Marinol Side Effects

Serious Side Effects of Marinol

seizures (convulsions)
rapid heart rate or irregular heartbeat
changes in mood or thoughts, feeling depressed or unstable
serious allergic reaction: hives, rash, swelling of the mouth, tongue, throat, or face, wheezing and trouble breathing

Marinol Overdose Symptoms

If you take more Marinol than prescribed, you may develop symptoms of an overdose. An overdose of Marinol is dangerous; call your doctor immediately if you have these side effects:

feeling dizzy or passing out
increased senses
changes in perception of time
extreme drowsiness or fatigue
redness of the eyes
rapid heart beat
trouble speaking, coordinating, balancing or standing up
loss of memory
constipation or trouble urinating
changes in mood or thoughts
hallucinating
feeling as if you are outside of your body and unable to control yourself properly

Common Side Effects of Marinol

feeling tired or weak
sudden feeling of warmth
hallucinating or out of body experiences
abnormal thoughts
trouble remembering, or loss of memory
feeling anxious, nervous, dizzy or confused
upset stomach or throwing up
trouble balancing or walking
"high" or euphoric (abnormally pleasant) feelings

Warnings & Recalls for Marinol

Marinol and Pregnancy

Marinol is listed as an FDA pregnancy Category C drug. It has not yet been confirmed if Marinol may cause harm to the fetus when used during pregnancy. When tested in pregnant animals, the studies showed an decrease in birth weight and an increase in fetal mortality. Marinol should not be taken while breastfeeding. If you have HIV or AIDS, do not breastfeed, the virus may be passed to the feeding baby. If you are pregnant, may become pregnant or are breastfeeding, do not take Marinol without a prescription from your doctor.

General Warnings

Marinol may be addictive and habit forming and should be used only as prescribed by your doctor. Marinol can cause drowsiness or dizziness. Do not operate vehicles or perform any activity that requires you to be alert until you know how you will react to Marinol. Elderly patients may be more sensitive to the side effects caused by Marinol and should use caution when using Marinol as a treatment. Before taking Marinol, let your doctor know about any of the following you may have to ensure that you may safely use Marinol as a treatment:

allergies, especially to dronabinol, sesame oil or marijuana
a history of drug or alcohol abuse or addiction
any heart disorders or disease
epilepsy or any other seizure causing disorder
high blood pressure or low blood pressure
a history of depression or suicidal thoughts, schizophrenia or any mental illnesses

Tell all doctors and dentists that you are taking Marinol, especially if you will be undergoing surgery.

Marinol Interactions

Tell your healthcare provider about any medications you are using. Marinol may interact with several drugs including:

sedatives, hypnotics or psychoactive medicines
blood thinners
amphetamines
antihistamines
pain relievers or muscle relaxers
lithium
alcohol

Combining Marinol with these medicines may decrease your ability to function by causing increased drowsiness and relaxation. Do not drink alcohol while taking Marinol. This mixture may magnify the side effects of Marinol.

Marinol Treatment and Use

Marinol | Dronabinol is a synthetic cannabinoid (medical marijuana or delta-9-THC) medicine marketed by Roxanne Laboratories for treating nauseousness and vomiting associated with cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy. Marinol may also be prescribed for increasing appetite and treating anorexia and weight loss in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

This medicine is for patients who have persistent vomiting and have already attempted to treat nausea with other drugs but failed.

Marinol was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1985 and continues to be the only approved synthetic cannabinoid to this day.

How Does Marinol Work?

Marinol is thought to work in the central nervous system by interfering with receptors which trigger nausea or vomiting. Marinol may block the signal and lead to an increase in appetite and a decrease in vomiting or feelings of nausea.

How to Use Marinol

Marinol comes in capsule form to be taken orally. Prescription doses of Marinol depend on the condition being treated and the patient’s weight, height, and response to the medicine. Marinol should be taken whole with a glass of water. This drug may be taken with or without food. Do not break or chew Marinol, this may cause a dangerous amount of this medicine to enter your blood stream.

For treating anorexia or loss of appetite caused by AIDS, doctors usually recommend taking Marinol:

in 2.5 mg doses
twice each day, once before lunch and once before dinner
in one 2.5 mg dose if patient is sensitive to the side effects of Marinol
in increased doses as a maximum of 10mg per day

Normal treatment for reducing chemotherapy induced nauseousness or vomiting includes taking Marinol:

in patient specific doses
as six doses per day
one to three hours before undergoing chemotherapy
after chemotherapy every two to four hours

Do not use more Marinol than prescribed. You may suffer from an overdose. See “Side Effects” tab for more information about overdose symptoms.

Other Names for Marinol

Brand name:

Marinol

Generic name:

Dronabinol