PENTOBARBITAL (pen toe BAR bi tal) is a short-acting barbiturate with anticonvulsant and sedative-hypnotic properties. It is used before surgery to induce sleep and to treat seizures in an emergency. It’s uses also include sedation induction; relief of preoperative anxiety; control of status epilepticus or seizures resulting from meningitis, tetanus, alcohol withdrawal, poisons, chorea, or eclampsia; and induction of coma in the management of cerebral ischemia and increased intracranial pressure that may follow stroke or head trauma.
What should I tell my health care provider before I take Nembutal?
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
- Depression
- Drug abuse or addiction
- Alcohol Addiction
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Lung or breathing disease, like
- Asthma
- Porphyria
- Suicidal thoughts, plans, or attempt; a previous suicide attempt by you or a family member
- An unusual or allergic reaction to pentobarbital, other barbiturates, medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
- Pregnant or trying to get pregnant
- Breast-feeding
How should I use Nembutal Sodium?
Its generic formulations are in Nembutal pills, Nembutal oral solution, Pentobarbital injection and Nembutal Sodium Solution.
Nembutal Sodium Solution is for injection into a muscle or a vein. It is given by a health care professional in a hospital or clinic setting.
Nembutal pills and Nembutal oral solution are consumed orally. Fill a plastic water or soda bottle with water. Put the tablet on your tongue and close your lips tightly around the bottle opening. Take a drink, keeping contact between the bottle and your lips and using a sucking motion to swallow the water and pill. Don’t let air get into the bottle.
Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.
Patients over 65 years old may have a stronger reaction and need a smaller dose.
What are the possible side effects of Nembutal Sodium)?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
confusion, agitation, hallucinations;
weak or shallow breathing;
slow heart rate, weak pulse; or
a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out.
Side effects such as confusion, depression, or excitement may be more likely in older adults and those who are ill or debilitated.
Common side effects may include:
drowsiness, dizziness;
loss of balance or coordination;
nausea, vomiting, constipation;
overactive reflexes;
sleep problems (insomnia), nightmares; or
feeling restless or excited (especially in children or older adults).
What other drugs may affect Nembutal Pentobarbital Sodium?
Using pentobarbital with other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing can cause dangerous or life-threatening side effects. Ask your doctor before taking a sleeping pill, narcotic pain medicine, prescription cough medicine, a muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety, depression, or seizures. Do not take this medicine with any of the following medications:
- Voriconazole
This medicine may also interact with the following medications:
- Alcohol
- Antihistamines for allergy, cough and cold
- Cyclosporine
- Doxycycline
- Female hormones, like estrogens or progestins and birth control pills
- Griseofulvin
- Imatinib
- Kava kava
- MAOIs like Carbex, Eldepryl, Marplan, Nardil, and Parnate
- Medicines for depression, anxiety, or psychotic disturbances
- Medicines for seizures
- Medicines for sleep
- Muscle relaxants
- Narcotic medicines for pain
- Other barbiturates
- Primidone
- Quinidine
- Steroid medicines like prednisone or cortisone
- Valerian
- Warfarin
What should I watch for while using Pentobarbital mechanism of action?
Your condition should be observed carefully while you are taking the Pentobarbital mechanism of action.
You may develop tolerance to the medicine, meaning that you will need a higher Nembutal Sodium dosage for pain relief. Tolerance is normal and is expected if you take the medicine for a long time.
Do not abruptly stop taking your medicine because you may develop a severe reaction as the body becomes used to the pentobarbital side effects. This does NOT mean you are addicted. Addiction is a behavior related to getting and using a drug for a non-medical reason. If you have pain, you have a medical reason to take pain medicine. Your doctor will tell you how much medicine to take. If your doctor wants you to stop the medicine, the dose will be slowly lowered over time to avoid any side effects.
You may get drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how this medicine affects you. Do not stand or sit up quickly, especially if you are an older patient. This reduces the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Alcohol may interfere with the effect of this medicine. Avoid alcoholic drinks.
The use of Pentobarbital or any other barbiturates drugs may increase the chance of suicidal thoughts or actions. Pay proper attention to how you are reacting while on this medicine. Any worsening of mood, or thoughts of suicide or dying should be reported to your health care professional right away.
What happens if I overdose Nembutal Sodium?
Overdose symptoms may include extreme drowsiness, weak or limp feeling, slow or shallow breathing, weak pulse, rapid heart rate, little or no urination, pinpoint or dilated pupils, feeling cold, or fainting. Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. An overdose of pentobarbital can be fatal.
What if I miss a dose?
This does not apply. Since pentobarbital is often used only when needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. If you are on a schedule, use the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Is Nembutal Pentobarbital Illegal?
It would appear that only a small percentage of Nembutal pentobarbital are illegally manufactured because the majority of the legitimately produced Nembutal pentobarbital is shipped to Mexico and later smuggled into the USA at an affordable price. Most of the Nembutal pentobarbital shipped from Mexico are sold in the United States black market. However, half of illegally manufactured Nembutal pentobarbital originate from China. Other countries such as India, Denmark, Russia, and Hungary have a significant illegal production base of Nembutal pentobarbital.