Medication Guide 

What is the most important information I should know about flurazepam hydrochloride capsules?

• Flurazepam hydrochloride capsules are a benzodiazepine medicine. Taking benzodiazepines with opioid medicines, alcohol, or other central nervous system depressants (including street drugs) can cause severe drowsiness, breathing problems (respiratory depression), coma and death.
• Flurazepam hydrochloride capsules may cause serious side effects that you may not know are happening to you. These side effects include:
  • sleepiness during the day
  • not thinking clearly
  • act strangely, confused, or upset
  • “sleep-walking” or doing other activities when you are asleep like:
    • eating
    • talking
    • having sex
    • driving a car

Call your healthcare provider right away if you find out that you have done any of the above activities after taking flurazepam hydrochloride capsules.

• Do not take flurazepam hydrochloride capsules unless you are able to stay in bed a full night (7 to 8 hours) before you must be active again.
• Do not take more flurazepam hydrochloride capsules than prescribed.

What are flurazepam hydrochloride capsules?

• Flurazepam hydrochloride capsules are a prescription medicine used to treat certain types of insomnia including difficulty falling asleep, waking up often during the night, or waking up early in the morning.
• Flurazepam hydrochloride is a federal controlled substance (C-IV) because it can be abused or lead to dependence. Keep in a safe place to prevent misuse and abuse. Selling or giving away flurazepam hydrochloride capsules may harm others, and is against the law. Tell your healthcare provider if you have ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines or street drugs.
• It is not known if flurazepam hydrochloride capsules are safe and effective in children.

Do not take flurazepam hydrochloride capsules  if you:

• are allergic to flurazepam hydrochloride, other benzodiazepines, or any of the ingredients in flurazepam hydrochloride capsules. See the end of this Medication Guide for a complete list of ingredients in flurazepam hydrochloride capsules. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction can include:
  • swelling of your face, lips, and throat that may cause difficulty breathing or swallowing
  • nausea and vomiting

Before you take flurazepam hydrochloride  capsules, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

• have a history of depression, mental illness or, suicidal thoughts
• have a history of drug or alcohol abuse or addiction
• are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Flurazepam hydrochloride may harm your unborn baby. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you should take flurazepam hydrochloride capsules while you are pregnant.
• are breastfeeding, or plan to breastfeed. Flurazepam hydrochloride may pass through your breast milk and may harm your baby. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby if you take flurazepam hydrochloride capsules.

Tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Taking flurazepam hydrochloride capsules with certain other medicines can cause side effects or affect how well flurazepam hydrochloride capsules or the other medicines work. Do not start or stop other medicines without talking to your healthcare provider.

Do not take flurazepam hydrochloride capsules with other medicines that can make you sleepy unless your healthcare provider tells you to.

How should I take flurazepam hydrochloride  capsules?

• See “What is the most important information I should know about flurazepam hydrochloride  capsules?”
• Take flurazepam hydrochloride capsules exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it.
• Take flurazepam hydrochloride capsules right before you get into bed.
• Do not take flurazepam hydrochloride capsules unless you are able to get a full night’s sleep before you must be active again.
• If you take too many flurazepam hydrochloride capsules, get emergency treatment right away.

What should I avoid while taking flurazepam hydrochloride  capsules?

• You may still feel drowsy the next day after taking flurazepam hydrochloride capsules. Do not drive, operate machinery, do other dangerous activities or do anything that needs you to be alert until you know how flurazepam hydrochloride capsules affect you.
• You should not drink alcohol while you are taking flurazepam hydrochloride capsules.

What are the possible side effects of flurazepam hydrochloride  capsules?

Flurazepam hydrochloride capsules  may cause serious side effects, including:

• See “What is the most important information I should know about flurazepam hydrochloride capsules?”
• Withdrawal symptoms. You may have withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking flurazepam hydrochloride capsules suddenly. Withdrawal symptoms can be serious and include seizures. Mild withdrawal symptoms include a depressed mood and trouble sleeping. Talk to your healthcare provider about slowly stopping flurazepam hydrochloride capsules to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
• Other conditions. Call your healthcare provider if your insomnia worsens or is not better within 7 to 10 days. This may mean that there is another condition causing your sleep problem.
• Severe allergic reactions. Symptoms include swelling of the tongue or throat, and trouble breathing. Other symptoms may include nausea and vomiting. Get emergency medical help right away if you have these symptoms after taking flurazepam hydrochloride capsules.
• Abnormal thoughts and behavior. Symptoms include more outgoing or aggressive behavior than normal, confusion, agitation, hallucinations, worsening of depression, and suicidal thoughts.
• Depression. Pre-existing depression may emerge or worsen during use of benzodiazepines including flurazepam hydrochloride capsules.
• Abuse and dependence. Taking flurazepam hydrochloride capsules can cause physical and psychological dependence. Physical and psychological dependence is not the same as drug addiction. Your healthcare provider can tell you more about the differences between physical and psychological dependence and drug addiction.

The most common side effects of flurazepam hydrochloride capsules include:

These are not all the possible side effects of flurazepam hydrochloride capsules. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

How should I store flurazepam hydrochloride capsules?

• Store at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F).
• Keep flurazepam hydrochloride capsules in a tightly closed container and out of the light.

Keep flurazepam hydrochloride capsules and all medicines out of the reach of children.

General information about the safe and effective use of flurazepam hydrochloride capsules.

Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Medication Guide. Do not use flurazepam hydrochloride capsules for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give flurazepam hydrochloride capsules to other people, even if they have the same symptoms that you have. It may harm them. You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for information about flurazepam hydrochloride capsules that is written for healthcare professionals.