes in vision, fainting, yellow eyes or skin, unusual bleeding or bruising, sore throat, fever or chills, trouble urinating.

Other: Drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, constipation, sensitivity to sun, headache, restlessness, stuffy nose, reddish-brown urine, breast swelling and tenderness, changes in menstrual cycle, nausea, skin color changes, changes in sexual ability or desire.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• alcohol
• antacids (take them 2 hours apart from this medicine)
• antianxiety medicines such as alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), clorazepate (Tranxene), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), and oxazepam
• antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro), clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (Erythrocin, E.E.S.), levofloxacin (Levaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox), and pentamidine (NebuPent)
• anticholinergic medicines such as atropine sulfate, benztropine (Cogentin), dicyclomine (Bentyl), hyoscyamine (Levsin), methscopolamine (Pamine), propantheline, and trihexyphenidyl
• antidepressants such as amitriptyline, bupropion (Wellbutrin), doxepin, duloxetine (Cymbalta), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox CR), imipramine (Tofranil), nefazodone, nortriptyline (Pamelor), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), trazodone, and venlafaxine (Effexor)
• antinausea medicines such as dolasetron (Anzemet), droperidol (Inapsine), and ondansetron (Zofran)
• antiseizure medicine such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenytoin (Dilantin) and valproic acid (Depakote)
• beta blockers such as acebutolol (Sectral), atenolol (Tenormin), carvedilol (Coreg), labetalol (Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), nadolol (Corgard), pindolol, propranolol (Inderal LA), and sotalol (Betapace)
• chloroquine (Aralen)
• cold and flu medicines, especially antihistamines such as chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton) and diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
• diuretics (thiazide) such as chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone (Thalitone), hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide), metolazone (Zaroxolyn) and methyclothiazide
• epinephrine
• natural remedies such as dong quai, gotu kola, kava, St. John's wort, and valerian
• lithium (Lithobid)
• heart medicines such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), disopyramide (Norpace), dofetilide (Tikosyn), flecainide (Tambocor), propafenone (Rythmol), procainamide, quinidine, and sotalol (Betapace)
• medicines to treat Parkinson's disease such as bromocriptine (Parlodel), carbidopa/levodopa (Sinemet), entacapone (Comtan), pramipexole (Mirapex), and ropinirole (Requip)
• metoclopramide (Reglan)
• muscle relaxants such as baclofen (Lioresal), carisoprodol (Soma), cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), dantrolene (Dantrium), methocarbamol (Robaxin), and tizanidine (Zanaflex)
• narcotic pain medicines such as codeine, fentanyl (Duragesic, Actiq), hydrocodone/acetaminophen (Vicodin, Lortab), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), meperidine (Demerol), methadone (Dolophine), morphine (Kadian, MS Contin), oxycodone (OxyContin, Roxicodone), oxycodone/acetaminophen (Percocet, Tylox), and pentazocine (Talwin)
• other antipsychotic medicines such as haloperidol (Haldol), pimozide (Orap), quetiapine (Seroquel), risperidone (Risperdal), and ziprasidone (Geodon)
• sleeping pills such as amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital (Butisol), flurazepam, phenobarbital, temazepam (Restoril), triazolam (Halcion), zaleplon (Sonata), and zolpidem (Ambien)
• tramadol (Ultram)
• warfarin (Coumadin)

Do NOT take medicines to treat irregular heartbeat, quinolone antibiotics, SSRI antidepressants, or tricyclic antidepressants with this medicine. It can cause life-threatening heart problems.

If you are not sure if your medicines might interact, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider. Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

How should I store this medicine?

Store the medicine at room temperature. Store the liquid in the refrigerator, but do not let it freeze. Keep the container tightly closed. Protect it from heat, high humidity, and bright light.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.