perphenazine Health Article

Generic name(s):

perphenazine

Brand name(s):

Trilafon

What is the most important information I should know about perphenazine?

Call your doctor immediately if you have uncontrollable movements of the mouth, tongue, cheeks, jaw, arms, or legs. Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. Perphenazine may cause dizziness or drowsiness. If you experience dizziness or drowsiness, avoid these activities.

Dizziness may be more likely to occur when you rise from a sitting or lying position. Rise slowly to prevent dizziness and a possible fall.

Use alcohol cautiously. Alcohol may increase drowsiness and dizziness while you are taking perphenazine. Do not mix the liquid form of this medication with coffee, cola, tea, grape, or apple juice.

What is perphenazine?

Perphenazine is in a class of drugs called phenothiazines. It works by changing the actions of chemicals in your brain.

Perphenazine is used to treat psychotic disorders, nausea, and vomiting.

Perphenazine may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Who should not take perphenazine?

Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have

• a bone marrow disease,

• glaucoma,

• seizures,

• Parkinson's disease,

• an enlarged prostate or difficulty urinating,

• liver disease, or
• kidney disease.

You may not be able to take perphenazine, or you may require a lower dose or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.

It is not known whether perphenazine will harm an unborn baby. Do not take perphenazine without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant. It is not known whether perphenazine passes into breast milk. Do not take perphenazine without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. If you are over 60 years of age, you may be more likely to experience side effects from perphenazine. You may require a lower dose of this medication.

How should I take perphenazine?

Take perphenazine exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these instructions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.

Take each dose with a full glass (8 ounces) of water.

Perphenazine can be taken with or without food.

Mix the concentrate with 4 ounces of water, juice, ginger ale, or a semisolid food such as applesauce or pudding.

Do not mix the liquid with coffee, tea, cola, grape, or apple juice. Do not let the liquid touch your skin or clothes. Do not stop taking perphenazine without the approval of your doctor. It may be several weeks before you begin to feel better, and you may require continuous treatment for quite some time. Talk to your doctor before you stop taking this medication.

Throw away any discolored liquid.

Store perphenazine at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Store the liquid in a light-resistant container.

What happens if I miss a dose?

If you take one dose of perphenazine a day, take the missed dose as soon as you remember, then go back to your regular schedule the next day. If you do not remember until the next day, skip the dose you missed and take only your next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose of this medication.

If you are taking perphenazine on a regular schedule several times a day, take the missed dose within 1 hour of its regular time. If more than 1 hour has passed, skip the missed dose and take only the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose of this medication.

If you are taking perphenazine as needed for nausea and vomiting, take the missed dose as soon as possible, then wait at least 4 hours before taking another dose.