Clindex : Uses, Side Effects, Interactions & More

Notice:

TOPIC: Benzodiazepine Drug Class: Drug Safety Communication – Boxed Warning Updated to Improve Safe Use

AUDIENCE: Patient, Health Professional, Pharmacy

ISSUE: The FDA is requiring the Boxed Warning, FDA’s most prominent warning, be updated by adding other information to the prescribing information for all benzodiazepine medicines. This information will describe the risks of abuse, misuse, addiction, physical dependence, and withdrawal reactions consistently across all the medicines in the class. The FDA is also requiring updates to the existing patient Medication Guides to help educate patients and caregivers about these risks.

Other changes are also being required to several sections of the prescribing information, including to the Warnings and Precautions, Drug Abuse and Dependence, and Patient Counseling Information sections.

BACKGROUND: Benzodiazepines are a class of medicines approved to treat generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia, seizures, social phobia, and panic disorder.

RECOMMENDATION:

Health Care Professionals

  • Consider the patient’s condition and the other medicines being taken, and assess the risk of abuse, misuse, and addiction, available at: http://bit.ly/3lfHUIG.
  • Limit the dosage and duration of each medicine to the minimum needed to achieve the desired clinical effect when prescribing benzodiazepines, alone or in combination with other medicines.
  • Use a gradual taper to reduce the dosage or to discontinue benzodiazepines to reduce the risk of acute withdrawal reactions.
  • Take precautions when benzodiazepines are used in combination with opioid addiction medications, available at: http://bit.ly/3eNL9ET.

Patients, Parents, and Caregivers

  • Always tell your health care professionals about all the prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines you are taking or any other substances you are using, including alcohol.
  • Take benzodiazepines and all medicines exactly as prescribed by your health care professional
  • Discuss a plan for slowly decreasing the dose and frequency of your benzodiazepine(s) with your health care professional.
  • Contact your health care professional if you experience withdrawal symptoms or your medical condition worsens.
  • Go to an emergency room or call 911 if you have trouble breathing or other serious side effects such as seizures.

For more information visit the FDA website at: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation and http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety.

IMPORTANT WARNING:

Chlordiazepoxide may increase the risk of serious or life-threatening breathing problems, sedation, or coma if used along with certain medications. Tell your doctor if you are taking or plan to take certain opiate medications for cough such as codeine (in Triacin-C, in Tuzistra XR) or hydrocodone (in Anexsia, in Norco, in Zyfrel) or for pain such as codeine (in Fiorinal), fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic, Subsys, others), hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Exalgo), meperidine (Demerol), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), morphine (Astramorph, Duramorph PF, Kadian), oxycodone (in Oxycet, in Percocet, in Roxicet, others), and tramadol (Conzip, Ultram, in Ultracet). Your doctor may need to change the dosages of your medications and will monitor you carefully. If you take the Clindex with any of these medications and you develop any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical care immediately: unusual dizziness, lightheadedness, extreme sleepiness, slowed or difficult breathing, or unresponsiveness. Be sure that your caregiver or family members know which symptoms may be serious so they can call the doctor or emergency medical care if you are unable to seek treatment on your own.

Drinking alcohol or using street drugs during your treatment with the Clindex also increases the risk that you will experience these serious, life-threatening side effects. Do not drink alcohol or use street drugs during your treatment.

Why is this medication prescribed?

Clindex (Chlordiazepoxide and Clidinium) is used along with other medications to treat peptic ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS; a condition that causes stomach pain, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea), and enterocolitis (swelling in the intestines). Chlordiazepoxide is in a class of medications called benzodiazepines. It works by decreasing abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Clidinium is in a class of medications called anticholinergics. It helps to decrease stomach spasms and cramps.

How should this medicine be used?

Clindex (Chlordiazepoxide and Clidinium) comes as a capsule to be taken by mouth. It usually is taken three or four times a day, before meals and at bedtime. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take Clindex exactly as directed.

Do not stop taking Clindex without talking to your doctor. If you suddenly stop taking Clindex, you may experience withdrawal symptoms such as seizures, shaking, stomach cramps, muscle cramps, depression, vomiting, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, and sweats. Your doctor will probably decrease your dose gradually.

Clindex may be habit-forming. Do not use more of it, use it more often, or use it in a different way than directed by your doctor. Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family drinks or has ever drunk large amounts of alcohol, uses or has ever used street drugs, or has overused prescription medications, or if you have or have ever had depression or another mental illness. There is a greater risk that you will overuse Clindex if you have or have ever had any of these conditions.

Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer’s patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with Clindex and each time you fill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm) or the manufacturer’s website to obtain the Medication Guide.

Other uses for this medicine

This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

What special precautions should I follow?

Before taking Clindex,

  • tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to chlordiazepoxide, clidinium, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in Clindex capsules. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.
  • tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: anticoagulants such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven) or an antipsychotic medication such as chlorpromazine, fluphenazine, or thioridazine. Also tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or receiving the following monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors or if you have stopped taking them within the past two weeks: isocarboxazid (Marplan), linezolid (Zyvox), methylene blue, phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), or tranylcypromine (Parnate). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
  • tell your doctor if you have glaucoma, prostatic hypertrophy (an enlarged prostate), or bladder neck obstruction (a blockage of your bladder that causes problems with urination). Your doctor will probably tell you not to take Clindex.
  • tell your doctor if you have or have ever had vision problems, urinary problems, or kidney or liver disease.
  • tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. If you become pregnant while taking this medication, call your doctor immediately. Clidinium-containing medications may cause fetal harm.
  • tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding. Clidinium-containing medications may decrease your breast milk production.
  • talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking Clindex if you are 65 years of age or older. Older adults should not usually take Clindex because it is not as safe or effective as other medication(s) that can be used to treat the same condition.
  • you should know that this medication may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how it affects you.

What should I do if I forget a dose?

If you take several doses per day and miss a dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

What side effects can this medication cause?

Clindex may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

  • weakness or tiredness
  • excitement
  • anger
  • dry mouth
  • blurred vision or vision changes
  • constipation
  • nausea
  • difficulty urinating
  • changes in sex drive or ability
  • irregular menstrual cycles
  • coordination problems
  • confusion

If you experience any of the following symptoms or those in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:

  • slow or difficult speech
  • shuffling walk
  • persistent, fine tremor or inability to sit still
  • difficulty breathing or swallowing
  • rash
  • swelling of the arms, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
  • yellowing of the skin or eyes

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).

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

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from light, excess heat, and moisture (not in the bathroom).

Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website (http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p) for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.

It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location – one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. http://www.upandaway.org

In case of emergency/overdose

In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can’t be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.

Symptoms of overdose may include the following:

  • sleepiness
  • confusion
  • coma
  • slow reflexes
  • dry mouth
  • blurred vision
  • urinary hesitancy
  • constipation

What other information should I know?

Keep all appointments with your doctor. Your doctor will order certain lab tests to check your response to Clindex.

Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.

It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.

Brand names

  • Clindex®
  • Librax®

Disclaimer: DrLinex has made every effort to ensure that all information is factually accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date. However, this article should not be used as a licensed health care professional’s choice of knowledge and expertise. You should always consult your doctor or other health care professional before taking any medication. The information given here is subject to change and it has not been used to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions or adverse effects. The lack of warning or other information for any drug does not indicate that the combination of medicine or medication is safe, effective or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.

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