Triclofos
About
Triclofos belongs to a class of drugs called 'sedative-hypnotics' primarily used in the short-term treatment of insomnia. Insomnia is a sleep disorder that causes difficulty in falling asleep or staying asleep. It may be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term) due to various complications like stress, anxiety, and breathing problems.
Triclofos works by increasing GABA activity, which is a chemical messenger in the brain acting as a natural nerve-calming agent, thereby inducing sleep. Thus, Triclofos relaxes muscles, reduces anxiety, and helps falls asleep.
Take Triclofos as prescribed by your doctor. You are suggested to take Triclofos as long as your doctor has prescribed it after checking your medical condition. Some people may experience dizziness, diarrhea, drowsiness, headache, nausea, vomiting, nose or throat infections, tiredness, stomach pain, double vision, and back pain. Most of these side effects of Triclofos do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects persist or worsen, please consult your doctor.
If you are known to be allergic to Triclofos or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. If you notice that tablets' effect is not as well as at the beginning of the treatment, please consult a doctor as you might have developed tolerance to Triclofos, and dose adjustment may be required. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it is advised to consult a doctor before using Triclofos. If you have kidney, liver, or breathing problems, severe muscle weakness, sleep apnoea (a serious condition where breathing stops and repeatedly starts in sleep), and if you have a history of depression or mental illness, please inform your doctor before taking Triclofos.
Uses of Triclofos
Medicinal Benefits
Triclofos is indicated for the treatment of insomnia. This medicine is also used to relieve nervousness before any medical procedure. After taking Triclofos, it gets converted to 'Trichloroethanol' in the body that works on the brain and relaxes the body to produce good sleep. Triclofos reduces the time taken to fall asleep and increases the length of deep sleep. This relaxing good night's sleep helps the body strengthen your immune system, restore energy, make new healthy cells, and promote the body's repair.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Triclofos
- Rash
- Vomiting
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Flatulence
- Abdominal pain
- Drug Dependence
- Nightmare
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
Stop taking Triclofos and contact your doctor right away if you notice a sudden change in sleep behavior or not being fully awake after waking up or having trouble doing activities you generally do. The effects of Triclofos may even remain to the next day after you wake up, so it's better to take about 7 to 8 hours of sleep after taking Triclofos. It would be best to wait for a minimum of 8 hours after taking medicine before you drive or operate machinery. Elderly people are more sensitive to undesirable effects of Triclofos, especially dizziness or confusion. Don't stop taking Triclofos without informing your doctor. It may cause withdrawal symptoms like vomiting or nausea.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interaction: Triclofos may have interaction with high blood pressure-lowering medicines (metoprolol), opioid pain killers (hydrocodone, oxycodone, naloxone, tramadol), antidepressants (sertraline, desipramine, fluoxetine, venlafaxine, bupropion, fluvoxamine, escitalopram, amitriptyline, citalopram, duloxetine, mirtazapine), antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, rifampicin), antifungal drugs (ketoconazole), anti-anxiety drugs (alprazolam, clonazepam, lorazepam), antiallergics/antihistamines (diphenhydramine, hydroxyzine), muscle relaxants (cyclobenzaprine), and antiepileptic drugs (gabapentin, pregabalin).
Drug-Food Interaction: Triclofos may interact with caffeine, St John’s wort (herbal medicine for treating depression) and may reduce the effectiveness of Triclofos. Also, avoid alcohol intake as it may increase the risk of dependence, psychomotor impairment (slowdown of thought process and reduced physical movements), sleepwalking, or sleep-driving.
Drug-Disease Interaction: Do not take Triclofos if you have severe liver disease, breathing problems, sleep apnoea (sudden stopping of breathing during sleep), severe muscle weakness, kidney problems, and any history of depression or mental illness.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeAvoid alcohol consumption with Triclofos as it may increase the risk of dependence, psychomotor impairment (slowdown of thought process, and reduced physical movements), sleepwalking, or sleep-driving.
Pregnancy
unsafeTriclofos is a Category C pregnancy drug and is not recommended for use during pregnancy as it may cause adverse effects in the baby after birth. Consult your doctor for further advice.
Breast Feeding
unsafeAvoid breastfeeding while taking Triclofos as it may be excreted in breast milk. Consult your doctor for further advice.
Driving
unsafeYou may experience dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, decreased alertness, blurred, or double vision, especially the day after taking Triclofos. Therefore, avoid driving if you feel drowsy or dizzy after taking Triclofos.
Liver
cautionTake Triclofos with caution, especially if you have a history of Liver diseases/conditions. The dose may be adjusted by your doctor as required. Triclofos is not recommended for severe liver disease patients.
Kidney
cautionTake Triclofos with caution, especially if you have a history of Kidney diseases/conditions. The dose may be adjusted by your doctor as required.
Children
unsafeTriclofos is not recommended for children below 18 years of age.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Do regular exercise during day time.
- Do not take a nap during day time. Set regular timings to go to bed and wake up.
- Relax at least 1 hour before bedtime by bathing with warm water, listening to music, or reading a book.
- Make the bedroom dark and quiet, and ensure that your pillows and mattresses are comfortable.
- Avoid watching tv, using mobiles or laptops just before bedtime.
- Limit caffeine intake, including tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cola, and energy drinks, as it may reduce the effectiveness of Triclofos.
- Avoid alcohol consumption as it may increase the risk of psychomotor impairment (slowdown of thought process and reduced physical movements), dependence, sleepwalking, or sleep-driving.
Special Advise
- You are advised to take Triclofos on an empty stomach as taking Triclofos with food may reduce the effect of Triclofos.
- If you are depressed or have depression in the past, please inform your doctor before taking Triclofos as it may increase self-harming or suicidal thoughts.
- If you notice any behavioral side effects such as delusions (false belief), nightmares, irritability, restlessness, aggressiveness, or hallucinations (hear, feel or see things that are actually not present), please contact your doctor.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Insomnia: It is a disorder of sleep associated with problems in falling asleep or staying asleep. It may be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term) in nature. Acute insomnia may last from one night to few weeks and occurs due to stress or life changes. Chronic insomnia may last from more than 3 nights per week to more than 3 months. Insomnia is mostly caused due to depression, stress, anxiety, jet lag, shift work, uncomfortable beds, chronic illness, caffeine, nicotine or alcohol intake, or certain medicines. It may be treated using sleeping pills, behavior therapy, sleep habits changes, and identifying and treating chronic conditions.
FAQs
A night of good relaxing sleep helps strengthen the immune system, improves heart health, repairs tissues and muscles. Good refreshing sleep keeps a person active for the next day, improves mental ability, learning, and reduces stress in their body.
Some of the common causes of sleeplessness (insomnia) include stress, poor sleeping habits, mental health issues, physical medical conditions, and pain related to them, and the usage of certain medicines.
You fall asleep soon after getting into bed, within 30 minutes or less. You typically sleep straight through the night, waking up no more than once per night. You're able to sleep the recommended amount of hours for your age group
It is suggested to stick to a sleeping schedule and take about 8 hours of sleep during the night. Eat light foods at night and limit alcohol consumption, caffeine, tea, smoking, or any product that affects sleep. Take less stress and make your environment restful before sleeping.
Lying in bed with closed eyes does not mean you are sleeping. It simply means your body is resting but not your brain.
You are recommended to take Triclofos just before bedtime as it helps to sleep quickly and improves the quality of sleep. If you forget to take Triclofos at night, do not take it in the daytime as it may cause drowsiness, confusion, and dizziness.
Triclofos is not recommended for depression patients as it may worsen the condition and increase self-harming or suicidal thoughts. Therefore, if you are suffering from depression or have a history of depression, please inform your doctor before taking Triclofos.
Yes, Triclofos may cause dependence (mental and physical effects caused due to compulsion of taking Triclofos) if used in high doses and for a prolonged time. This risk of dependency on Triclofos increases in patients with a history of drug or alcohol abuse.
