What is Benzphetamine?

Benzphetamine is used together with a diet plan to help you lose weight. This medicine works by suppressing your appetite .

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription .

It is best to take this medicine in the mid-morning or mid-afternoon. Taking this medicine late in the afternoon or evening could make it harder for you to fall asleep .

Carefully follow your doctor's instructions about a special diet plan that will help you lose weight .

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

• For oral dosage form (tablets):
  • For weight loss:
    • Adults and teenagers—At first, 25 to 50 milligrams (mg) once a day. Your doctor may increase your dose if needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 25 to 50 mg three times a day.
    • Children below 12 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor .

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of benzphetamine in children below 12 years of age. Safety and efficacy have not been established .

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatrics-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of benzphetamine in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related liver, kidney, or heart problems, which may require an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving benzphetamine .

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

• Furazolidone
• Iproniazid
• Isocarboxazid
• Linezolid
• Methylene Blue
• Moclobemide
• Nialamide
• Phenelzine
• Procarbazine
• Rasagiline
• Safinamide
• Selegiline
• Sibutramine
• Tranylcypromine

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Abiraterone Acetate
• Acetazolamide
• Alfentanil
• Almotriptan
• Amineptine
• Amitriptyline
• Amitriptylinoxide
• Amoxapine
• Benzhydrocodone
• Benzthiazide
• Brompheniramine
• Buprenorphine
• Bupropion
• Buspirone
• Butorphanol
• Carbamazepine
• Chlorothiazide
• Chlorpheniramine
• Cinacalcet
• Citalopram
• Clomipramine
• Cocaine
• Codeine
• Cyclobenzaprine
• Desipramine
• Desvenlafaxine
• Dextromethorphan
• Diazoxide
• Dibenzepin
• Difenoxin
• Dihydrocodeine
• Diphenoxylate
• Dolasetron
• Donepezil
• Doxepin
• Duloxetine
• Eletriptan
• Escitalopram
• Ethylmorphine
• Fentanyl
• Fluoxetine
• Fluvoxamine
• Frovatriptan
• Granisetron
• Hydrochlorothiazide
• Hydrocodone
• Hydroflumethiazide
• Hydromorphone
• Hydroxytryptophan
• Imipramine
• Ketobemidone
• Levomilnacipran
• Levorphanol
• Lithium
• Lofepramine
• Lorcaserin
• Melitracen
• Meperidine
• Metaxalone
• Methadone
• Milnacipran
• Mirabegron
• Mirtazapine
• Morphine
• Morphine Sulfate Liposome
• Nalbuphine
• Naratriptan
• Nefazodone
• Nicomorphine
• Nortriptyline
• Ondansetron
• Opipramol
• Opium
• Opium Alkaloids
• Oxycodone
• Oxymorphone
• Palonosetron
• Papaveretum
• Paregoric
• Paroxetine
• Pentazocine
• Piritramide
• Polythiazide
• Protriptyline
• Quinidine
• Quinine
• Remifentanil
• Rizatriptan
• Rolapitant
• Sertraline
• Sodium Bicarbonate
• St John's Wort
• Sufentanil
• Sumatriptan
• Tapentadol
• Terbinafine
• Tianeptine
• Tilidine
• Tramadol
• Trazodone
• Trichlormethiazide
• Trimipramine
• Tryptophan
• Venlafaxine
• Vilazodone
• Vortioxetine
• Xipamide
• Ziprasidone
• Zolmitriptan

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Agitation or anxiety, severe or
• Drug abuse or dependence, history of or
• Glaucoma or
• Heart or blood vessel disease or
• High blood pressure, moderate or severe or
• Overactive thyroid—This medicine should not be used if any of these conditions exist. Serious unwanted effects could occur .

• Diabetes mellitus or
• High blood pressure, mild or
• Mental illness—Use with caution. This medicine may make these conditions worse .

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly .

This medicine may be habit-forming. If you feel that the medicine is not working as well, do not use more than your prescribed dose. Call your doctor for instructions .

If you will be taking this medicine for a long time, do not stop taking it without first checking with your doctor. Your doctor may want you to gradually reduce the amount you are taking before stopping completely .

Check with your doctor right away if you think that you may be pregnant. Benzphetamine may cause birth defects or other problems in the baby if taken during pregnancy. Use an effective form of birth control to keep from getting pregnant .

You should not use this medicine if you have used an MAO inhibitor (MAOI) such as Eldepryl®, Marplan®, Nardil®, or Parnate® within the past 14 days .

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines, and herbal or vitamin supplements .

This medicine may cause some people to feel a false sense of well-being or to become dizzy, lightheaded, or less alert than they are normally. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or not alert.