How should this medicine be used?

Loxapine comes as a capsule to take by mouth. It is usually taken two to four times a day. Try to take loxapine at around the same times every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take loxapine exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of loxapine and increase your dose during the first 7-10 days of your treatment until your symptoms are controlled. Once your symptoms have been controlled for some time, your doctor may decrease your dose. Be sure to tell your doctor how you are feeling during your treatment with loxapine.

Loxapine may control your symptoms but will not cure your condition. It may take several weeks or longer for you to feel the full benefit of loxapine. Continue to take loxapine even if you feel well. Do not stop taking loxapine without talking to your doctor.

What side effects can this medication cause?

Loxapine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• drowsiness
• dizziness
• faintness
• weakness
• difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
• blurred vision
• dry mouth
• increased saliva
• nausea
• vomiting
• constipation
• difficulty urinating
• excessive thirst
• weight gain or loss
• agitation
• slurred speech
• headache
• rash
• itching
• hair loss
• flushing
• drooping eyelids
• puffing of the face
• blank facial expression
• shuffling walk
• unusual, slowed, or uncontrollable movements of any part of the body
• restlessness
• numbness, burning, or tingling of the hands or feet
• breast milk production
• breast enlargement
• missed menstrual periods
• decreased sexual ability in men

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

• fever
• muscle stiffness
• confusion
• fast or irregular heartbeat
• sweating
• neck cramps
• tightness in the throat
• difficulty breathing or swallowing
• tongue that sticks out of the mouth
• fine, worm-like tongue movements
• uncontrollable, rhythmic face, mouth, or jaw movements
• seizures
• decreased vision, especially in low light

Loxapine may cause other side effects. Tell your doctor if you have any unusual problems while you are taking this medication.

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/MedWatch/index.html] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].

In case of emergency/overdose

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Symptoms of overdose may include:

• sleepiness
• loss of consciousness
• slowed breathing
• slowed heartbeat
• unusual, slowed, or uncontrollable movements of any part of the body
• seizures