Methazolamide, Oral

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: carbonic anhydrase inhibitor

Generic and brand names: methazolamide, oral

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is taken by mouth to treat:

• glaucoma

It may be used for other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• an allergic reaction to any medicine
• blood disorders
• diabetes
• liver or kidney disease
• lung disease
• adrenal gland problems such as Addison's disease
• (low levels of sodium or potassium in the blood

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I take it?

Check the label on the medicine for directions about your specific dose. Take this medicine exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes. Taking more may increase the risk of side effects.

Take this medicine with meals to lessen stomach upset. If stomach upset continues, tell your healthcare provider.

This medicine may increase urination. Take the last dose of the day before 6 PM to avoid interrupting your sleep.

What if I overdose?

If you or anyone else has intentionally taken too much of this medicine, call 911 or go to the emergency room right away. If you pass out, have seizures, weakness or confusion, or have trouble breathing, call 911. If you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much of this medicine, call the poison control center. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. The poison control center number is 800-222-1222.

Symptoms of an acute overdose may include: tremors, sweating, fast heartbeat, seizures, severe confusion, coma, drowsiness, decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, numbness, tingling.

What should I watch out for?

Your healthcare provider may want to see you regularly to check your progress. You will also need regular eye exams while taking this medicine.

This medicine may drive potassium (a vital mineral) from your body. Your healthcare provider may prescribe a potassium-rich diet or a potassium supplement for you to take every day.

This medicine may make you drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert.

This medicine may make your skin more sensitive to the sun, which may lead to painful sunburns. While you are taking this medicine, avoid long exposure to the sun. Wear protective clothing, a hat, and sunscreen lotion when you need to be outdoors. Do not use a sunlamp.

If you need lab tests, emergency care, surgery, or dental work, tell all healthcare providers and dentists that you are taking this medicine.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Serious (report these to your healthcare provider right away): Trouble breathing, extreme weakness, trouble urinating, depression, yellowing of the skin or eyes, bloody or black tarry stools, blood in the urine, unusual bleeding or bruising, seizures, skin rash, itching.

Other: Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, increased urination, loss of appetite, tingling in your hands or feet, change in sense of taste, ringing in the ears, drowsiness, confusion.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Also, using these medicines together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking any of these medicines:

• amphetamines such as dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), methamphetamine (Desoxyn), and amphetamine sulfate
• aspirin in high doses and salicylates such as aminosalicylic acid (Paser), choline magnesium trisalicylate (Tricosal, Trilisate), choline salicylate (Arthropan), salsalate (Amigesic, Disalcid, Salflex)
• cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral)
• lithium (Eskalith CR, Lithobid)
• phenytoin (Dilantin)
• diflunisal (Dolobid)
• primidone (Mysoline)

Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

How should I store this medicine?

Store this medicine at room temperature. Keep the container tightly closed. Protect it from heat, high humidity, and bright light.

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This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.

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