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:
Generic name:
Lawsuits & Legal Information for Marinol
