Thioridazine Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Thioridazine Tablet contains thioridazine, a phenothiazine antipsychotic used to treat schizophrenia that has not responded well to other treatments. It helps manage hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking by acting on brain signaling. It comes with important warnings, including risks to heart rhythm, and should be used exactly as prescribed.

What is Thioridazine Tablet

Thioridazine is an antipsychotic medicine that treats schizophrenia, a mental illness that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. It is usually given only after other antipsychotic medicines have not worked well or could not be tolerated.

Thioridazine Tablet uses

• Schizophrenia that has not responded adequately to other treatments.
• Severe psychotic symptoms.
• Hallucinations associated with schizophrenia.
• Delusions associated with schizophrenia.
• Disorganized thoughts and behavior caused by schizophrenia.

Benefits of Thioridazine Tablet

• Helps reduce hallucinations.
• May reduce delusions.
• Helps manage disorganized thinking.
• May reduce agitation associated with schizophrenia.
• Can improve daily functioning when symptoms are controlled.

How Thioridazine Tablet works

Thioridazine works by blocking dopamine receptors in the brain, which helps calm down overactive brain signals that cause symptoms like hallucinations and delusions.

Thioridazine Tablet dosage

Take this medication by mouth with water, as directed on your prescription label. Keep taking it unless your care team tells you to stop, even if you feel well. Take it at around the same times every day, and continue taking it even if you feel well; do not stop without talking to your doctor. This medicine is only for you; do not share it with others.

Available forms and strengths

• Tablet

Side effects of Thioridazine Tablet

Common

• Drowsiness, fatigue, or dizziness
• Dry mouth, blurred vision, or nasal congestion
• Constipation or difficulty urinating
• Weight gain
• Changes in libido or menstrual irregularities
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
• Swelling in hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
• Darkening of the skin or eyes
• Breast milk production or breast enlargement

Serious

• Dangerous, potentially fatal irregular heartbeat (QT prolongation)
• Uncontrolled and repetitive body movements, muscle stiffness or spasms, tremors, shuffling walk (extrapyramidal symptoms)
• Neuroleptic malignant syndrome: high fever, severe muscle stiffness, confusion, fast heartbeat, sweating
• Severe drop in white blood cells (agranulocytosis) causing fever, chills, sore throat, or infection
• Allergic reactions: skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat
• Seizures
• Changes in vision, especially at night
• Yellowing of the skin and eyes
• Tightness in the neck muscles or throat, difficulty breathing or swallowing
• An erection that lasts for hours
• Increased risk of death in older adults with dementia-related psychosis

Warnings and precautions

• This medicine can cause a serious, potentially fatal irregular heartbeat. Tell your doctor if you have long QT syndrome, a slow or irregular heartbeat, high or low blood pressure, or heart disease.
• Older adults with dementia who take this medicine have an increased chance of death. It is not approved for treating behavior problems caused by dementia.
• High doses or long-term use can cause a serious movement disorder that may not go away, especially in women or older adults.
• You should not take this medicine if you have a heart rhythm disorder, a history of long QT syndrome, untreated or uncontrolled high blood pressure, very low blood pressure, or if you have drowsiness, slow breathing, weak pulse, or decreased alertness.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. 
• Taking this medicine late in pregnancy may cause breathing problems, feeding problems, or withdrawal symptoms in the newborn. It may also interfere with home pregnancy test results.
• It may not be safe to breastfeed while using this medicine. Ask your doctor about the risks.
• Tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney disease before taking this medicine.
• Avoid drinking alcohol while taking this medicine, as it can make side effects worse and increase risks like dizziness and fainting.
• This medicine may affect your coordination, reaction time, and judgment. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how it affects you.

Storage

• Keep out of the reach of children and pets
• Store at room temperature between 20 and 25 degrees C (68 and 77 degrees F)
• Protect from light
• Get rid of any unused medication after the expiration date
• Take the medication to a take-back program; check with your pharmacy or law enforcement to find a location
• If you cannot return the medication, check the label or package insert to see if it should be thrown out in the garbage or flushed down the toilet; if safe to trash, mix it with cat litter, dirt, coffee grounds, or another unwanted substance, seal it in a bag or container, and put it in the trash

When to see a doctor

• Get emergency help right away if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Call your doctor right away if you have a fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeat, dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting.
• Call your doctor right away if you have high fever, stiff muscles, sweating, confusion, or a fast or irregular heartbeat, which may be signs of a severe nervous system reaction.
• Call your doctor right away if you notice uncontrolled muscle movements in your arms, legs, or face.
• If you think you have taken too much of this medicine, contact a poison control center or go to an emergency room right away.

Alternatives

• Aripiprazole
• Quetiapine
• Olanzapine
• Risperidone