flurazepam
Flurazepam is used to treat sleeping problems (insomnia). It's a controlled substance because it has a risk for becoming habit-forming. The brand name Dalmane has been discontinued, but it's still available as generic versions. Side effects of the medication include headache and upset stomach.
What is Flurazepam?
What is Flurazepam used for?
Insomnia (trouble sleeping)
How Flurazepam works
Flurazepam is a benzodiazepine. It affects chemicals in the brain to calm down your nervous system, helping you fall asleep and stay asleep.
Drug Facts
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What are the risks and warnings for Flurazepam?
Flurazepam can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Extreme sleepiness, slowed breathing, coma, and death
Risk factors: Taking flurazepam with opioids
Combining flurazepam with pain medications called opioids can cause a life-threatening interaction that might cause you to be extremely sleepy or stop breathing. This can lead to coma or death. It's very important not to combine flurazepam with opioids unless you're under close supervision of a healthcare provider. Get emergency help if you feel like you are having trouble breathing or can't wake up very easily after taking flurazepam. Educate those around to keep an eye out for these side effects as well.
Potential for addiction, misuse, dependence, and withdrawal
Risk factors: History of substance misuse | Taking with alcohol or illicit drugs | Taking flurazepam for a long time | Stopping flurazepam suddenly
Flurazepam is a controlled medication because it has a high risk of addiction and misuse. Your body can also become dependent on the medication even if you're taking it as exactly as directed. Taking flurazepam for the shortest amount of time needed can lower these risks.
If you've been taking flurazepam for a long time, talk to your provider before stopping. Stopping flurazepam suddenly can lead to withdrawals, which can cause serious symptoms, including seizures. In some causes, withdrawal symptoms can last weeks to more than a year at a time. If you need to stop this medication, your provider can help you do so safely by lowering your dose slowly over time.
Less mental alertness and hangover effect
Risk factors: Alcohol use | Taking other medications that make you less alert | High doses
Flurazepam can weaken your ability to focus, think, and react. These effects can last until the morning after taking flurazepam. Be careful and avoid activities that require you to be alert, such as driving a car or operating machinery, until you know how this medication affects you.
Allergic reaction
In some rare cases, flurazepam can cause an allergic reaction. Some reactions can be life-threatening and require emergency medical treatment. If you experience trouble breathing, hives, or swelling in your face, lips, tongue, or throat, get medical attention right away.
Behavior changes
Risk factors: Taking higher doses of flurazepam | Drinking alcohol | Taking other medications that cause sleepiness
Flurazepam can cause behavioral and personality changes. Some people have reported lower inhibitions (meaning you may do things you wouldn't normally do), aggressiveness, agitation, and hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren't there). There are also reports of people sleep-driving or doing other activities while asleep and having no memory of it the next morning. Talk to your provider if you're doing potentially dangerous activities while you're sleeping. There might be other sleep medications that are safer for you.
What are the side effects of Flurazepam?
Common Side Effects
- Headache
- Heartburn
- Upset stomach
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Stomach pain
- Nervousness
- Talkativeness
- Irritability
- Weakness
- Body aches, joint pain
Other Side Effects
- Blurry vision
- Feeling faint
- Trouble breathing
- Rash
- Dry mouth
- Bitter taste
- More saliva
- Slurred speech
- Feeling confused
Serious Side Effects
- Serious allergic reaction: swelling of the face, tongue, or throat, difficulty breathing, nausea, and vomiting
- Extreme sleepiness
- Slowed breathing
- Suicidal thoughts or behavior
- Seizures
Source:Â DailyMed
The following side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Rare
Black, tarry stools
blurred vision
chills
confusion
dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
feeling like you will pass out
large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
painful or difficult urination
slurred speech
sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
sweating
swollen glands
unusual bleeding or bruising
unusual tiredness or weakness
Incidence not known
Change in consciousness
clumsy movement, moving from side to side
confusion about identity, place, and time
falling
fast, irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat or pulse
loss of consciousness
shakiness and unsteady walk
unsteadiness, trembling, or other problems with muscle control or coordination
unusual drowsiness, dullness, tiredness, weakness or feeling of sluggishness
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Rare
Bitter taste
blurred vision
burning eyes
difficulty in focusing
discouragement
false or unusual sense of well-being
feeling of warmth
feeling sad or empty
hallucinations
increased watering of the mouth
itching skin or skin rash
loss of appetite
loss of interest or pleasure
mood or mental changes
nightmares
redness of the face, neck, arms and occasionally, upper chest
restlessness
sweating
trouble concentrating
trouble sleeping
unusual excitement, nervousness, restlessness, or irritability
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Pros and cons of Flurazepam
Pros
Helps you fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night
Available as a lower-cost generic medication
Available in two strengths
Cons
Higher risk of side effects for females and older adults
Can be habit-forming
Can cause sleepwalking, sleep-driving, and other activities while sleeping
Pharmacist tips for Flurazepam
Flurazepam should be taken at bedtime to help you sleep.
Only take flurazepam when you need it. This medication can be habit-forming if you take it daily.
Talk with your provider about your nighttime routine and habits. Certain activities, such as screen time before bed or drinking caffeine too late in the day, can make it more difficult for you to fall asleep. Your provider can recommend routines or ways for you to get better sleep.
If you've been taking flurazepam regularly for a long time, talk to your provider before stopping the medication. They might want you to lower your dose slowly over time to help avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Only take flurazepam when you have a full night of sleep (7 to 8 hours) ahead of you. This will lower the risk of a hangover effect the next morning.
Sometimes sleeping medications can cause you to sleepwalk, sleep-drive, as well as eat and cook while sleeping. If you live with other people, you can let them know about this side effect. That way, if it looks like you might do something dangerous, they can try to get you back to bed.
Flurazepam can cause dizziness, sleepiness, and slow your thinking and coordination. Don't drive or do anything that requires you to focus until you know how this medication affects you.
Medications like flurazepam can worsen depression. Let your provider know if you notice any mood changes while taking this medication.
Store this medication in a safe place. Get medical help or call the poison control center (800-222-1222) right away if a child accidentally takes it.
Frequently asked questions about Flurazepam
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Flurazepam dosage forms
Typical dosing for Flurazepam
The typical starting dose is either 15 mg or 30 mg by mouth at bedtime. Females and adults ages 65 years and older usually start with the lower dose first.
Interactions between Flurazepam and other drugs
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.
- Flumazenil
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.
- Alfentanil
- Alprazolam
- Amobarbital
- Benzhydrocodone
- Bromazepam
- Bromopride
- Buprenorphine
- Butabarbital
- Butalbital
- Butorphanol
- Calcium Oxybate
- Cannabidiol
- Carbinoxamine
- Carisoprodol
- Cetirizine
- Chloral Hydrate
- Chlorzoxazone
- Clobazam
- Codeine
- Dantrolene
- Dihydrocodeine
- Doxylamine
- Esketamine
- Ethchlorvynol
- Fentanyl
- Flibanserin
- Gabapentin
- Gabapentin Enacarbil
- Hydrocodone
- Hydromorphone
- Ketamine
- Lemborexant
- Levocetirizine
- Levorphanol
- Lofexidine
- Loxapine
- Magnesium Oxybate
- Meclizine
- Meperidine
- Mephenesin
- Mephobarbital
- Meprobamate
- Metaxalone
- Methadone
- Methocarbamol
- Methohexital
- Metoclopramide
- Midazolam
- Mirtazapine
- Morphine
- Morphine Sulfate Liposome
- Nalbuphine
- Oxycodone
- Oxymorphone
- Pentazocine
- Pentobarbital
- Periciazine
- Phenobarbital
- Potassium Oxybate
- Pregabalin
- Primidone
- Remimazolam
- Scopolamine
- Secobarbital
- Sodium Oxybate
- Sufentanil
- Tapentadol
- Thiopental
- Tramadol
- Trazodone
- Zolpidem
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Amprenavir
- Rifapentine
- St John's Wort
- Theophylline
How much does Flurazepam cost?
Flurazepam contraindications
Currently pregnant
Allergy to benzodiazepines
What are alternatives to Flurazepam?
Insomnia (difficulty falling asleep)
Flurazepam images
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References
Best studies we foundMedlinePlus. (2022). Melatonin.
Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. (2021). FLURAZEPAM HYDROCHLORIDE - flurazepam hydrochloride capsule [package insert]. DailyMed.
National Organization for Rare Diseases. (2017). Non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder.
Ordean, A., et al. (2014). Clinical presentation and management of neonatal abstinence syndrome: An update. Research and Reports in Neonatology.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2017). FDA drug safety communication: FDA warns about serious risks and death when combining opioid pain or cough medicines with benzodiazepines; requires its strongest warning.
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