Dexedrine

What you should know before using

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to medicines in this group 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.

Pediatrics

When amphetamines are used for long periods of time in children, they may cause unwanted effects on behavior and growth. Before these medicines are given to a child, you should discuss their use with your child's doctor.

Geriatric

Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of amphetamines in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Studies have not been done in humans. However, animal studies have shown that amphetamines may increase the chance of birth defects if taken during the early months of pregnancy. Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant of if you may become pregnant.

In addition, overuse of amphetamines during pregnancy may increase the chances of a premature delivery and of having a baby with a low birth weight. Also, the baby may become dependent on amphetamines and experience withdrawal effects such as agitation and drowsiness.

Breast Feeding

Amphetamines pass into breast milk. Although this medicine has not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies, it is best not to breast-feed while you are taking an amphetamine. Be sure you have discussed this with your doctor.

Drug Interactions

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.

• Clorgyline
• Furazolidone
• Iproniazid
• Isocarboxazid
• Moclobemide
• Nialamide
• Pargyline
• Phenelzine
• Procarbazine
• Rasagiline
• Selegiline
• Sibutramine
• Toloxatone
• Tranylcypromine

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.

• Chlorpromazine
• Citalopram
• Furazolidone
• Venlafaxine

Other Interactions

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. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Other Medical Problems

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

• Anxiety or tension (severe) or
• Drug abuse or dependence (history of) or
• Glaucoma or
• Heart or blood vessel disease or
• High blood pressure, severe or moderate or

• Mental illness (severe), especially in children, or
• Overactive thyroid—This medicine should not be used if any of these conditions exist. Serious unwanted effects could occur.

• Heart abnormalities or birth defects—This medicine should not be used in children or adults with this condition. Severe unwanted heart problems including death have been reported.

• Mild high blood pressure—Caution should be used. May make condition worse.

• Tourette's syndrome (history of) or other tics—Children and their families should be checked by their doctor for this condition before taking this medicine.