Chloral hydrate-oral

This medication is used to calm you just before surgery or other procedures. It belongs to a class of drugs known as hypnotics. It works by affecting certain parts of the brain to cause calmness.

The effects of some drugs can change if you take other drugs or herbal products at the same time. This can increase your risk for serious side effects or may cause your medications not to work correctly. These drug interactions are possible, but do not always occur. Your doctor or pharmacist can often prevent or manage interactions by changing how you use your medications or by close monitoring.To help your doctor and pharmacist give you the best care, be sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products) before starting treatment with this product. While using this product, do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any other medicines you are using without your doctor's approval.Some products that may interact with this drug include: "blood thinners" (such as warfarin).Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking other products that cause drowsiness including alcohol, antihistamines (such as cetirizine, diphenhydramine), drugs for sleep or anxiety (such as alprazolam, diazepam, zolpidem), muscle relaxants, and narcotic pain relievers (such as codeine).Check the labels on all your medicines (such as allergy or cough-and-cold products) because they may contain ingredients that cause drowsiness. Ask your pharmacist about using those products safely.Chloral hydrate may interfere with certain urine laboratory tests (such as certain tests for sugar, catecholamines, 17-hydroxycorticosteroids). Make sure that all your doctors and laboratory personnel know that you are taking chloral hydrate.This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.

Not applicable.

This medication is used to calm you just before surgery or other procedures. It belongs to a class of drugs known as hypnotics. It works by affecting certain parts of the brain to cause calmness.

How to use Chloral Hydrate Capsule

Take this medication by mouth with or without food as directed by your doctor, usually 30 minutes before your surgery/procedure. Follow your doctor's directions for how much liquid or food you can have before your procedure.

If you are using the liquid form of this medication, carefully measure the dose using a special measuring device/spoon. Do not use a household spoon because you may not get the correct dose. Mix your dose with a full glass of water or other liquid (such as fruit juice, ginger ale) before taking it.

Dosage is based on your medical condition and response to treatment. In children, the dosage is also based on weight.

Though it helps many people, this medication may sometimes cause addiction. This risk may be higher if you have a substance use disorder (such as overuse of or addiction to drugs/alcohol). Do not increase your dose, take it more often, or use it for a longer time than prescribed. Properly stop the medication when so directed.

This medication may cause withdrawal reactions, especially if it has been used regularly for a long time or in high doses. In such cases, withdrawal symptoms (such as sweating, trembling, anxiety, confusion, seizures, and hallucinations) may occur if you suddenly stop using this medication. Withdrawal from chloral hydrate can be severe (rarely fatal). To prevent withdrawal reactions, your doctor may reduce your dose gradually. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details, and report any withdrawal reactions right away.

When this medication is used for a long time, it may not work as well. Talk with your doctor if this medication stops working well.

Drowsiness and trouble waking up in the morning, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea, and headache may occur. Stomach problems can be reduced by taking chloral hydrate with a full glass of water. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.

Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.

Tell your doctor right away if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: mental/mood changes (such as confusion, thinking that others wish to harm you), sleep-walking, staggering walk/loss of balance, severe dizziness, fainting.

Long-term use may cause serious stomach problems (gastritis) or kidney problems. Tell your doctor right away if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: vomit that looks like coffee grounds, difficult/painful swallowing, black/tarry stools, severe stomach/abdominal pain, change in the amount of urine.

Get medical help right away if you have any very serious side effects, including: slow/shallow breathing.

A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.

This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

In the US -

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch.

In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

List Chloral Hydrate Capsule side effects by likelihood and severity.

The effects of some drugs can change if you take other drugs or herbal products at the same time. This can increase your risk for serious side effects or may cause your medications not to work correctly. These drug interactions are possible, but do not always occur. Your doctor or pharmacist can often prevent or manage interactions by changing how you use your medications or by close monitoring.

To help your doctor and pharmacist give you the best care, be sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products) before starting treatment with this product. While using this product, do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any other medicines you are using without your doctor's approval.

Some products that may interact with this drug include: "blood thinners" (such as warfarin).

The risk of serious side effects (such as slow/shallow breathing, severe drowsiness/dizziness) may be increased if this medication is taken with other products that may also cause drowsiness or breathing problems. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking other products such as opioid pain or cough relievers (such as codeine, hydrocodone), alcohol, marijuana, other drugs for sleep or anxiety (such as alprazolam, lorazepam, zolpidem), muscle relaxants (such as carisoprodol, cyclobenzaprine), or antihistamines (such as cetirizine, diphenhydramine).

Check the labels on all your medicines (such as allergy or cough-and-cold products) because they may contain ingredients that cause drowsiness. Ask your pharmacist about using those products safely.

Chloral hydrate may interfere with certain urine laboratory tests (such as certain tests for sugar, catecholamines, 17-hydroxycorticosteroids). Make sure that all your doctors and laboratory personnel know that you are taking chloral hydrate.

This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.

Does Chloral Hydrate Capsule interact with other medications?