Perphenazine

Before you begin using a medication, be sure to inform your doctor of any medical conditions or Allergies you may have, any medications you are taking, whether you are pregnant or breast-feeding, and any other significant facts about your health. These factors may affect how you should use Perphenazine.

Drowsiness/reduced alertness: Perphenazine may impair the mental or physical abilities required to perform certain tasks, such as driving a car or operating machinery.

Seizures: Perphenazine can lower the seizure threshold in certain people. People in alcohol withdrawal or with seizure disorders should be monitored by their doctor.

Sun: People being treated with phenothiazines such as perphenazine should avoid undue exposure to sunlight.

Tardive dyskinesia: Tardive dyskinesia is characterized by involuntary movements that may develop in people treated with antipsychotic medications such as perphenazine. Although this seems to be most frequent among the elderly, especially elderly women, this cannot be used to predict who will develop this syndrome. Both the risk of developing tardive dyskinesia and the likelihood that it will become irreversible are believed to increase as the length of treatment and the total dose of perphenazine increases. If signs and symptoms of tardive dyskinesia appear, speak to your doctor about stopping the medication. However, some people may require treatment despite the presence of the syndrome.

Pregnancy: Perphenazine should not be used during pregnancy unless the benefits outweigh the risks. If you become pregnant while taking Perphenazine, contact your doctor.

Breast-feeding: Perphenazine is excreted rapidly in breast milk and could cause serious side effects in the breast-fed infant. Breast-feeding mothers should make a decision with their doctor whether to stop taking the medication or stop breast-feeding.

Children: The safety and effectiveness of perphenazine have not been established for use by children under 12 years of age.