Dichlorphenamide, Oral

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KEY POINTS

• This medicine is taken by mouth to treat symptoms of periodic paralyses caused by too much or too little potassium in the blood. Take it exactly as directed.
• Keep all appointments for checkups to see how this medicine affects you.
• This medicine may cause unwanted side effects. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that are serious, continue, or get worse.
• Tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take.

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What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: carbonic anhydrase inhibitor

Generic and brand names: dichlorphenamide, oral; Keveyis

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is taken by mouth to treat symptoms of periodic paralyses caused by too much or too little potassium in the blood.

This medicine may be used to treat other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before you start taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider about any other medicines you are taking, including nonprescription products.

Tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• An allergic reaction to any medicine
• Adrenal gland problems such as Addison's disease
• Diabetes
• Liver or kidney disease
• Imbalances of chloride, sodium, or potassium in your blood
• Lung disease

Tell your healthcare provider if you take aspirin or any products that contain aspirin. Taking aspirin with this medicine can cause serious side effects.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I take it?

Check the label on the medicine for directions about your specific dose. Take this medicine exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes. Take it regularly every day even if you feel better. Do not stop taking this medicine unless your healthcare provider approves.

Check with your healthcare provider before using this medicine in children under age 18.

Take this medicine with a glass of water. If you have trouble swallowing the medicine, talk with your healthcare provider.

What if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is almost time for the next scheduled dose. In that case, skip the missed dose and take the next one as directed. Do not take double doses. If you are not sure of what to do if you miss a dose, or if you miss more than one dose, contact your healthcare provider.

What if I overdose?

If you or anyone else has intentionally taken too much of this medicine, call 911 or go to the emergency room right away. If you pass out, have seizures, weakness or confusion, or have trouble breathing, call 911. If you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much of this medicine, call the poison control center. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. The poison control center number is 800-222-1222.

Symptoms of an acute overdose may include: tremors, drowsiness, decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, numbness, tingling, ringing in the ears.

What should I watch out for?

If you develop hives, an itchy rash, or peeling skin, stop taking the medicine and contact your provider right away.

This medicine may change the levels of potassium and fluid in your body. Talk with your provider about your diet and about how much liquid you should drink.

This medicine may make you drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert.

This medicine can increase the level of acid in your blood. If left untreated, this can cause brittle or soft bones, kidney stones, and can slow the rate of growth in children. If you develop fast breathing, unusual tiredness, loss of appetite, confusion, fast or irregular heartbeat while taking this medicine, contact your healthcare provider right away. Talk with your healthcare provider about this.

This medicine may increase your risk of falls.

Adults over the age of 65 may be at greater risk for side effects. Talk with your provider about this.

Contact your healthcare provider if your condition does not improve or if it gets worse.

You may need to have regular checkups and blood tests to see how this medicine affects you. Keep all appointments.

If you need emergency care, surgery, lab tests, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you are taking this medicine.

If you have diabetes: This medicine may affect your blood sugar level and change the amount of insulin or other diabetes medicines you may need. Talk to your healthcare provider about this.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help.): Allergic reaction (hives, itching, tightness in your chest, trouble breathing).

Serious (Report these to your healthcare provider right away.): Severe skin rash, redness, blisters or peeling; unusual tiredness or weakness; extreme drowsiness; irregular or fast heartbeat; fast breathing; trouble breathing; severe stomach pain, nausea, or vomiting; yellowing of the skin or eyes; unusual bruising or bleeding; unexplained fever, cough, or sore throat; seizures; dark urine; light-colored bowel movements; confusion; trouble concentrating; memory problems; vision changes; tingling in the hands or feet; muscle pain, cramps, twitching, or weakness; severe dizziness or fainting.

Other: Diarrhea, nausea, change in sense of taste, headache, dizziness, joint pain, weight loss, mild tiredness.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• Acetazolamide (Diamox)
• Antibiotics such as cefaclor, cephalexin (Keflex), demeclocycline, doxycycline (Doryx, Monodox, Vibramycin), minocycline (Dynacin, Minocin, Solodyn), penicillin, and tetracycline
• Antifungal medicines such as amphotericin b (Abelcet, AmBisome, Amphotec), fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), posaconazole (Noxafil), and voriconazole (Vfend)
• Antiseizure medicines such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Equetro, Tegretol), fosphenytoin (Cerebyx), phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek), primidone (Mysoline), topiramate (Qudexy, Topamax, Trokendi), and zonisamide (Zonegran)
• Aspirin and other salicylates
• Diabetes medicines such as alogliptin (Nesina), canagliflozin (Invokana), glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (Glynase), insulin, linagliptin (Tradjenta), metformin (Fortamet, Glucophage, Riomet), pioglitazone (Actos), pramlintide (Symlin), repaglinide (Prandin), rosiglitazone (Avandia), saxagliptin (Onglyza), and sitagliptin (Januvia)
• Digoxin (Lanoxin)
• Diuretics (water pills) such as amiloride, bumetanide, chlorothiazide (Diuril), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide), spironolactone (Aldactone), torsemide (Demadex), and triamterene (Dyrenium)
• Glaucoma medicines such as brinzolamide (Azopt), dorzolamide (Trusopt), and methazolamide (Neptazane)
• Laxatives
• Memantine (Namenda)
• Methenamine (Hiprex, Urex)
• Potassium supplements or salt substitutes that contain potassium
• Sodium bicarbonate (Alka-Seltzer)
• Sodium phosphate (Fleet Enema, OsmoPrep)
• Stimulants such as benzphetamine (Regimex), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), methamphetamine (Desoxyn), and phentermine (Adipex-P, Suprenza)
• Theophylline

Do not drink alcohol while taking this medicine unless your healthcare provider approves.

If you are not sure if your medicines might interact, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider. Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

How should I store this medicine?

Store this medicine at room temperature. Keep the container tightly closed. Protect it from heat, high humidity, and bright light.

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This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.