Thioridazine
About
Thioridazine belongs to a group of medications called ‘antipsychotics.’ It is used to treat schizophrenia or psychosis and bipolar disorder (manic depression). Schizophrenia is characterized by hallucinations symptoms (seeing or hearing things that are not real) and delusions (wrong beliefs). Manic episodes of excitement or depression characterize bipolar disorder. Thioridazine prevents the occurrence of these symptoms.
Thioridazine contains ‘Thioridazine,’ which is an antipsychotic drug. It acts by blocking dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain responsible for developing schizophrenia and bipolar disorder symptoms. Thioridazine rebalances dopamine to improve thinking, mood and behaviour. It also blocks the other natural substance receptors in the brain, such as histamine and muscarinic, thereby preventing nausea and vomiting.
Take Thioridazine as prescribed by your doctor. You are advised to take Thioridazine as long as your doctor has prescribed it for you, depending on your medical condition. In some cases, you may experience common side effects such as sleepiness, orthostatic hypotension (sudden lowering of blood pressure on standing), dry mouth, abnormality of voluntary movements, weight gain, urinary retention, constipation, muscle stiffness, and tremor. Most of these side effects of Thioridazine do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if these side effects persist longer, please consult your doctor.
Do not take Thioridazine if you are allergic to Thioridazine or any other ingredients present in it. Before taking Thioridazine, talk to your doctor if you or your family have a history of blood clots, stroke or heart diseases and if you are above 65 years and have a history of dementia (memory loss). Thioridazine is not recommended during pregnancy as it may affect the unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding before taking Thioridazine. It is not recommended for use in children under 1 year of age. Thioridazine contains lactose, so it should not be given to people who are intolerant to some sugars. Please do not stop taking Thioridazine without your doctor’s advice, as it may lead to withdrawal symptoms.
Uses of Thioridazine
Medicinal Benefits
Thioridazine works by helping to restore the balance of certain natural substances in the brain. The key action of Thioridazine is to block the dopamine receptors (D2) in the brain and correct dopamine's overactivity. Altogether, Thioridazine may help decrease hallucinations and help you think more clearly and positively about yourself, feel less agitated and take a more active part in everyday life. On the other hand, it also blocks histamine H1 and muscarinic M1 receptors in the vomiting centre, thereby preventing nausea and vomiting.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Thioridazine
- Orthostatic hypotension (sudden lowering of blood pressure on standing)
- Sleepiness
- Dryness in mouth
- Urinary retention
- Weight gain
- Constipation
- Muscle stiffness
- Tremor
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
Do not take Thioridazine if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to Thioridazine or any ingredients present in it. Please consult your doctor before taking Thioridazine if you are pregnant or planning to conceive and breastfeed. Elderly patients (above 65 years) with dementia-related psychosis (memory loss) treated with antipsychotic drugs are at increased risk of death. Thioridazine injection is not recommended for treating patients with dementia-related psychosis. Do not abruptly stop taking the medication, as it may cause withdrawal symptoms, especially suicidal thoughts in young adults. If you are an asthmatic patient, please inform your doctor before taking a Thioridazine injection, as it may cause life-threatening allergic-type reactions, including anaphylactic symptoms. Before taking Thioridazine, talk to your doctor if you have a history of blood clots, alcohol or drug abuse, fits (seizures), Parkinson's disease, hypothyroidism (reduced activity of the thyroid gland), stroke or heart diseases and glaucoma (increased pressure in the eye).
Drug Interactions
Drug-drug interactions: Thioridazine may interact with some medications, including antidepressants (citalopram, escitalopram, bupropion), medicines for Parkinson’s disease (levodopa), antiepileptic ( carbamazepine, phenobarbital), medicines that control heartbeat ( amiodarone, disopyramide, quinidine), medicines used to calm emotion and mental disorder (olanzapine, prochlorperazine) antihypertensive (clonidine, guanethidine, propranolol), antibiotic (moxifloxacin) and medication used to treat mental illness (lithium).
Drug-food interactions: Thioridazine may interact with grapefruit and alcohol and increase the risk of side effects.
Drug-disease interactions: Thioridazine should be used with caution in patients with heart problems such as QT prolongation (heart rhythm problem), acute alcohol abuse, central nervous system (CNS) depression, hypokalemia (low levels of potassium in your blood), enlarged prostate gland, dementia, stroke, seizures, respiratory problems, Parkinson's disease, diabetes and liver or kidney problems.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeAlcohol may worsen the condition and increase the risk of side effects while using Thioridazine.
Pregnancy
cautionThioridazine is a category C pregnancy drug; using Thioridazine during pregnancy may affect your unborn baby. Please consult your doctor before taking Thioridazine if you are pregnant or planning to conceive.
Breast Feeding
cautionThioridazine is known to pass through the breast milk. So, it is recommended not to be taken during breastfeeding. However, your doctor may prescribe it for you during breastfeeding if he/she feels that the benefits to you outweighs the risk.
Driving
unsafeThioridazine may cause drowsiness, and dizziness in some cases, especially in elderly patients. If you are affected, do not drive or operate dangerous machinery after taking Thioridazine.
Liver
cautionThioridazine should be used with caution if you have liver disease. Your doctor may adjust the dose of this medicine based on your condition.
Kidney
cautionThioridazine should be used with caution if you have kidney disease. Your doctor may adjust the dose of this medicine based on your condition.
Children
cautionThioridazine is not recommended for children below 1 year of age. Children aged 1 and above can be given Thioridazine but take it only in dose and duration prescribed by your doctor.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Monitor your mood. Keep track of your mood regularly, including factors such as sleep, medicine and activities that can impact your mood. Exercise daily.
- Exercise is nice to relieve tension. It can also avoid the weight gain that can be a side effect of your bipolar medication.
- You may also practice calming techniques such as meditation and deep breathing exercises.
- Get some normal sleep. Having enough sleep will help to stabilize your mood.
- Eat a healthy diet. Certain foods may affect your mood more than others. Consider keeping a food log to track what you eat and how certain foods make you feel. Talk to your doctor or nutritionist about foods that may help stabilize your mood.
- Stay optimistic. It will take time for your symptoms to improve after you start bipolar therapy, but you will feel relaxed knowing that you will get better and that the worst is most definitely behind you.
- A person should take a healthy diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, skinless poultry, nuts, fish, whole grains, plant-based oils and low-fat dairy products will help to keep a person in good health.
Special Advise
- Geriatric patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with Thioridazine are at an increased risk of death, and please consult your doctor before taking Thioridazine.
- Monitor the levels of electrolytes (salts such as potassium and magnesium) in your blood, blood sugar and cholesterol level, and body weight while taking Thioridazine.
- Regularly visit your optician for an eye examination as Thioridazine is known to cause eye problems.
- Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and sticking to your treatment plan will help you do that.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Schizophrenia (psychosis): It is a mental illness in which brain information processing is affected. Patients with schizophrenia develop symptoms such as hallucinations (seeing or hearing unreal things), delusions (false beliefs) and become withdrawal from society. They lose the ability to differentiate reality from false beliefs. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder may occur due to genetic factors, alcohol or drug abuse, or mental trauma. Schizophrenia may also occur due to brain injuries or diseases.
Bipolar disorder: Patients with bipolar disorders have mood swings ranging from manic episodes of heightened excitement to severe depression. It may occur due to genetic factors, alcohol or drug abuse and mental trauma. It used to be known as manic depression.
FAQs
Thioridazine contains ‘Thioridazine,’ an antipsychotic drug that blocks dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain responsible for developing schizophrenia and bipolar disorder symptoms. Thioridazine rebalances dopamine to improve thinking, mood, and behaviour.
You are not recommended to stop taking Thioridazine without consulting your doctor. It may cause withdrawal symptoms such as palpitations (the sensation that the heart skipped a beat or extra beat), anxiety, confusion, difficulty sleeping and tremors. Therefore, take Thioridazine for as long as your doctor has prescribed it, and if you experience any difficulty while taking Thioridazine, please consult your doctor so that the dose may be gradually reduced.
Thioridazine is not recommended for patients suffering from myasthenia gravis (severe muscle weakness) as it may worsen the condition. Therefore, inform your doctor if you have myasthenia gravis before taking Thioridazine.
Thioridazine may increase your body weight. So, while taking Thioridazine keep a check on your body weight. Also, monitor your blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Thioridazine can decrease anxiety, irritability or agitation. However, you should consult a doctor before using Thioridazine for any condition.
No, Thioridazine should be taken with caution, especially in elderly patients with dementia, as Thioridazine is known to cause an increased death rate in such patients.
Thioridazine is known to cause changes in blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes and are taking Thioridazine, please regularly monitor your blood sugar level to avoid any unpleasant side effects of Thioridazine.
