Generic name: triazolam [trye-AY-zoe-lam]
Drug class: Benzodiazepines
Describe Halcion.
Halcion is a benzodiazepine, which is pronounced “ben-zoe-dye-AZE-peen.” It is used for 7 to 10 days to treat sleeplessness, which is trouble falling or staying asleep.
Halcion can also be used for things that aren’t mentioned in this book.
Warnings
Halcion can make it hard or impossible to breathe, especially if you have recently used alcohol or a painkiller drug.
When Halcion is used wrong, it can lead to addiction, overdose, or even death. Don’t let anyone else get to this drugs.
Do not stop taking Halcion without first talking to your doctor. If you stop taking the medicine all of a sudden after using it for a long time, you may have withdrawal signs that could kill you. Some withdrawal signs can last for a year or more.
Get medical help right away if you stop taking Halcion and have signs like unusual muscle movements, being more active or talkative, sudden and severe changes in mood or behavior, confusion, hallucinations, seizures, or suicidal thoughts.
Tell your doctor what other medicines you are taking. Halcion shouldn’t be taken with some other medicines.
Before you take this drug
If you are allergic to Halcion or related drugs (like alprazolam, diazepam, lorazepam, Valium, Xanax, Versed, Klonopin, and others), you shouldn’t take this medicine.
Halcion shouldn’t be taken with some other medicines. If you also take nefazodone, medicine for cancer, an antibiotic or antifungal drug, or an antiviral drug to treat HIV or hepatitis C, your treatment plan may change.
Tell your doctor if you have ever had: sadness, mental illness, suicidal thoughts or actions; lung disease, breathing problems, sleep apnea (when you stop breathing while you sleep); or alcoholism or drug addiction.
If you take Halcion while you’re pregnant, your baby could be born with withdrawal signs that could put his or her life at risk and may need medical care for several weeks.
After taking Halcion, you shouldn’t breastfeed for at least 28 hours. During this time, if you use a breast pump, you should throw away the milk and not give it to your baby.
If you do nurse, tell your doctor if the baby seems sleepy, has trouble breathing, or has trouble eating.
Anyone younger than 18 is not allowed to use it.
How much Halcion should I take?
Follow the advice on the label of your prescription, and read any medication guides that come with it. Never take Halcion in bigger doses or for longer than your doctor tells you to. Tell your doctor if you feel like you want to use Halcion more often.
Never give this medicine to someone else, especially someone who has been addicted to drugs in the past. MISUSE CAN CAUSE ADDICTION, OVERDOSE, OR DEATH. Don’t let anyone else get to the medicine. It’s against the law to sell or give away this medicine.
Take this medicine only when you’re about to go to sleep for a long time. After taking the medicine, you might fall asleep very quickly.
If you want to avoid jet lag while going by plane, don’t take Halcion.
Call your doctor if taking Halcion for 7 to 10 nights doesn’t help your sleeplessness or if your mood or behavior changes. Depression, mental illness, and some medical problems can cause insomnia.
If your doctor hasn’t told you to, don’t take Halcion for more than 10 nights in a row.
Do not stop taking Halcion without first talking to your doctor. If you stop taking the medicine all of a sudden after using it for a long time, you may have withdrawal signs that could kill you. Some withdrawal signs can last for a year or more.
The first few nights after you stop taking Halcion, you might have trouble sleeping again, and it might be worse than before.
Keep at room temperature and out of the light, heat, and wetness. Keep your medicine somewhere that no one else can get to it and use it wrong.
What will happen if I don’t take a dose?
When it is needed, Halcion is taken. If you are on a plan for taking your medicine, skip any doses you miss. Don’t take both doses at the same time.
What happens if I overdose?
Get help from a doctor right away or call 1-800-222-1222 to reach the Poison Help line. Triazolam can kill you if you take it with booze, opioid painkillers, or other drugs that make you sleepy or make it hard to breathe.
Some signs of an overdose are drowsiness, confusion, slurred speech, loss of balance, weak or shallow breathing, or coma.
What should I stay away from while I’m on Halcion?
Do not drink booze. There could be dangerous side effects or even death.
After taking Halcion, you might still feel sleepy in the morning. Don’t drive, run tools, or do anything else that needs you to be awake and alert until you are fully awake. Your responses could be slowed down.
Grapefruit may have an effect on Halcion that you don’t want. Don’t use anything with grapefruit in it.
Halcion side effects
If you have hives, trouble breathing, or swelling in your face, lips, tongue, or throat, you may be having an allergic response.
Halcion can make it hard or impossible to breathe, especially if you have recently used alcohol or a painkiller drug. If you have slow, long breaks between breaths, blue lips, or are hard to wake up, the person taking care of you should call 911 right away.
Halcion could lead to some very bad side effects. Call your doctor right away if you have: daytime anxiety, unusual changes in mood or behavior, confusion, memory loss, agitation, hallucinations, sadness, or suicidal thoughts.
Some people who take Halcion have done things like drive, eat, walk, talk on the phone, or have sex and then have no memory of what they did. If this happens to you, you should see a doctor.
Older people may feel sleepy or dizzy for longer. Take care not to trip or hurt yourself by accident.
Halcion can make you sleepy, lose your balance, make you feel dizzy, or make you feel like you’re going to pass out.
This isn’t a full list of all possible side effects, and there may be others. You should talk to your doctor about any side effects. You can call 1-800-FDA-1088 to tell the FDA about side affects.
What drugs will have an effect on Halcion?
Taking Halcion with other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing can cause dangerous side effects or even death. Before you take an opioid, a sleeping pill, a muscle relaxer, or a drug for nervousness or seizures, talk to your doctor.
Halcion can interact with a lot of different drugs, and some drugs shouldn’t be taken with Halcion. Tell your doctor about any other medicines you take. This includes medicines you get from a doctor or buy over the counter, vitamins, and herbal goods. Not every possible combination is shown here.
For more details
Remember to keep this and all other medicines out of reach of children, to never give your medicines to other people, and to only use this medicine for what it was given for.
Talk to your doctor or other healthcare source to make sure that the information on this page applies to your situation.
Use Copyright 1996–2023 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 12.01.
