Trifluoperazine
About Trifluoperazine
Trifluoperazine belongs to a class of drugs called 'antipsychotics' used to prevent and treat relapses of schizophrenia (a mental illness). Additionally, Trifluoperazine may be used for anxiety and depression over a short period, nausea and vomiting. Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that affects a person's ability to feel, think and behave clearly. Anxiety is a mental health disorder associated with fear, worry, and excessive nervousness that may interfere with daily activities. Depression is a mood disorder associated with symptoms such as sadness, and unable to sleep properly or enjoy life as you used to do.
Trifluoperazine contains Trifluoperazine, which works by inhibiting the dopamine (chemical messenger) receptors in the brain. Dopamine is involved in regulating mood, behaviour, and emotions. Thereby, Trifluoperazine helps control psychotic illness, relieve depression, lighten the mood and relieve anxiety symptoms such as fear and panic. Also, Trifluoperazine blocks dopamine receptors in the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ) and inhibits transmission of messages to the vomiting center. Thereby, it helps in controlling nausea and vomiting.
Take Trifluoperazine as prescribed by your doctor. You are advised to take Trifluoperazine for as long as your doctor has prescribed it for you based on your medical condition. Some people may experience restlessness, weakness, drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, loss of appetite, blurred vision or eye problems, muscle weakness, fainting on standing up, confusion, weight gain, or water retention causing swelling. Most of these side effects of Trifluoperazine do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects persist or worsen, please consult your doctor.
If you are allergic to Trifluoperazine or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. The tablet form is not recommended for children below 6 years, and the syrup is not recommended for children below 3 years of age. Avoid taking Trifluoperazine if you are pregnant, especially in the third trimester, as it may cause adverse effects in the baby, such as breathing problems, muscle stiffness or weakness, shaking, etc. Please consult a doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Trifluoperazine should be used with caution in elderly patients above 65 years, as there is an increased risk of adverse reactions. Do not consume alcohol with Trifluoperazine as it may cause adverse effects such as severe dizziness or fainting, irregular heartbeats, drowsiness, uncontrollable movements, fits, drowsiness, and high or low body temperature. Avoid taking Trifluoperazine if you have blood disorders, liver problems, or the heart's inability to maintain adequate circulation.
Uses of Trifluoperazine
Medicinal Benefits
Trifluoperazine contains Trifluoperazine, an antipsychotic used to prevent and treat relapses of schizophrenia (a mental illness). Additionally, Trifluoperazine may be used for anxiety and depression over a short period, nausea and vomiting. Trifluoperazine inhibits the dopamine (chemical messenger) receptors in the brain. Dopamine is involved in regulating mood, behavior, and emotions. Thereby, Trifluoperazine helps in controlling psychotic illness, relieving depression, lightening the mood, and relieving anxiety symptoms such as fear and panic. Also, Trifluoperazine blocks dopamine receptors in the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ) and inhibits transmission of messages to the vomiting center. Thereby, it helps in controlling nausea and vomiting.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Trifluoperazine
- Restlessness
- Weakness
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Loss of appetite
- Blurred vision or eye problems
- Muscle weakness
- Fainting on standing up
- Confusion
- Weight gain
- Water retention causes swelling
Drug Warnings
Please tell your doctor if you are allergic to Trifluoperazine or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. Avoid taking Trifluoperazine if you are pregnant, especially in the third trimester, as it may cause adverse effects in the baby, such as breathing problems, muscle stiffness or weakness, shaking, etc. Please consult a doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Trifluoperazine should be used with caution in elderly patients above 65 years, as there is an increased risk of adverse reactions. Avoid taking Trifluoperazine if you have blood disorders, liver problems or an inability of the heart to maintain adequate circulation. Do not consume alcohol with Trifluoperazine as it may cause adverse effects such as severe dizziness or fainting, irregular heartbeats, drowsiness, uncontrollable movements, fits, drowsiness, and high or low body temperature. If you have Parkinson’s disease, fits, narrow-angle glaucoma, myasthenia gravis (muscle weakness), enlarged prostate gland, dementia (decline in memory, intelligence or communication), uncontrolled high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, have a family history of stroke or blood clots, liver, heart or brain problems, inform your doctor before taking Trifluoperazine.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interaction: Trifluoperazine may have interaction with high blood pressure-lowering medicines (guanethidine), opioid pain killers (codeine), medicines used to decrease saliva and lung secretions (atropine, procyclidine), antipsychotics (promazine, prochlorperazine, chlorpromazine), anticonvulsants (lamotrigine, pregabalin), antiparkinson drug (levodopa), blood thinner (warfarin), a medicine used to treat iron poisoning (desferrioxamine), heart-related medicines (disopyramide, procainamide, quinidine, amiodarone, sotalol).
Drug-Food Interaction: Trifluoperazine may interact with alcohol. Therefore, avoid alcohol intake while taking Trifluoperazine as it may cause adverse effects such as severe dizziness or fainting, irregular heartbeats, drowsiness, uncontrollable movements, fits, and high or low body temperature.
Drug-Disease Interaction: Avoid taking Trifluoperazine if you have blood disorders, liver problems, or the heart's inability to maintain adequate circulation. If you have Parkinson’s disease, fits, narrow-angle glaucoma, myasthenia gravis (muscle weakness), enlarged prostate gland, dementia (decline in memory, intelligence or communication), uncontrolled high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, have a family history of stroke or blood clots, liver, heart or brain problems, inform your doctor before taking Trifluoperazine.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeAvoid consumption of alcohol with Trifluoperazine as it may increase the risk of drowsiness and other adverse effects.
Pregnancy
unsafeTrifluoperazine is not recommended for use during pregnancy, especially in the third trimesters as it may cause adverse effects in the baby. Please consult a doctor if you are pregnant or planning for pregnancy.
Breast Feeding
unsafeTrifluoperazine may be unsafe to use during breastfeeding. Please consult a doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Driving
unsafeTrifluoperazine may cause dizziness, double vision or drowsiness in some people. Therefore, avoid driving if you feel drowsy, dizzy or experience any vision problems after taking Trifluoperazine.
Liver
unsafeTrifluoperazine is not recommended for patients suffering from Liver diseases/conditions. Please consult a doctor if you have any concerns regarding this.
Kidney
cautionTake Trifluoperazine with caution, especially if you have a history of Kidney diseases/conditions. The dose may be adjusted by your doctor as required.
Children
cautionUse Trifluoperazine in children in prescribed doses. Your doctor will determine the dose based on your child's condition, age, and body weight.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy body weight.
- Maintain a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Avoid fried foods, high-fat dairy products, pastries, and processed foods as they may worsen anxiety.
- Follow a regular sleep pattern. Do not take a nap during day time.
- Avoid watching tv, and using mobiles or laptops just before bedtime.
- Avoid consumption of alcohol as it may increase drowsiness.
Special Advise
- If you have a special X-ray examination of the spinal cord or brain involving metrizamide (chemical), inform your doctor that you are taking Trifluoperazine.
- Blood tests are recommended while taking Trifluoperazine to monitor blood counts and liver function.
- This medication may make you more sensitive to the sun. Limit your time in the sun, avoid tanning booths and sunlamps, use sunscreen, and wear protective clothing when outdoors. Tell your doctor right away if you get sunburned or have skin blisters or redness.
- This medication may make you sweat less, making you more likely to get heat stroke. Avoid doing things that may cause you to overheat, such as hard work or exercise in hot weather, or using hot tubs. When the weather is hot, drink lots of fluids and dress lightly.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Schizophrenia: It is a mental disorder that affects a person's ability to feel, think and behave clearly. The symptoms include hallucinations, thought or movement disorders, delusions (misbelief), lack of emotion, sleep problems, isolation from family and friends, and difficulty in doing daily activities.
Anxiety: It is a mental health disorder associated with fear, worry, and excessive nervousness that may interfere with daily activities. The anxiety symptoms include feeling more stress than required for that event and a lack of ability to set aside restlessness and worry. Anxiety can be treated by psychotherapy (meeting a psychologist) or medications.
Depression: It is a mood disorder associated with symptoms such as sadness, unable to sleep properly, or enjoy life as you used to do.
FAQs
Trifluoperazine is used to treat schizophrenia (a mental illness). Additionally, it may be used for anxiety, depression, nausea and vomiting.
Trifluoperazine contains Trifluoperazine, an antipsychotic that works by inhibiting the dopamine (chemical messenger) receptors in the brain. Dopamine is involved in regulating mood, behaviour and emotions. Thereby, Trifluoperazine helps in relieving depression, lighten the mood and relieve anxiety symptoms such as fear and panic. Also, Trifluoperazine blocks dopamine receptors in the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ) and inhibits transmission of messages to the vomiting centre. Thereby, it helps in controlling nausea and vomiting.
You are not recommended to take Trifluoperazine with levodopa (antiparkinson drug) as it may decrease the effectiveness of levodopa and increase the risk of adverse effects such as low blood pressure, drowsiness, light-headedness and dizziness. However, please consult your doctor before using Trifluoperazine with any other medicines.
Trifluoperazine should be avoided by dementia (decline in memory, behaviour, thinking and ability to do daily activities) patients as it may increase the risk of severe adverse effects. Therefore, inform your doctor if you are suffering from dementia before taking Trifluoperazine.
Trifluoperazine may be used to treat nausea and vomiting. Trifluoperazine blocks dopamine receptors in the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ) in the brain and inhibits transmission of messages to vomiting centre. Thereby, it helps in controlling nausea and vomiting.
Trifluoperazine may cause dizziness, especially while standing up suddenly from a sitting or lying position. Therefore, to avoid such adverse effects, standing up slowly if you are sitting or lying down is advised. However, if the condition persists or worsens, please consult a doctor.
Trifluoperazine should be used cautiously in patients suffering from fits as it may worsen the condition. Therefore, inform your doctor if you have a history of fits before taking Trifluoperazine.
Trifluoperazine medication may cause face/muscle twitching and uncontrollable movements (tardive dyskinesia). In some cases, this condition may be permanent. Tell your doctor immediately if you develop any uncontrollable movements such as lip smacking, mouth puckering, tongue thrusting, chewing, or unusual arm/leg movements.