Generic name: pitolisant [pi-TOL-i-sant]
Drug Class: CNS stimulants are a type of drug.
What’s Wakix?
Wakix is a type of histamine-3 receptor drug called an antagonist/inverse agonist.
Wakix is used to treat adults with narcolepsy who get too sleepy during the day or have cataplexy, which is a sudden loss of muscle strength.
Wakix comes as a tablet that you take by mouth. Each tablet has either 4.45 mg or 17.8 mg of pitolisant.
Warnings
If your liver disease is very bad, you should not use Wakix.
Before you take this Medicine
If you are allergic to pitolisant or have severe liver disease, you shouldn’t use Wakix.
Tell your doctor if you have liver disease, kidney disease, a heart rhythm disorder, or long QT syndrome to make sure Wakix is safe for you (in you or a family member).
If you are pregnant or nursing, you should talk to a doctor before you use Wakix.
If you are pregnant, your name might be put on a list to keep track of how pitolisant affects the baby.
Hormonal birth control methods, like birth control pills, injections, implants, skin patches, and vaginal rings, can work less well when taken with pitolisant. Use a barrier method of birth control like a condom, diaphragm, cervical cap, or contraceptive sponge to avoid getting pregnant while taking this medicine. After your last dose of pitolisant, you should use birth control for at least 21 days.
No one younger than 18 years old is allowed to use Wakix.
What do I do to take Wakix?
Take Wakix just as your doctor told you to. Follow all of the directions on the label of your prescription, and read any guides or instruction sheets that come with it. Your doctor may change your dose from time to time.
Most people take Wakix in the morning when they wake up.
Your symptoms may not get better for up to 8 weeks. Keep taking the medicine as directed, and if your symptoms don’t get better, talk to your doctor.
Keep at room temperature and away from heat and moisture.
Information about dosing
Usual adult dose for Narcolepsy:
First Step Titration: 8.9 mg orally once a day for one week, then 17.8 mg orally once a day for one week, and then up to 36 mg orally once a day (depending on how the patient responds and how well they can handle it).
Maintenance dose: 17.8 to 35.6 mg/day
Maximum dose: 35.6 mg/day
Comments: -Total dose should be given all at once in the morning with breakfast. -Total dose should be given all at once.
Some patients may not see a change in their health for up to 8 weeks.
Use: For people with narcolepsy who fall asleep too much during the day.
What will happen if I don’t take a dose?
Don’t take the missed dose. Instead, wait until the next morning to take your next dose. Don’t take both doses at the same time.
What will happen if I take overdose?
Get help from a doctor right away or call 1-800-222-1222 to reach the Poison Help line.
What should I stay away from while I’m on Wakix?
Follow your doctor’s advice about what you can and cannot eat, drink, or do.
What’s wrong with Wakix?
If you are allergic to Wakix and have hives, trouble breathing, or swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat, call 911 right away.
Call your doctor right away if you have:
- fast or pounding heartbeats;
- shortness of breath;
- sudden dizziness; or
- fluttering in your chest (like you might pass out).
Some of the most common Wakix side effects are nausea, anxiety, and trouble sleeping (insomnia).
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 effects.
FAQ
What effects will other drugs have on Wakix?
When you start or stop taking Wakix, your doctor may need to change the doses of any other medicines you take regularly.
Pitolisant can cause a very bad problem with the heart. Your risk may be higher if you also take medicine for infections, asthma, heart problems, high blood pressure, depression, mental illness, cancer, malaria, HIV, or other diseases.
Other drugs, such as prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products, can interact with pitolisant. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you are taking now, as well as any you start or stop taking.
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For more details
Remember to keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, to never give your medicines to other people, and to only use Wakix for what it was meant for.
Talk to your doctor or other healthcare provider to make sure that the information on this page applies to your situation.
Disclaimer for Medical Use
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