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Dronabinol

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Why is this medication prescribed?

Dronabinol is used to treat nausea and vomiting brought on by chemotherapy in patients who have tried other drugs for this condition without success. Acute immunodeficiency syndrome patients with loss of appetite and weight loss can also be treated with dronabinol (AIDS). A group of drugs known as cannabinoids includesdronabinol. It affects the part of the brain that manages hunger, nausea, and vomiting.

How should this medicine be used?

Dronabinol is available as a liquid solution and a capsule to swallow. To relieve nausea and vomiting brought on by chemotherapy, dronabinol capsules and solution are often taken 1 to 3 hours prior to chemotherapy, followed by every 2 to 4 hours after chemotherapy, for a total of 4 to 6 doses per day. The following dosages can be taken with or without food, but the first dose of the solution should typically be given on an empty stomach at least 30 minutes before eating. Usually taken twice daily, one hour before lunch and dinner, dronabinol capsules and solution are used to enhance appetite. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you do not understand, and carefully follow their instructions. Just as prescribed, take dronabinol.

Do not chew or crush the capsules; instead, swallow them whole.

With a full glass of water, swallow the dronabinol solution (6 to 8 ounces).

To measure your dose, always use the oral dosing syringe that is included with the dronabinol solution. If you’re unsure of how to measure your dose of dronabinol solution, see your physician or pharmacist.

You’ll likely start taking dronabinol at a low dose prescribed by your doctor, who may then gradually raise it. If you suffer adverse effects that do not go away after 1 to 3 days, your doctor might also lower your dose. Throughout your dronabinol treatment, be sure to let your doctor know how you are feeling.

A dependence ondronabinol could develop. Don’t take the medication in excess of what your doctor has suggested in terms of dosage, frequency, or duration. If you discover that you desire to take additional medication, call your doctor.

Just as long as you continue to take the drug willdronabinol keep your symptoms under control. Dronabinol should still be used even if you feel fine. Without consulting your doctor, never discontinue taking dronabinol. You can suffer withdrawal symptoms if you abruptly stop using dronabinol, including irritability, trouble falling or staying asleep, restlessness, hot flashes, sweating, runny nose, diarrhoea, hiccups, and lack of appetite.

For a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

What special precautions should I follow?

Before taking dronabinol,

  • Inform your doctor and pharmacist right away if you experience any allergic reactions to dronabinol, other cannabinoids like nabilone (Cesamet), marijuana (cannabis), other medications, sesame oil in dronabinol capsules, or alcohol in dronabinol solution (such as lip swelling, hives, rash, oral lesions, skin burning, flushing, or tightness in the throat). For a list of the ingredients, ask your pharmacist.
  • Inform your doctor if you are currently taking disulfiram (Antabuse) or metronidazole (Flagyl, in Pylera), or if you have recently stopped taking these drugs. If you are currently on one or more of these drugs, your doctor generally won’t advise you to take dronabinol solution. You should wait seven days after stopping dronabinol solution before taking disulfiram (Antabuse) or metronidazole again (Flagyl, in Pylera).
  • Inform your doctor and pharmacist about all prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products that you are now taking or intend to use. Incorporate any of the following: (Cordarone, Nexterone, Pacerone) amiodarone; amphotericin B (Ambisome), amphetamines such amphetamine (Adzenys, Dyanavel XR, in Adderall), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine, in Adderall), and methamphetamine (Desoxyn), antibiotics like erythromycin (E.E.S., Eryc, Ery-tab, others), and antibiotics like clarithromycin (Biaxin, in Prevpac); antifungal medications such itraconazole (Onmel, Sporanox), fluconazole (Diflucan), and ketoconazole; Warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven) is an anticoagulant (also known as “blood thinner”); amitriptyline, amoxapine, and desipramine (Norpramin) are antidepressants; atropine (Atropen, in Duodote, in Lomotil, and other brands) is an antihistamine buspirone; cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune); diazepam (Diastat, Valium); digoxin (Lanoxin); fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem, Selfemra, in Symbyax); ipratropium (Atrovent); barbiturates such as phenobarbital and secobarbital (Seconal); lithium (Lithobid), muscle relaxants, naltrexone (Revia, Vivitrol, in Contrave), narcotic painkillers such opioids, drugs for anxiety, asthma, colds, irritable bowel syndrome, motion sickness, Parkinson’s disease, seizures, ulcers, or urinary difficulties; scopolamine (Transderm-Scop), prochlorperazine (Compro, Procomp), propranolol (Hemangeol, Inderal, Innopran), ritonavir (Kaletra, Norvir, in Technivie), theophylline, sedatives, sleeping medications, and tranquillizers (Elixophyllin, Theochron, Uniphyl). If you are on disulfiram, let your doctor know before taking dronabinol pills (Antabuse). Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects. Tell your doctor about all the drugs you are taking, even any not on this list, as many other drugs may also interact with dronabinol.
  • If you use or have ever used marijuana or other street drugs, as well as if you regularly consume high amounts of alcohol, let your doctor know. Additionally, let your doctor know if you have or have ever had heart disease, high blood pressure, seizures, dementia (a brain disorder that impairs memory, thinking clearly, communicating, and performing daily tasks and may result in changes in mood and personality), or a mental illness like mania (frenzied or abnormally excited mood), depression (feelings of hopelessness, loss of energy, and/or loss of interest in doing previously enjoyable activities), or schizophrenia (a mental illness that causes hallucin (a mental illness that causes disturbed or unusual thinking and strong or inappropriate emotions),
  • If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, let your doctor know. Do not stop taking dronabinol if you become pregnant. Call your doctor right once.
  • While consuming dronabinol pills or solution, refrain from breastfeeding. Do not breastfeed during treatment and for nine days following your last dronabinol dose if you are taking dronabinol solution for chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting.
  • You should let your doctor or dentist know if you are taking dronabinol if you are having surgery, including dental surgery.
  • You should be aware that dronabinol, particularly at the start of your therapy, may make you sleepy and may cause changes in your mood, thinking, memory, judgement, or behaviour. When you initially start taking dronabinol and whenever your dose is increased, you must be closely monitored by an adult. Until you know how this drug affects you, avoid performing any tasks that call for mental attention, such as operating machinery or driving a car.
  • if you are taking dronabinol, avoid drinking alcohol. Dronabinol’s side effects can be made worse by alcohol.
  • You should be aware that dronabinol can make you feel faint, woozy, and lightheaded if you stand up too rapidly from a reclining position. When you initially start taking dronabinol, this might happen more frequently. Get out of bed gradually, resting your feet on the floor for a few minutes before standing up, to avoid this issue.

What special dietary instructions should I follow?

Learn how to get yourself to eat when you don’t feel like it and what foods are the healthiest options for you by speaking with your doctor or dietitian and reading the patient information provided by the manufacturer.

While consuming dronabinol oral solution, avoid eating or drinking grapefruit.

What should I do if I forget a dose?

If you miss a dosage, take it as soon as you recall. If the next dose is soon due, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing plan. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

What side effects can this medication cause?

Dronabinol could have negative effects. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

  • Weakness
  • Abdominal pain
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Loss of memory
  • Anxiety
  • Confusion
  • Sleepiness
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Dizziness
  • Insecure walking
  • Feeling as if your body is not your own
  • Elevated or heightened mood
  • Hallucinations (seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist)
  • Depression
  • Unusual or strange thoughts
  • Headaches
  • Vision issues
  • Having dizziness

Certain adverse effects can be very harmful. Call your doctor right away if any of these symptoms occur to you:

  • Seizures
  • Hammering or rapid heartbeat
  • Fainting

Further negative effects ofdronabinol are possible. If you experience any strange issues while taking this medicine, contact your doctor right away.

What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Capsules should be kept in a refrigerator or a cool place (between 46 and 59 °F, 8 and 15 °C). The capsules must not freeze. Refrigerate the container containing the unopened dronabinol solution. The dronabinol solution can be kept at room temperature for up to 28 days after being opened. Medication should not be exposed to heat, sunlight, or moisture.

So that no one else can take it intentionally or accidently, keep dronabinol in a secure location. Count the remaining capsules and solution so you can identify any missing medications.

Although many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medications website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

In case of emergency/overdose

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Moreover, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

Overdose signs could include the following:

  • Drowsiness
  • Unsuitable happiness
  • Sharper than typical senses
  • Altered perception of time
  • Eye colour
  • Mouth ache
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Memory issues
  • Feeling as if your body is not your own
  • Mood shifts
  • Having trouble urinating
  • Constipation
  • Lower coordination
  • Extreme fatigue
  • Having trouble speaking clearly
  • Fainting or dizziness from standing up too quickly

What other information should I know?

Keep all of your doctor’s appointments.

No one else should take your medication. Any queries you may have regarding medication refills should be directed to your pharmacist.

No one else should take your medication. You can only get your dronabinol (Marinol®) prescription filled so many times.

It is not refillable if you use dronabinol (Syndros®). If you plan to use dronabinol (Syndros®) on a regular basis, make sure to arrange appointments with your doctor so that you do not run out of the drug.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.

Brand names

  • Marinol®
  • Syndros®
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