Hydroxyzine, Oral/Injection

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KEY POINTS

• This medicine is taken by mouth to control anxiety, relax you before and after general anesthesia, to relieve itching caused by allergic reactions, or to treat nausea or vomiting. Take it exactly as directed.
• 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: antihistamine; antianxiety

Generic and brand names: hydroxyzine, oral; hydroxyzine, injection; hydroxyzine pamoate, oral; hydroxyzine hydrochloride, oral; Vistaril

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is taken by mouth to:

• Control anxiety
• Relax you before and after general anesthesia
• Relieve itching caused by allergic reactions
• Treat nausea or vomiting

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 taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• An allergy to any medicine
• Glaucoma
• Heart problems, heart failure, heart attack, or an irregular heartbeat
• Liver disease
• Long QT syndrome (problems with electrical activity in the heart muscle)
• Lung disease such as asthma or COPD
• Problems with low levels of calcium, magnesium, or potassium in your blood
• Trouble urinating or an enlarged prostate gland

Tell your provider if you have a family history of heart problems including heart attack, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, or long QT syndrome.

Females of childbearing age: This medicine is not usually given to pregnant women because it can harm the baby. If you are pregnant, tell your healthcare provider. If you become pregnant, contact your healthcare provider right away. Do not breast-feed while you are 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 directed by your healthcare provider. Do not take more of it or take it longer than directed.

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

If you are using the liquid, use the measuring spoon, cup, dropper, or oral syringe that comes with the medicine, or ask your pharmacist for one. Do not use a kitchen spoon because the dose may not be correct. Ask your pharmacist if you have any questions about how to use the liquid.

The injection form of this medicine is given by your healthcare provider.

What if I miss a dose?

Do not miss doses. If you do miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is almost time for your next 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: extreme drowsiness, dizziness, fainting, nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness, slowed breathing, irregular heartbeat, coma, seizures.

What should I watch out for?

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

This medicine increases the effects of alcohol and other medicines that slow down your nervous system. Do not drink alcohol or take other medicines unless your healthcare provider approves.

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

This medicine may make your mouth dry. Contact your healthcare provider if it continues or gets worse.

Your healthcare provider may want to check you regularly to see how this medicine affects you. Keep all appointments.

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

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

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; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (Report these to your healthcare provider right away.): Trouble breathing, trouble urinating, severe drowsiness, severe dizziness or fainting, irregular heartbeat, tremors or uncontrolled movements, seizures, hallucinations, confusion, new or worsening skin rash or itching; severe swelling, blisters, skin color changes, pain at the injection site.

Other: Mild drowsiness or dizziness, dry mouth, headache, nervousness, blurred vision, constipation.

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:

• Alcohol
• Anagrelide (Agrylin)
• Antianxiety medicines such as alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), clorazepate (Gen-Xene, Tranxene), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), and oxazepam
• Antibiotics such as azithromycin (Zithromax, Zmax), bedaquiline (Sirturo), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Erythrocin), levofloxacin (Levaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox), ofloxacin, pentamidine (NebuPent, Pentam), and telithromycin (Ketek)
• Anticholinergic medicines such as benztropine (Cogentin), clidinium/chlordiazepoxide (Librax), dicyclomine (Bentyl), glycopyrrolate (Cuvposa, Robinul), hyoscyamine (HyoMax, Levbid, Levsin), oxybutynin (Ditropan XL, Oxytrol), propantheline, scopolamine (Transderm Scop), tolterodine (Detrol), trihexyphenidyl, and trimethobenzamide (Tigan)
• Antidepressants such as amitriptyline, citalopram (Celexa), duloxetine (Cymbalta), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), sertraline (Zoloft), and venlafaxine (Effexor)
• Antihistamines such as chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), and meclizine (Dramamine)
• Antipsychotic medicines such as asenapine (Saphris), chlorpromazine, clozapine (Clozaril, FazaClo), fluphenazine, haloperidol (Haldol), iloperidone (Fanapt), olanzapine (Zyprexa), perphenazine, pimozide (Orap), quetiapine (Seroquel), thioridazine, trifluoperazine, and ziprasidone (Geodon)
• Antiseizure medicines such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Equetro, Tegretol), felbamate (Felbatol), gabapentin (Neurontin), lamotrigine (Lamictal), levetiracetam (Keppra), phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek), primidone (Mysoline), tiagabine (Gabitril), and topiramate (Qudexy, Topamax, Trokendi)
• Buprenorphine (Buprenex, Butrans)
• Cancer medicines such as arsenic trioxide (Trisenox), ceritinib (Zykadia), lenvatinib (Lenvima), nilotinib (Tasigna), pazopanib (Votrient), toremifene (Fareston), vandetanib (Caprelsa), and vemurafenib (Zelboraf)
• Doxepin (Silenor)
• Eliglustat (Cerdelga)
• Fingolimod (Gilenya)
• Flibanserin (Addyi)
• Heart medicines such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), disopyramide (Norpace), dofetilide (Tikosyn), dronedarone (Multaq), flecainide, procainamide, propafenone (Rythmol), quinidine, and sotalol (Betapace, Sorine)
• HIV medicines such as lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra) and saquinavir (Invirase)
• Malaria medicines such as artemether/lumefantrine (Coartem), chloroquine, mefloquine, primaquine, and quinine
• MAO inhibitors such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), and tranylcypromine (Parnate) (Do not take this medicine and an MAO inhibitor within 14 days of each other.)
• Medicines to treat breathing or lung problems such as arformoterol (Brovana), formoterol (Perforomist), and salmeterol (Serevent)
• Mifepristone (Korlym, Mifeprex)
• Muscle relaxants such as baclofen (Gablofen, Lioresal), carisoprodol (Soma), cyclobenzaprine (Amrix), dantrolene (Dantrium), methocarbamol (Robaxin), and tizanidine (Zanaflex)
• Narcotic pain medicines such as codeine, fentanyl (Abstral, Actiq, Duragesic, Fentora, Sublimaze), hydrocodone (Hysingla, Zohydro), meperidine (Demerol), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), morphine (Kadian, MS Contin), oxycodone (OxyContin, Roxicodone), oxycodone/acetaminophen (Percocet, Roxicet), and pentazocine (Talwin)
• Natural remedies such as gotu kola, kava, St. John's wort, and valerian
• Nausea medicines such as dolasetron (Anzemet), droperidol (Inapsine), ondansetron (Zofran), prochlorperazine (Compro), and promethazine
• Paroxetine (Brisdelle, Paxil, Pexeva)
• Pramlintide (Symlin)
• Sleeping pills such as butabarbital (Butisol), phenobarbital, triazolam (Halcion), zaleplon (Sonata), and zolpidem (Ambien, Edluar, Intermezzo)
• Tetrabenazine (Xenazine)

Do not drink alcohol while you are 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.