General Information on Prolixin
Prolixin is the brand name for Fluphenazine. This is an anti-psychotic drug in a group of medications called phenothiazines.
This drug works by altering the action of chemicals in our brain. Prolixin is essentially used to treat psychotic disorders like schizophrenia.
A patient should instantly stop using this drug if he or she has an uncontrollable movement of the eyes, lips, face, tongue, legs, or arms. These are early signs of dangerous side effects.
Patients with liver disease, brain damage, blood cell disorders, bone marrow depression, or allergies should avoid the use of Prolixin.
You can only buy Prolixin if your doctor has prescribed this drug for your treatment.
Side effects of Prolixin
Immediate medical help is required if these signs of allergic reactions occur after the use of Prolixin:
- Swelling of the face, lips, throat, or tongue
- Difficulty breathing
- Uncontrollable tremors
- Agitation
- Seizures or convulsions
- Decreased vision at night
- Nausea, stomach pain, skin rashes and jaundice
- High fever, stiff muscles, sweating
- Infrequent or no urination
- Joint pain, muscle ache, chest pain
The less serious side effects of Prolixin include:
- Anxiety and drowsiness
- Breast swelling
- Sleeping problems
- Headache and blurred vision
- Changes in menstrual periods
- Dry mouth
- Constipation
- Mild skin rash
Dosage of Prolixin
The Prolixin dosage varies as per the severity of a patient’s condition as well as the duration of symptoms. For an adult patient, the total dosage per day may range from Prolixin 2.5 mg to Prolixin 10 mg and should be divided at 6 to 8 hour intervals.
However, a therapeutic effect is achieved with doses that are under Prolixin 20 mg/day. Patients with a severe condition may need upwards of Prolixin 40 mg/day.
When symptoms of patients are controlled, the doses are to be gradually reduced to Prolixin 0.5-1 mg/day as a single dose. Continued treatment will offer a therapeutic benefit. Further adjustments in dosage during the course of therapy are needed in order to meet the requirements of each patient.
For patients who get stabilized with a fixed dose per day or with orally administered Prolixin, injectable Prolixin or long-acting Prolixin Decanoate is recommended.
For geriatric patients, the suggested dose is Prolixin 1.0-2.5mg/day. The dose is adjusted as per each patient’s response.
Patients who are unwilling to undergo oral therapy may buy Prolixin injection.
In case of a missed dose, the patient should take the dose as soon as he or she remembers. However, the missed dose is to be skipped if it is already time for the next regular dose. Patients should not overdose on Prolixin just to make up for the missed dose.
In case of an overdose, a patient has to seek emergency medical attention. The symptoms of an overdose are constipation, stomach cramps, dry mouth, uncontrollable muscle movements, extreme drowsiness, and difficulty breathing.
Interactions
In total, 1055 drugs have an interaction with Prolixin, out of which 68 (275 branded and generic drugs) are major, 946 (4993 branded and generic drugs) are moderate, and 41 (233 branded and generic drugs) are minor. The following drugs are to be avoided if you are on Prolixin: Abilify, Ativan, Bentropine, Congentin, Depakote, Geodon, Haldol, Ibuprofen, Klonopin, Lamictal, Lipitor, Lithium, Metformin, Multivitamin, Risperdal, Seroquel, Synthroid, Topamax, Trazodone, and Zyprexa.
