Doxylamine

Doxylamine is used in the treatment of:

• Headache
• Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial
• Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Take doxylamine exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The Doxylamine dose your doctor recommends will be based on the following (use any or all that apply):

• the condition being treated
• other medical conditions you have
• other medications you are taking
• how you respond to this medication
• your weight
• your height
• your age
• your gender

Doxylamine is available in the following doses:

• Doxylamine 25 Mg Oral Tablet
• Doxylamine 5 Mg Oral Tablet, Chewable
• Doxylamine Compounding Powder

Doxylamine is available in the following forms:

• Oral Capsule
• Oral Solution
• Oral Suspension
• Oral Tablet
• Prefilled Applicator

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Overdose symptoms may include severe forms of some of the side effects listed in this medication guide.

• Tell all of your health care providers that you take doxylamine. This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.
• Avoid driving and doing other tasks or actions that call for you to be alert after you take this medicine. You may still feel sleepy the day after you take doxylamine. Avoid these tasks or actions until you feel fully awake.
• Avoid drinking alcohol while taking this medicine.
• Talk with your doctor before you use other drugs and natural products that slow your actions.
• Be careful in hot weather or while being active. Drink lots of fluids to stop fluid loss.
• If you are 65 or older, use doxylamine with care. You could have more side effects.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant. You will need to talk about the benefits and risks of using this medicine while you are pregnant.
• Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. You will need to talk about any risks to your baby.

Doxylamine competes with histamine for H1-receptor sites on effector cells; blocks chemoreceptor trigger zone, diminishes vestibular stimulation, and depresses labyrinthine function through its central anticholinergic activity.

Metabolism

Hepatic by N-dealkylation to metabolites

Excretion

Urine (primarily as metabolites)

Time to Peak

2-4 hours (Paton, 1985; Friedman, 1985; Friedman, 1989)

Half-Life Elimination

10-12 hours (Paton, 1985; Friedman, 1985); may be increased in the elderly (Friedman, 1989)

There are no dosage adjustments provided in the manufacturer's labeling.

• Discuss specific use of drug and side effects with patient as it relates to treatment. (HCAHPS: During this hospital stay, were you given any medicine that you had not taken before? Before giving you any new medicine, how often did hospital staff tell you what the medicine was for? How often did hospital staff describe possible side effects in a way you could understand?)

• Patient may experience fatigue, dizziness, constipation, dry mouth, or thickening of mucus. Have patient report immediately to prescriber lack of sweating, angina, tachycardia, passing out, urinary retention, difficult urination, severe loss of strength and energy, hallucinations, seizures, severe anxiety, or tremors (HCAHPS).

• Educate patient about signs of a significant reaction (eg, wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; seizures; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat). Note: This is not a comprehensive list of all side effects. Patient should consult prescriber for additional questions.

Intended Use and Disclaimer: Should not be printed and given to patients. This information is intended to serve as a concise initial reference for healthcare professionals to use when discussing medications with a patient. You must ultimately rely on your own discretion, experience and judgment in diagnosing, treating and advising patients.

Applies to doxylamine: oral tablets

Side effects include:

Drowsiness.

Data not available