Thioridazine is an anti-psychotic medication in a group of drugs called phenothiazines (FEEN-oh-THYE-a-zeens). It works by changing the actions of chemicals in your brain.

Thioridazine is used to treat psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia.

Thioridazine is usually given after other medications have been tried without successful treatment of schizophrenia.

Thioridazine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Stop using this medication and call your doctor at once if you have twitching or uncontrollable movements of your eyes, lips, tongue, face, arms, or legs. These could be early signs of dangerous side effects.

Thioridazine is not for use in psychotic conditions related to dementia. Thioridazine may cause heart failure, sudden death, or pneumonia in older adults with dementia-related conditions.

You should not use thioridazine if you have brain damage, bone marrow depression, severe heart disease, a heart rhythm disorder, a history of "Long QT syndrome," or if you are also using large amounts of alcohol or medicines that make you sleepy.

Do not take thioridazine together with large amounts of alcohol or medicines that make you sleepy, or with medications that can affect heart rhythm. There are many medicines that should not be taken together with thioridazine because they may cause serious medical problems. Tell your doctor about all other medications you use.

Before you take thioridazine, tell your doctor if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, a heart rhythm disorder, low levels of calcium or potassium in your blood, past or present breast cancer, liver or kidney disease, severe asthma or breathing problems, a history of seizures, Parkinson's disease, adrenal gland tumor, enlarged prostate or urination problems, glaucoma, or if you have ever had a serious side effect while using thioridazine or a similar medication.

Thioridazine is not for use in psychotic conditions related to dementia. Thioridazine may cause heart failure, sudden death, or pneumonia in older adults with dementia-related conditions.

You should not use thioridazine if you are allergic to it, or if you have brain damage, bone marrow depression, severe heart disease, a heart rhythm disorder, a history of "Long QT syndrome," or if you are also using large amounts of alcohol or medicines that make you sleepy.

There are many medicines that should not be taken together with thioridazine because they may cause serious medical problems. Tell your doctor about all other medications you take, including:

• antibiotics;

• antidepressants;

• blood pressure medications;

• medications to treat or prevent malaria;

• cancer medications;

• certain HIV/AIDS medications;

• migraine headache medicine;

• heart rhythm medications;

• medicine to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting;

• certain narcotic pain medicines; and

• other anti-psychotic medicines.

To make sure you can safely take thioridazine, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:

• heart disease, high blood pressure, or a heart rhythm disorder;

• low levels of potassium in your blood (hypokalemia);

• past or present breast cancer;

• liver or kidney disease;

• severe asthma, emphysema, or other breathing problem;

• a history of seizures;

• Parkinson's disease;

• adrenal gland tumor (pheochromocytoma);

• enlarged prostate or urination problems;

• low levels of calcium in your blood (hypocalcemia);

• glaucoma; or

• if you have ever had a serious side effect while using thioridazine or another phenothiazine.

It is not known whether thioridazine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.

Taking antipsychotic medication during the last 3 months of pregnancy may cause problems in the newborn, such as withdrawal symptoms, breathing problems, feeding problems, fussiness, tremors, and limp or stiff muscles. However, you may have withdrawal symptoms or other problems if you stop taking your medicine during pregnancy. If you become pregnant while taking thioridazine, do not stop taking it without your doctor's advice.

Thioridazine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.