Molindone

Conditions Treated

Molindone is used to treat the symptoms of schizophrenia (a mental illness that causes disturbed or unusual thinking, loss of interest in life, and strong or inappropriate emotions). Molindone is in a class of medications called conventional antipsychotics. It works by decreasing abnormal excitement in the brain.

Possible Side Effects

What Side Effects Can This Cause?

Molindone may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• drowsiness
• dry mouth
• blurred vision
• increased saliva
• nausea
• constipation
• difficulty urinating
• blank facial expression
• shuffling walk
• unusual, slowed, or uncontrollable movements of any part of the body
• restlessness
• hyperactivity
• depression
• inappropriate happiness
• breast enlargement
• breast milk production
• missed menstrual periods

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

• fever
• muscle stiffness
• confusion
• fast or irregular heartbeat
• sweating
• neck cramps
• tongue that sticks out of the mouth
• tightness in the throat
• difficulty breathing or swallowing
• fine, worm-like tongue movements
• uncontrollable, rhythmic face, mouth, or jaw movements
• seizures
• erection that lasts for hours
• vision loss, especially at night
• seeing everything with a brown tint

Molindone may cause other side effects. Tell your doctor if you have any unusual problems while you are taking this medication.If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].

Usage Instructions

How Should This Medication Be Used

Molindone comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken three or four times a day. Try to take molindone at around the same times every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take molindone exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of molindone and gradually increase your dose after 3 to 4 days. Later, your doctor may increase or decrease your dose, depending on your response to the medication and the side effects you experience. Be sure to tell your doctor how you are feeling during your treatment with molindone. Molindone may help to control your condition but will not cure it. Continue to take molindone even if you feel well. Do not stop taking molindone without talking to your doctor. It may take several weeks or longer for you to feel the full benefit of molindone.

What Dietary Instructions Should I Follow

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.

Are There Any Special Instructions

Before taking molindone, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to molindone or any other medications. tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: antidepressants; barbiturates such as pentobarbital (Nembutal), phenobarbital (Luminal), and secobarbital (Seconal); medications for anxiety, mental illness, or seizures; narcotic medications for pain; phenytoin (Dilantin); sedatives; sleeping pills; tetracycline antibiotics such as demeclocycline (Declomycin), doxycycline (Doryx, Monodox, Vibramycin), minocycline (Dynacin, Minocin, Solodyn), and tetracycline (Sumycin, Tetrex); and tranquilizers. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. tell your doctor if you have or have ever had depression or breast cancer. Also tell your doctor if you have ever had to stop taking a medication for mental illness due to severe side effects. if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking molindone. you should know that this medication may make you drowsy and may affect your thinking and movements. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you. ask your doctor about the safe use of alcohol while you are taking molindone. Alcohol can make the side effects of molindone worse.