What is PENTObarbital Sodium: Uses, Warnings & Interactions

How to take PENTObarbital Sodium

• Your doctor will prescribe your exact dose, and how often it should be given. This medicine is given through a needle placed in one of your veins or as a shot into a muscle.

• Injection routeA nurse or other health provider will give you this medicine.

What to do if you miss a dose of PENTObarbital Sodium

PENTObarbital Sodium contraindications

• You should not use this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to pentobarbital, or to other barbiturates. You should not use this medicine if you are pregnant, or if you have porphyria (blood disease).

PENTObarbital Sodium warnings

• It is not safe to take this medicine during pregnancy. It could harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant.

• Make sure your doctor knows if you are breast feeding, have untreated depression, liver disease, or if you have a history of drug abuse.

• This medicine can be habit-forming. Do not use more than your prescribed dose. Call your doctor if you think your medicine is not working.

• Do not stop using this medicine suddenly. Your doctor will need to slowly decrease your dose before you stop it completely.

• This medicine may make you dizzy or drowsy. Avoid driving, using machines, or doing anything else that could be dangerous if you are not alert.

• Pain, swelling, itching, or a lump under your skin where the needle is placed.

• Severe confusion, drowsiness, or muscle weakness.

• Severe nausea, vomiting, or pain in your upper stomach.

• Yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes.

PENTObarbital Sodium interactions

• Do not drink alcohol while you are using this medicine.

• Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using steroid medicine (such as dexamethasone, prednisolone, prednisone, or Medrol®), or medicine for seizures such as phenytoin (Dilantin®), valproate sodium (Depacon®), or valproic acid (Depakene®).

• Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using an MAO inhibitor such as Eldepryl®, Marplan®, Nardil®, or Parnate®, or a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin®). Tell your doctor if you are using a medicine to treat an infection such as doxycycline (Vibramycin®) or griseofulvin (Grifulvin V®).

• Birth control pills may not work as well while you are using phenobarbital. To keep from getting pregnant, use another form of birth control such as condoms, a diaphragm, or contraceptive foam or jelly.

• There are many other drugs that interact with this medicine. Make sure your doctor knows all other medicines you are using.

• Tell your doctor if you use anything else that makes you sleepy. Some examples are allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, and alcohol.