seconal-sodium
Warnings
What may interact with Seconal?
Do not take this medicine with any of the following medications:
-other barbituates
-voriconazole
This medicine may also interact with the following medications:
-alcohol or medicines that contain alcohol
-antihistamines
-doxycycline
-female hormones, like estrogens or progestins and birth control pills
-griseofulvin
-MAOIs like Carbex, Eldepryl, Marplan, Nardil, and Parnate
-medicines for depression, anxiety, or psychotic disturbances
-medicines for sleep
-muscle relaxants
-narcotic medicines for pain
-phenothiazines like chlorpromazine, mesoridazine, prochlorperazine, thioridazine
-steroid medicines like prednisone or cortisone
-warfarin
What should I tell my health care provider before I take Seconal?
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
-acute or chronic pain
-attempted suicide
-drug abuse or addiction
-if you frequently drink alcohol containing drinks
-liver disease
-lung or breathing disease
-mental depression
-porphyria
-an unusual or allergic reaction to secobarbital, other barbiturates, medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
-pregnant or trying to get pregnant
-breast-feeding
What should I watch for while using Seconal?
Visit your doctor or health care professional for regular check ups.
Do not take this medicine unless you are able to get a full night''s sleep before you must be active again. You may not be able to remember things that you do in the hours after you take this medicine. Some people have reported driving, making phone calls, or preparing and eating food while asleep after taking sleep medicine. Take this medicine right before going to sleep. Tell your doctor if you have any problems with your memory.
After taking this medicine, you may get up out of bed and do an activity that you do not know you are doing. The next morning, you may have no memory of this. Activities include driving a car ("sleep-driving"), making and eating food, talking on the phone, sexual activity, and sleep-walking. Serious injuries have occurred. Call your doctor right away if you find out you have done any of these activities. Do not take this medicine if you have used alcohol that evening. Do not take it if you have taken another medicine for sleep. The risk of doing these sleep-related activities is higher.
If you have been taking this medicine for a long time, do not suddenly stop taking it because you may develop a severe reaction. Your body becomes used to the medicine. This does NOT mean you are addicted. Addiction is a behavior related to getting and using a drug for a nonmedical reason. If your doctor wants you to stop the medicine, the dose will be slowly lowered over time to avoid any side effects.
You may get drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how this medicine affects you. Do not stand or sit up quickly, especially if you are an older patient. This reduces the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Alcohol may interfere with the effect of this medicine. Avoid alcoholic drinks.
Birth control pills may not work properly while you are taking this medicine. Talk to your doctor about using an extra method of birth control.
Where should I keep my medicine?
Keep out of the reach of children. This medicine can be abused. Keep your medicine in a safe place to protect it from theft. Do not share this medicine with anyone. Selling or giving away this medicine is dangerous and against the law.
This medicine may cause accidental overdose and death if taken by other adults, children, or pets. Mix any unused medicine with a substance like cat litter or coffee grounds. Then throw the medicine away in a sealed container like a sealed bag or a coffee can with a lid. Do not use the medicine after the expiration date.
Store at room temperature between 15 and 30 degrees C (59 and 86 degrees F).
SOCIAL