It is used to treat the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and tremors caused by other medical problems or by medicines.
Use of this medicine
Benztropine mesylate comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken at bedtime. It can be taken 2 or 3 times a day to treat tremors caused by other medical problems or medications.
You will not notice an improvement in your condition for at least 1 to 2 days. You may have to take benzatropin mesylate for a long time to treat Parkinson’s disease .
However, it may only be needed for 1 to 2 weeks if your tremors are caused by other medical problems or medications. You can start with a small dose and slowly increase it after seeing the response to benzatropin mesylate.
Other uses
Benztropine mesylate is also used occasionally in those geriatric patients who cannot take medications to stimulate brain function. Talk to your doctor about the risks of using this medicine to treat your condition.
Precautions
Before you start taking benztropine mesylate, check with your doctor about the following:
- If you are allergic to this or other medications.
- The prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially amantadine (Symmetrel),
digoxin (Lanoxin), haloperidol (Haldol), levodopa (Larodopa, Sinemet), tranquilizers such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine) or thioridazine (Mellaril), and vitamins.
- If you have or have ever had kidney or liver disease ; glaucoma; heart or blood pressure problems ; myasthenia gravis (muscle weakness); or problems with the urinary system, prostate, or stomach .
- If you are pregnant , plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking this medicine, call your doctor immediately.
- If you are going to have any surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking benztropine mesylate.
Warnings
- This medicine may make you drowsy (sleepy). Do not drive a car or operate heavy machinery until you know how this drug will affect you.
- Remember that alcohol can increase the drowsiness caused by this medicine.
- Avoid unnecessary or prolonged exposure to sunlight and wear clothes that cover your skin , sunglasses, sun and sunscreen. This medicine makes your skin much more sensitive to sunlight.
Ideal diet while taking this medicine
Benztropine mesylate can cause an upset stomach, so it is recommended to take it with food or milk .
Side effects that this medicine could cause
- Drowsiness (sleep)
- Dry feeling in the mouth .
- Difficulty urinating.
- constipation (constipation).
If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:
- Pruritus (rash skin )
- Faster, slower, or stronger heart rate than usual, or irregular
- Fever
- Confusion
- Depression
- Delusions or hallucinations
- Pain in the eyes
Symptoms of overdose may include:
- Excitement
- Confusion
- Nervousness
- Seeing things that are not there (hallucinations)
- Dizziness
- Muscular weakness
- Feeling of dryness in the mouth
- Blurry vision
- Faster or stronger heart rate than usual
- Stomach ache
- Vomiting
- Pain when urinating
- Difficulty to swallow
- Rash (skin rashes)
- Headache (pain head )
- Increased skin temperature, in addition to dryness and redness
- Vomiting blood
- Convulsive crisis
- Eat
- Sunstroke (heat stroke)
- Heartburn (heartburn)
- Constipation (constipation)