Benzonatate

Benzonatate is a prescription medication used to relieve cough. Benzonatate belongs to a group of drugs known as cough suppressants, which work by decreasing the cough reflex in the airways and lungs.

Benzonatate comes in capsule form and is usually taken by mouth up to 3 times a day. The capsules should be swallowed whole. Do not crush, dissolve, or chew benzonatate capsules.

Common side effects of benzonatate include constipation, headache, and stomach upset. Benzonatate can cause drowsiness, dizziness, and visual side effects. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how benzonatate affects you.
 

Benzonatate is a prescription medication used to relieve cough.

Benzonatate may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Benzonatate may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Tessalon

• Tessalon Perles

• Zonatuss

Common side effects include the following:

• drowsiness
• headache
• dizziness
• mental confusion
• visual effects
• constipation
• nausea
• itching

This is not a complete list of side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription  medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. No benzonatate drug interactions have been identified. However, you should tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. Not all drug interactions are known or reported and new drug interactions are continuously being reported.

Serious side effects have been reported with benzonatate including the following:

• Severe allergic reactions such as difficulty swallowing, breathing and heart problems, possibly resulting from sucking or chewing the capsule instead of swallowing it.
• Bizarre behavior, mental confusion and visual hallucinations, usually when taken in combination with other drugs.

Benzonatate can cause drowsiness, dizziness, and visual side effects. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how benzonatate affects you.

Do not take benzonatate if you are allergic to benzonatate or any of this medication’s ingredients.

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of benzonatate, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before taking benzonatate, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you have had previous allergic reactions to benzonatate or to similar medications such as procaine or tetracaine. Tell your doctor about all the medications you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories-A,B,C,D and X are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy. 

Benzonatate falls into Category C. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some babies born with problems. No well-controlled studies have been done in humans, though. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if benzonatate crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using benzonatate.

Take benzonatate exactly as prescribed.

Benzonatate comes in capsule form and is given up to 3 times a day.

Swallow the capsules whole. Do not crush, dissolve, or chew benzonatate capsules.

If numbness or tingling of the tongue, mouth, throat, or face occurs, do not eat or drink until the numbness has resolved. If the symptoms worsen or persist, seek medical attention.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of benzonatate at the same time.

Take benzonatate exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The benzonatate dose your doctor recommends will be based on the severity of your cough and your age.

The recommended dose of benzonatate for the treatment of cough is 100 to 200mg 3 times a day for adults and children over 10 years of age.

If you take too much benzonatate, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away. 

• Store benzonatate at controlled room temperature ( 68-77 degrees F).
• Keep benzonatate capsules in a tight, light resistant container.
• Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.