Pimozide, Oral

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: antipsychotic

Generic and brand names: pimozide, oral; Orap

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is used to treat Tourette's syndrome, a condition that causes snorting, sniffing, and uncontrollable mumbling. This medicine is prescribed when your symptoms are severe and other medicines have not worked. Ask your health care provider to explain the symptoms and the risks of treatment.

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

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

• an enlarged prostate
• glaucoma
• heart disease or an irregular heartbeat. You should not take this medicine if you have problems with an irregular heartbeat.
• liver or kidney disease
• seizures
• trouble urinating.

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 more often than prescribed. Do not stop taking this medicine without your health care provider's approval. You may have to reduce your dosage gradually.

If this medicine is prescribed for a child, an adult should make sure it is taken properly.

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?

You may need to have an electrocardiogram before you start taking this medicine and several times during treatment. This is very important in finding out how the medicine may be affecting your heart. Keep all your appointments.

This medicine may make you drowsy. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert. Protect children from accidents.

Alcohol may increase the effects of this medicine. Do not drink alcohol while you are taking this medicine without your health care provider's approval.

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): Uncontrollable shaking of your hands or head; uncontrollable puffing of your cheeks, chewing movements, or tongue protrusion (sticking out); facial swelling; fainting; palpitations; irregular heartbeats.

Other: Drowsiness, dry mouth, constipation, restlessness, decreased vision, rash.

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:

• anti-anxiety medicines such as alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan), diazepam (Valium), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), and clorazepate (Tranxene)
• antifungals such as ketoconazole (Nizoral), fluconazole (Diflucan), and itraconazole (Sporanox)
• macrolide antibiotics such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), azithromycin (Zithromax), and erythromycin (Erythrocin, E-Mycin, Ery-Tab, Ilosone)
• medicines to treat abnormal heartbeat such as quinidine (Quinora, Quinidex, Quinaglute), procainamide (Pronestyl), and disopyramide (Norpace)
• narcotic analgesics such as codeine, morphine, and meperidine (Demerol)
• nefazodone (Serzone)
• phenothiazines, especially thioridazine (Mellaril) and mesoridazine (Serentil)
• protease inhibitors such as ritonavir (Norvir) and indinavir (Crixivan)
• sedatives such as zolpidem (Ambien), flurazepam (Dalmane), temazepam (Restoril), phenobarbital, amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital (Butisol), pentobarbital (Nembutal), and secobarbital (Seconal)
• tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), imipramine (Tofranil), and doxepin (Sinequan)
• zileuton (Zyflo).

Do not take this medicine with grapefruit juice because it increases the effects of the medicine.

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.

How should I store this medicine?

Store this medicine at room temperature. 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 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.