Skip to main content
Trifluoperazine Coupon - Trifluoperazine 1mg tablet

trifluoperazine

Generic Stelazine
Used for Anxiety, Schizophrenia

Trifluoperazine is mainly used to manage schizophrenia. It's available as a lower-cost generic medication but it isn't meant for long-term use because it can cause you to have trouble controlling your movements.

Reviewed by:
reviewerAllison Gourley, PharmD
reviewerAshley Wong, PharmD
Last reviewed on January 3, 2022
basics-icon

What is Trifluoperazine?

What is Trifluoperazine used for?

  • Schizophrenia
  • Anxiety

How Trifluoperazine works

Trifluoperazine is a first generation (typical) antipsychotic. It makes the brain less sensitive to changes in dopamine, which is a natural chemical in your body that helps control your mood. This prevents symptoms of schizophrenia, such as delusions and hallucinations.

Drug facts

Common BrandsStelazine(brand no longer available)
Drug ClassFirst generation (typical) antipsychotic
Controlled Substance ClassificationNot a controlled medication
Generic StatusLower-cost generic available
AvailabilityPrescription only
side-effects-icon

Side effects of Trifluoperazine

The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.

Common Side Effects

  • Drowsiness
  • Dizziness
  • Skin reactions
  • Rash
  • Dry mouth
  • Trouble falling asleep
  • Missing one or more menstrual periods
  • Lack of energy

Less Common Side Effects

  • Weak muscles
  • Lack of appetite
  • Lactation (producing milk from nipples)
  • Blurred vision

Trifluoperazine serious side effects

Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.

  • Extrapyramidal reactions: uncontrollable movements of the face, tongue, or other body parts
  • Neuroleptic malignant syndrome: high fever, muscle stiffness, confusion, sweating, changes in heart rate and blood pressure
  • Liver damage: yellowing of your skin or eyes, high fever, pain in your stomach

Source: DailyMed

The following Trifluoperazine 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.

Phenothiazines can sometimes cause serious unwanted effects. Tardive dyskinesia or tardive dystonia (muscle movement disorders) may occur and may not go away after you stop using the medicine. Signs of tardive dyskinesia or tardive dystonia include worm-like movements of the tongue, or other uncontrolled movements of the mouth, tongue, cheeks, jaw, body, arms, or legs. Another possible serious unwanted effect is the neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). Signs and symptoms of NMS include severe muscle stiffness, fever, fast heartbeat, difficult breathing, increased sweating, and loss of bladder control. You and your doctor should discuss the good this medicine will do as well as the risks of taking it.

Stop taking this medicine and get emergency help immediately if any of the following effects occur:

Rare

Symptoms of neuroleptic malignant syndrome

Confusion (severe) or coma

difficult or fast breathing

drooling

fast heartbeat

high or low (irregular) blood pressure

increased sweating

loss of bladder control

muscle stiffness (severe)

trembling or shaking

trouble in speaking or swallowing

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

Inability to move eyes

increased blinking or spasms of eyelid

lip smacking or puckering

muscle spasms of face, neck, body, arms, or legs causing unusual postures or unusual expressions on face

puffing of cheeks

rapid or worm-like movements of tongue

sticking out of tongue

tic-like or twitching movements

trouble in breathing, speaking, or swallowing

uncontrolled chewing movements

uncontrolled movements of arms or legs

uncontrolled twisting movements of neck, trunk, arms, or leg

Rare

Irregular or slow heart rate

recurrent fainting

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

Blurred vision, change in color vision, or difficulty in seeing at night

fainting

loss of balance control

mask-like face

restlessness or need to keep moving

shuffling walk

stiffness of arms or legs

trembling and shaking of hands and fingers

Less common

Difficulty in urinating

skin rash

sunburn (severe)

Rare

Abdominal or stomach pains

aching muscles and joints

agitation, bizarre dreams, excitement, or trouble in sleeping

bleeding or bruising (unusual

chest pain

clumsiness

confusion (mild)

constipation (severe)

convulsions (seizures)

dark urine

fever and chills

hair loss

headaches

hot, dry skin or lack of sweating

itchy skin (severe)

muscle weakness

nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

pain in joints

prolonged, painful, inappropriate erection of the penis

redness of hands

shivering

skin discoloration (tan or blue-gray)

sore throat and fever

sores in mouth

unusual bleeding or bruising

unusual tiredness or weakness

yellow eyes or skin

Phenothiazines may cause your urine to be dark. In most cases, this is not a sign of a serious problem. However, if your urine does become dark, discuss it with your doctor.

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:

More common

Constipation (mild)

decreased sweating

dizziness

drowsiness

dryness of mouth

nasal congestion

Less common

Changes in menstrual period

decreased sexual ability

increased sensitivity of eyes to light

rough or “fuzzy” tongue

secretion of milk (unusual)

swelling or pain in breasts

watering of mouth

weight gain (unusual)

After you stop using this medicine, your body may need time to adjust. The length of time this takes depends on the amount of medicine you were using and how long you used it. During this time, check with your doctor if you notice dizziness, nausea and vomiting, stomach pain, trembling of the fingers and hands, or any of the following signs of tardive dyskinesia or tardive dystonia:

Inability to move eyes

lip smacking or puckering

muscle spasms of face, neck, body, arms, or legs, causing unusual body positions or unusual expressions on face

puffing of cheeks

rapid or worm-like movements of tongue

sticking out of tongue

tic-like or twitching movements

trouble in breathing, speaking, or swallowing

uncontrolled chewing movements

uncontrolled twisting or other movements of neck, trunk, arms, or legs

Although not all of the side effects listed above have been reported for all of the phenothiazines, they have been reported for at least one of them. However, since all of the phenothiazines are very similar, any of the above side effects may occur with any of these medicines.

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.

See more Trifluoperazine side effects
prices-container

Get your GoodRx coupon

Avg retail price
$29.72(Save 61.57%)
GoodRx discount
$11.42
See prices
pros-and-cons-icon

Pros and cons of Trifluoperazine

Pros

  • Can be used for schizophrenia or anxiety
  • Can be used in children age 6 and older
  • Available as a lower-cost generic medication
  • Available in 4 different strengths

Cons

  • High doses and long-term use can make you lose control of your movements.
  • Can cause agitation, jitteriness, and trouble sleeping
  • Not safe for use in severe liver disease
  • Usually taken twice a day
pharmacist-tips-icon

Pharmacist tips for Trifluoperazine

pharmacist
  • If you're taking trifluoperazine for anxiety, don't take more than 6 mg per day and don't take the medication for longer than 12 weeks. Using this medication at higher doses or for a longer time than recommended can raise your risk of permanent tardive dyskinesia.
  • Drinking alcohol while taking trifluoperazine can make you overly tired and slow down your breathing, which can be dangerous. The same can occur if you take trifluoperazine with sedatives or narcotic medications.
  • Trifluoperazine can cause dizziness, sleepiness, and blurred vision. Don't drive or do anything requiring concentration until you know how it affects you.
  • Trifluoperazine can cause your blood pressure to drop when you change positions. This can lead to dizziness and falls. Be very careful getting up if you've been sitting or lying down for a while.
  • If you want to stop taking trifluoperazine, talk to your provider first. They might have you stop the medication slowly to prevent any withdrawal effects.
  • Don't take trifluoperazine within 2 hours of an antacid medication because they can make trifluoperazine not work as well.
warnings-icon

Risks and warnings for Trifluoperazine

Trifluoperazine 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.

Death in people age 65 and older with dementia

  • Risk factors: Age 65 and older with dementia and psychosis

Black Box Warning People over the age of 65 who also have dementia sometimes have some of the symptoms of schizophrenia, like hallucinations and delusions. This is called dementia-related psychosis, and it should not be treated with trifluoperazine. If trifluoperazine is used for dementia-related psychosis, it can cause death. Let your provider know if you or your loved one has dementia before starting trifluoperazine.

Difficulty controlling movements

  • Risk factors: Age 65 and older | Females aged 65 and older | Long-term use | Taking high doses

Trifluoperazine can cause difficulty controlling movements. This is more likely to happen the longer you take it or if you're taking a high dose. This can become permanent if it's not caught in time and you might need to change your medication. Talk to your provider right away if you notice your eyes twitching or lips smacking, and you're not able to stop them.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome

  • Risk factors: Taking antipsychotic medications

Trifluoperazine can cause a rare but life-threatening condition called neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). Symptoms of NMS include high fever, muscle stiffness, confusion, sweating, and changes in heart rate and blood pressure. If you notice any of these symptoms, get medical help immediately.

Changes in blood cell counts

  • Risk factors: History of low white or red blood cell counts

In rare cases, trifluoperazine can lower the number of white and red blood cells you have. White blood cells help your body to fight off infections and diseases. If you notice a fever or that you're getting sick more easily, let your provider know right away because they might have you stop taking this medication. Talk to your provider if you think you're getting sick more often.

Liver damage

In rare cases, trifluoperazine can cause liver damage. If you notice yellowing of your skin or eyes, high fever, or pain in your stomach, talk to your provider right away.

Low blood pressure and falls

Trifluoperazine can cause lower blood pressure the first few weeks you take it. Dizziness and falls can happen due to a sudden drop in blood pressure when you change positions, such as going from sitting to standing. To avoid falling, change positions slowly until your body is used to the medication.

Vision changes

  • Risk factors: Taking high doses

Trifluoperazine can cause vision changes, especially if you take larger doses of the medication. Let your provider know right away if you notice changes in your vision.

High prolactin levels

Trifluoperazine can cause prolactin hormone levels in your blood to go up. High prolactin levels can lead to a milky substances being released from the nipple, enlarged breasts, sexual dysfunction, absent or irregular menstrual periods, and weak bones. Your provider might do regular blood tests to make sure that your prolactin levels are in a healthy range.

dosage-icon

Trifluoperazine dosage

The average cost for 30 tablets of 1mg of Trifluoperazine is $11.42 with a free GoodRx coupon. This is 61.57% off the average retail price of $29.72.
tabletTablet
DosageQuantityPrice as low asPrice per unit
1mg30 tablets$11.42$0.38
2mg30 tablets$15.64$0.52
5mg90 tablets$42.55$0.47
10mg30 tablets$30.68$1.02
See more Trifluoperazine dosage
interactions-icon

Interactions between Trifluoperazine and other drugs

Trifluoperazine may interact with certain medications or supplements. Always let your doctor and pharmacist know about any other medications or supplements (including prescribed and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and dietary or herbal supplements) that you are currently taking. The list below does not include all possible drug interactions with Trifluoperazine. Please note that only the generic name of each medication is listed below.

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 any of these medicines, 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 medicines in this class with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with a medication in this class or change some of the other medicines you take.

Using medicines in this class 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.

See more Trifluoperazine interactions
cost-icon

How much does Trifluoperazine cost?

To access savings, use a GoodRx coupon and pay just a fraction of the retail price.
Trifluoperazine (generic)
GoodRx lowest price

$11.42

(save 89.82%)
View prices and coupons
contraindications-icon

Trifluoperazine contraindications

Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Trifluoperazine will not be safe for you to take.

  • History of liver damage
  • Overly sleepy or comatose
  • Abnormal blood cell counts
alternatives-icon

What are alternatives to Trifluoperazine?

There are a number of medications that your doctor can prescribe in place of Trifluoperazine. Compare a few possible alternatives below.
Trifluoperazine
Used for:
  • Schizophrenia
  • Anxiety
$11.42Lowest GoodRx priceView prices
Used for:
$24.23Lowest GoodRx priceView prices
Used for:
  • Psychotic and behavioral disorders
  • Tourette syndrome in adults and children
  • Hyperactivity in children
$10.73Lowest GoodRx priceView prices
images-icon

Trifluoperazine images

White Round M And T3 - Trifluoperazine Hydrochloride 1mg Tablet
This medicine is White, Round Tablet Imprinted With "M" And "T3".White Round M And T3 - Trifluoperazine Hydrochloride 1mg Tablet
Purple Round Gg 51 And 1 - Trifluoperazine Hydrochloride 1mg Tablet
This medicine is Purple, Round Tablet Imprinted With "Gg 51" And "1".Purple Round Gg 51 And 1 - Trifluoperazine Hydrochloride 1mg Tablet