Halazepam, Oral

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: antianxiety; anxiolytic; tranquilizer

Generic and brand names: halazepam, oral; Paxipam

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is taken by mouth to treat anxiety disorders.

It may be used for other conditions as determined by your health care provider. Your health care provider will explain why you are taking this medicine.

What should my health care provider know before I take this medicine?

Tell your health care provider if you have liver or kidney disease.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your health care provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your health care provider's approval.

How do I use it?

Take this medicine exactly as your health care provider prescribes. Do not take more of it or take it longer than prescribed because it may be habit-forming.

Do not stop taking this medicine without your health care provider's approval. If you take it for more than 4 weeks, you may have to reduce your dosage gradually when it is time to stop taking it. Stopping too quickly may cause seizures (convulsions).

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 health care provider.

What should I watch out for?

This medicine may make you drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive or operate machinery until you are fully alert and can see clearly.

If you have thoughts of suicide, contact your health care provider right away.

Contact your health care provider if you develop constant shaking or muscle or facial twitching.

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 health care provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Serious (report these to your health care provider right away): Irregular or fast heartbeat, high or low blood pressure.

Other: Slurred speech, drowsiness, dizziness, tiredness, restlessness, nervousness, itching, rash, constipation, diarrhea, dry mouth, nausea, loss of appetite.

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 health care provider if you are taking:

• antacids such as Maalox, Mylanta, and Tums (take them 2 hours apart from this medicine)
• anticonvulsants such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenytoin (Dilantin), and valproic acid (Depakote, Depakene)
• barbiturates such as phenobarbital, amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital (Butisol), secobarbital (Seconal), and pentobarbital (Nembutal)
• birth control pills
• cimetidine (Tagamet)
• digoxin (Lanoxin)
• disulfiram (Antabuse)
• fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), and ketoconazole (Nizoral)
• MAO inhibitor antidepressants such as phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), and isocarboxazid (Marplan) (Do not take an MAO inhibitor and this medicine within 14 days of each other.)
• metoprolol (Lopressor)
• narcotics such as codeine, morphine, oxycodone (Oxycontin), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid)
• probenecid (Benemid)
• propranolol (Inderal)
• propoxyphene (Darvon, Darvon-N, Darvocet, Wygesic)
• rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane)
• SSRI antidepressants such as fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft)
• theophylline.

Do not drink alcohol while you are taking this medicine.

The effects of this medicine may be increased if you take it with grapefruit juice. Discuss this with your health care provider.

Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, nonprescription, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins) with you. Be sure that you tell all health care providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your health care 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.