DRONABINOL

(droe NAH bih nol) Brand: Marinol

What is the most significant information I must know about dronabinol?

• Dronabinol may be habit-forming and should be used only by the face it was predesigned for. Dronabinol must never be given to other face, especially somebody who has a history of drug addiction or habitual marijuana use. Hold the medicine in a secure seat where others can't get to it.

• Do not use dronabinol if you have ever had an allergic reaction to natural or man-made marijuana.

• Till taking dronabinol, speak your doctor if you have a seizure mess, tall blood pressure, heart malady, a history of mental diseases or drug addiction, or if you are also using another medicines that can affect your central nervous system, such as a tranquilizer, sleep medication, or anti-psychotic medications.

• Use this medicine exactly as it was predesigned for you. Do not use it in larger amounts or for longer than recommended by your doctor.

• Avoid using another medicines that affect the central nervous system (such as stimulants, diet pills, cool medication, pain medicine, muscle relaxers, and medication for seizures, depression, anxiety, mental diseases, or Parkinson's disease). These another drugs can add to the effects of dronabinol.

• Dronabinol causes effects that will impair your thinking or reactions. Do not drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert before the effects of dronabinol wear off.

• There are much another medicines that can add to the side effects of dronabinol. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal commodity, and drugs predesigned by another doctors. Do not start using a new medicine without telling your doctor.

What is dronabinol?

• Dronabinol is a man-made form of cannabis (marijuana is an herbal form of cannabis). Dronabinol causes much effects on your central nervous system.

• Dronabinol is used to treat loss of appetite in people with AIDS. It is also used to treat severe nausea and vomiting that is caused by cancer chemotherapy. Dronabinol is for use only when another medications have been unable to control the nausea and vomiting.

• Dronabinol may also be used for purposes another than those listed in this medicine guide.

What must I discuss with my health care provider till taking dronabinol?

• Do not use this medicine if you are allergic to sesame oil, or if you have ever had an allergic reaction to natural or man-made marijuana such as dronabinol or nabilone (Cesamet).

• Till using dronabinol, speak your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

· epilepsy or another seizure disorder;

· tall blood pressure (hypertension);

· heart disease;

· past or gift mental diseases such as depression, schizophrenia, or another psychotic disorders;

· a history of drug or alcohol addiction; or

· if you are also using another medicines that can affect your central nervous system, such as a tranquilizer, sleep medication, or anti-psychotic medications.

• If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use dronabinol, or you may need a dosage adjustment or particular trials during treatment.

• Dronabinol may be habit-forming and should be used only by the face it was predesigned for. Dronabinol must never be given to other face, especially somebody who has a history of drug abuse or habitual marijuana use. Hold the medicine in a secure seat where others can't get to it.

• FDA pregnancy category C. This medicine may be deleterious to an unborn child. Speak your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

• Dronabinol can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing child. Do not use this medicine without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

• Older adults may be especially sensitive to the side effects of dronabinol.

• Dronabinol is not for use in patients younger than 18 years old.

How must I take dronabinol?

• Take this medicine exactly as it was predesigned for you. Do not take the medicine in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

• As an appetite stimulant, dronabinol is generally taken till dinner and dinner.

• To prevent nausea and vomiting, dronabinol is generally given 1 to 3 hours till you receive your chemotherapy treatment, and each 2 to 4 hours afterward. Follow your doctor's instructions.

• Store dronabinol at cold room temperature. You may store the medication in the refrigerator, but do not let it to freeze.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. If it is nearly time for your following doze, skip the missed doze and take the medication at the following regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention if you think you have used too many of this medication. Symptoms of a dronabinol overdose may include dry mouth, extreme drowsiness, feeling extremely lucky or sad, quick heartbeat, memory problems, urinating smaller than normal or not at all, disorientation, unusual thoughts or behaviors, problems with speech or coordination, panic, fainting, or seizure (convulsions).

What must I avoid while taking dronabinol?

• Dronabinol causes effects that will impair your thinking or reactions. Do not drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert before the effects of dronabinol wear off.

What are the possible side effects of dronabinol?

• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Stop using dronabinol and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

· seizure (convulsions);

· paranoia, extreme fear;

· quick heart rate;

· feeling light-headed, fainting; or

· unusual thoughts or behavior.

• Continue using dronabinol and conversation with your doctor if you have any of these smaller serious side effects:

· mood changes;

· dizziness, trouble concentrating;

· feeling "high";

· weakness, lack of coordination;

· anxiety, confusion;

· stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;

· warmth or tingly feeling; or

· sleep problems (insomnia).

• Side effects another than those listed here may also occur. Conversation to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What another drugs will affect dronabinol?

• Till taking dronabinol, speak your doctor if you are using any of the next drugs:

· sedatives such as Ativan, Dalmane, Halcion, Klonopin, Librium, ProSom, Restoril, Tranxene, Valium, Xanax;

· barbiturates such as butalbital (Fiorinal), phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton), secobarbital (Seconal);

· amphetamines, including stimulants and medication to treat attention deficit hyperactivity mess (ADHD);

· prescription or over-the-counter weight loss aids (Dexatrim, Meridia);

· antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), amoxapine (Ascendin), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), imipramine (Tofranil), or nortriptyline (Pamelor);

· lithium;

· theophylline (Respbid, Slo-Bid, Theo-24, Theo-Dur, Uniphyl);

· buspirone (BuSpar);

· atropine (Donnatal, and others);

· belladonna, dicyclomine (Bentyl);

· clidinium (Quarzan);

· glycopyrrolate (Robinul);

· hyoscyamine (Anaspaz, Cystospaz, Levsin, and others);

· mepenzolate (Cantil);

· methscopolamine (Pamine), and scopolamine (Transderm-Scop);

· methantheline (Provocholine), propantheline (Pro-Banthine); or

· street drugs such as cocaine or Ectasy.

• If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to use dronabinol, or you may need dosage adjustments or particular trials during treatment.

• There may be another drugs not listed that can affect dronabinol. Speak your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal commodity, and drugs predesigned by another doctors. Do not start using a new medicine without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist has more information about dronabinol written for health professionals that you may read.

Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.

Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

(20)