Flurazepam Capsule: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Flurazepam Capsule is a prescription benzodiazepine sedative and hypnotic used to treat insomnia, including trouble falling asleep and waking up often during the night. It works by producing a calming effect on the brain and nerves to help you fall asleep and stay asleep. It is available as 15 mg and 30 mg oral capsules and is generally meant for short-term use, not longer than 7 to 10 nights in a row unless directed otherwise by a doctor.

What is Flurazepam Capsule

Flurazepam is a prescription benzodiazepine medicine used to treat insomnia, a sleep problem that can include trouble falling asleep and waking up often during the night.

Flurazepam Capsule uses

• Treats insomnia, including trouble falling asleep and waking up frequently during the night or early awakenings
• May be used for other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider

Benefits of Flurazepam Capsule

• Helps treat insomnia
• May help you fall asleep faster
• May reduce waking up during the night
• May reduce early-morning waking
• May improve sleep duration

How Flurazepam Capsule works

Flurazepam has a calming effect on the brain and nerves, which helps you fall asleep and stay asleep.

Flurazepam Capsule dosage

Take this medicine only when you are ready for several hours of sleep, because it can make you fall asleep quickly. Take it right before you get into bed, not earlier. Do not take more of this medicine, or for longer, than your doctor prescribed. Do not take flurazepam for longer than 7 to 10 nights in a row unless your doctor tells you to.

Call your doctor if your insomnia does not get better after about a week to ten days of use, or if you have mood or behavior changes. If you forget a dose at bedtime but can still get a full night of sleep, you may take it then instead; otherwise skip the missed dose and do not double up.

Do not stop taking this medicine suddenly without talking to your doctor, since this can cause withdrawal symptoms. Older adults should generally use the lowest effective amount, as directed by their doctor. This medicine is not meant for children younger than 15 years old.

Available forms and strengths

• 15 mg oral capsules
• 30 mg oral capsules

Side effects of Flurazepam Capsule

Common

• Dizziness
• Feeling lightheaded
• Trouble with balance or coordination
• Drowsiness
• Staggering
• Falling
• Clumsiness or unsteadiness
• Constipation
• Difficulty with coordination
• Heartburn
• Lethargy
• Nausea
• Stomach pain
• Weakness
• Memory problems
• Trouble standing or walking

Serious

• Severe allergic reaction: breathing problems or wheezing, racing heart, fever or general ill feeling, swollen lymph nodes, swelling of face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat, trouble swallowing, hives, nausea or vomiting, dizziness or fainting, stomach cramps, joint pain
• Suicidal thoughts or actions, new or worsening depression or anxiety, unusual changes in mood or behavior
• Sudden confusion, feeling disoriented, feeling paranoid, seizures, trouble breathing (signs of misuse)
• Physical dependence and life-threatening withdrawal symptoms if the medicine is stopped suddenly, including hallucinations, unusual movements, severe mental or nervous system changes, extreme increase in activity or talking, losing touch with reality
• Severe drowsiness, slow or shallow breathing, breathing that stops, or coma, especially when combined with opioid medicines, alcohol, or other sedating drugs
• Doing activities such as sleep-driving, making and eating food, talking on the phone, or sleep-walking without remembering it afterward
• Falls causing fractures, especially in older adults
• Withdrawal symptoms that can last for weeks to more than a year after stopping, such as anxiety, trouble concentrating, depression, sleep problems, a crawling feeling under the skin, weakness, shaking, muscle twitching, burning or prickling feelings, and ringing in the ears

Warnings and precautions

• Misusing this medicine, meaning taking it differently than prescribed, can cause addiction, overdose, coma, or death
• Do not stop taking this medicine suddenly, as it can cause serious and possibly life-threatening withdrawal symptoms; your doctor will tell you how to stop it safely
• Taking this medicine together with opioid pain medicines can lead to severe drowsiness, breathing problems, coma, and death
• Some people have done activities like driving, making food, or sleepwalking while not fully awake after taking this medicine, and do not remember doing them
• People 65 years and older have a greater risk of side effects like dizziness, drowsiness, poor balance, and falls
• Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to flurazepam or other benzodiazepines
• This medicine should not be used during pregnancy; taking it late in pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms and other problems in the newborn baby, so tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant while taking it
• Do not take this medicine while breastfeeding; it is not known if it passes into breast milk
• Do not take this medicine if you have severe liver problems
• Do not drink alcohol while taking this medicine, since it can increase the risk of serious problems like severe dizziness, sleepiness, and breathing trouble
• This medicine can affect your alertness and coordination; do not drive or do activities that require alertness until you know how it affects you, and you may still feel drowsy the next day

Storage

• Store at room temperature, between 68 F to 77 F (20 C to 25 C)
• It can be exposed to temperatures between 59 F to 86 F (15 C to 30 C) for shorter periods of time, such as when transporting it
• Store in a cool, dry place
• Protect it from light and moisture
• Keep out of the reach of children and pets
• Do not dispose of medications in wastewater (e.g. down the sink or in the toilet) or in household garbage; ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines that are no longer needed or have expired
• Keep in a place where others cannot get to it, since selling or giving away this medicine is against the law

When to see a doctor

• Stop taking the medicine and get emergency help right away if you have signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat, trouble breathing, or hives
• Get emergency help if breathing becomes slow or has long pauses, lips turn blue, or the person is hard to wake up
• Call your doctor right away if you have confusion, agitation, paranoia, hallucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior, severe daytime drowsiness, or new or worsening depression
• If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, get emergency help right away
• Get medical help right away if, after stopping the medicine, you have unusual muscle movements, being unusually active or talkative, sudden severe mood or behavior changes, confusion, hallucinations, seizures, or thoughts of suicide
• If you suspect an overdose, get emergency medical help or contact a poison control center right away

Alternatives

• Eszopiclone
• Zolpidem
• Temazepam