Thorazine: Side Effects for Bipolar Disorder

Thorazine (chlorpromazine) is a medication that doctors may occasionally use in inpatient settings to control agitation and mania in people with bipolar disorder. However, it is used infrequently and is not approved by the FDA for treating bipolar disorder.

Thorazine is primarily used to address symptoms of mania, psychosis, and agitation but not for long-term bipolar disorder management.

Antipsychotics, including Thorazine and newer drugs, can be life-saving for individuals with bipolar disorder. For these people, the benefits of these drugs generally outweigh their risks.

Common Side Effects of Thorazine:

• Constipation
• Decreased sweating
• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Dryness of mouth
• Nasal congestion

Less Common Side Effects:

• Changes in menstrual periods
• Decreased sexual ability
• Increased skin sensitivity to sunlight (rashes, itching, discoloration, or sunburn)
• Breast swelling or pain
• Unusual milk secretion
• Unusual weight gain

Rare but Serious Side Effects:

• Difficulty breathing
• Fast heartbeat
• Fever
• Increased sweating
• Loss of bladder control
• Seizures (indicating neuroleptic malignant syndrome or a separate side effect)
• Severe muscle stiffness
• Unusual tiredness or weakness

Notify Your Doctor Immediately If You Experience:

More common:

• Lip-smacking or puckering
• Involuntary puffing of cheeks
• Rapid or fine, worm-like tongue movements
• Uncontrolled chewing movements
• Uncontrolled movements of arms or legs

Rare:

• Convulsions (seizures)
• Difficulty or rapid breathing
• Fast heartbeat or irregular pulse
• Fever
• High or low blood pressure
• Increased sweating
• Loss of bladder control
• Severe muscle stiffness
• Unusually pale skin
• Unusual tiredness or weakness

Notify Your Doctor as Soon as Possible If You Experience:

More common:

• Blurred vision, changes in color vision, or difficulty seeing at night
• Difficulty speaking or swallowing
• Fainting
• Inability to move eyes
• Loss of balance control
• Mask-like face
• Muscle spasms (especially of the face, neck, and back)
• Restlessness or need to keep moving

Less common:

• Difficulty in urinating
• Skin rash
• Severe sunburn

Rare:

• Abdominal or stomach pains
• Aching muscles and joints
• Confusion
• Fever and chills
• Hot or dry skin
• Lack of sweating
• Muscle weakness

Other rare side effects:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Painful, inappropriate penile erection (continuing)
• Skin discoloration (tan or blue-gray)
• Severe skin itching
• Sore throat and fever
• Unusual bleeding or bruising
• Yellow eyes or skin

Thorazine Withdrawal:

• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Stomach pain
• Trembling of fingers and hands
• Any of the above-mentioned tardive dyskinesia symptoms

Other side effects not listed above may also occur. Consult your doctor if you notice any other effects.