Flibanserin

Flibanserin may cause very low blood pressure resulting in dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had liver disease or if you drink or have ever drunk large amounts of alcohol. Drinking alcohol around the same time as taking flibanserin can increase the risk of having very low blood pressure. Wait at least 2 hours after drinking 1 or 2 alcoholic drinks before taking flibanserin at bedtime. If you drink 3 or more alcoholic drinks in the evening, skip your flibanserin dose on that evening. After taking flibanserin at bedtime, do not drink any alcohol until the following day. Your doctor will probably tell you not to take flibanserin. Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medications or have taken them in the last 2 weeks: amprenavir (Agenerase; no longer available in the U.S.), atazanavir (Reyataz, in Evotaz), boceprevir (Victrelis), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), clarithromycin (Biaxin, in Prevpac), conivaptan (Vaprisol), diltiazem (Cartia XT, Diltzac, Tiazac, others), erythromycin (E.E.S., Erytab, Erythrocin), fluconazole (Diflucan), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), indinavir (Crixivan), itraconazole (Onmel, Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), nefazodone, nelfinavir (Viracept), posaconazole (Noxafil), ritonavir (Norvir, in Kaletra, in Viekira Pak), saquinavir (Invirase), telaprevir (Incivek; no longer available in the U.S.), telithromycin (Ketek), and verapamil (Calan, Covera, Verelan, in Tarka). Your doctor may tell you not to take flibanserin, change your medications during your treatment with flibanserin, or monitor you carefully for side effects. Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while taking flibanserin. If you have any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately and lie down: lightheadedness, fainting, or dizziness.

Keep all appointments with your doctor.

Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer’s patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with flibanserin and each time you refill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm) or the manufacturer’s website to obtain the Medication Guide.

🔔 Why is this medication prescribed?

Flibanserin is used to treat women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD; a low sexual desire that causes distress or interpersonal difficulty) who have not experienced menopause (change of life; the end of monthly menstrual periods). Flibanserin should not be used for the treatment of HSDD in women who have gone through menopause or in men or to improve sexual performance. Flibanserin is in a class of medications called a serotonin receptor 1A agonist/serotonin receptor 2A antagonist. It works by changing the activity of serotonin and other natural substances in the brain.

🔔 How should this medicine be used?

Flibanserin comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken once daily at bedtime. Take flibanserin at bedtime every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take flibanserin exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

If your symptoms do not improve after 8 weeks of treatment, call your doctor.

Almost two-thirds of that $3.3 trillion cost – 64% – is paid for by American tax dollars, and that amount is growing. A study by the American Journal of Public Health predicts that taxpayers will shoulder 67.3% of the burden of healthcare costs by the year 2024, Physicians for a National Health Program

🔔 Other uses for this medicine

This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

🔔 What special precautions should I follow?

Before taking flibanserin,

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to flibanserin, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in flibanserin tablets. Ask your pharmacist or check the Medication Guide for a list of the ingredients.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention the medications listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section and any of the following: antidepressants such as fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem); antifungals; cimetidine (Tagamet); digoxin (Lanoxin); diphenhydramine (Benadryl); medications for anxiety or mental illness; medications for seizures such as carbamazepine (Epitol, Tegretol, Teril, others), phenobarbital, and phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek); opiate (narcotic) medications for pain control; oral contraceptives; proton pump inhibitors including dexlansoprazole (Dexilant), esomeprazole (Nexium, Vimovo), lansoprazole (Prevacid), omeprazole (Prilosec), pantoprazole (Protonix), or rabeprazole (Aciphex); ranitidine (Zantac); rifabutin (Mycobutin); rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, in Rifamate, in Rifater); sedatives; sirolimus (Rapamune); sleeping pills; and tranquilizers. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
• tell your doctor what herbal products you are taking, especially ginkgo, resveratrol, and St. John’s wort.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking flibanserin, call your doctor. Do not breastfeed while taking flibanserin.
• you should know that flibanserin may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until at least 6 hours after your dose of flibanserin and until you know how this medication affects you.

🔔 What special dietary instructions should I follow?

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.