Treats insomnia (trouble sleeping) and used to calm patients before or after surgery.
Brand Names:
Somnote
Contraindications:
You should not use this medicine if you have ever had an allergic reaction to chloral hydrate. You should not use chloral hydrate if you have liver or kidney disease, severe heart disease, gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), or stomach ulcers.
Uses:
Liquid Filled Capsule, Liquid
Your doctor will tell you how much medicine to take and how often.
Take this medicine exactly as your doctor ordered.
Do not chew or open the capsule. Swallow it whole with a full glass of water or fruit juice.
Mix the oral liquid with one-half glass of water, ginger ale, or fruit juice.
If a dose is missed:
Take your medicine as soon as you remember that you have missed your dose.
If it is nearly time for your next dose, wait until then to take the medicine and skip the missed dose.
You should not use two doses at one time.
Storage:
Keep your medicine at room temperature in a tightly closed container, away from direct light. Do not freeze.
Keep all medicine out of the reach of children.
Special precautions:
Before taking, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to any medications. tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking. tell your doctor if you have or have ever had heart failure or liver disease. tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking, call your doctor
Avoid drinking alcohol or taking any medicine that could make you sleepy such as cold or allergy medicines, sleeping pills, other sedatives, muscle relaxants, tranquilizers, or narcotic pain killers while taking chloral hydrate.
Make sure your doctor knows if you are taking Coumadin®.
Warnings:
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor before taking this medicine.
Check with your doctor before taking this medicine if you have severe heart disease.
This medicine may cause drowsiness. Be careful if you are driving or are using machinery.
This medicine may be habit-forming. You should not use more of this drug that your doctor ordered. Do not suddenly stop taking chloral hydrate without first asking your doctor.
Side Effects:
Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
