Rimantadine

What is rimantadine?

Rimantadine is an antiviral medication. It blocks the actions of viruses in your body.

Rimantadine is used to treat and prevent influenza A (a viral infection) in adults. It is also used to prevent influenza A in children.

There may be some flu seasons during which rimantadine is not recommended because certain flu strains may be resistant to this drug.

Rimantadine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Precautions

Do not use this medicine if you are allergic to rimantadine or a similar medicine called amantadine (Symmetrel).

Before taking rimantadine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

epilepsy or other seizure disorder;
kidney disease; or
liver disease.

If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take this medication.

FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

It is not known whether rimantadine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Do not use FluMist nasal influenza "live vaccine” while you are being treated with rimantadine and for at least 48 hours after you stop taking rimantadine. The nasal vaccine may not be as effective if you receive it while you are taking rimantadine. Before taking rimantadine, tell your doctor if you have received a nasal flu vaccine within the past 14 days.

Avoid coming into close contact with someone who has a weak immune system, such as a person who is taking steroids, being treated for cancer, or has a bone marrow disorder or an illness such as HIV or AIDS. If you have a type of influenza that is resistant to rimantadine, your body may actually shed that virus and a person with a weak immune system could easily become ill from being near you.

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Instructions

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

Overdose symptoms may include agitation, confusion, hallucinations, or uneven heart rate.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

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Side Effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using rimantadine and call your doctor at once if you have a seizure (black-out or convulsions).

Less serious side effects may include:

nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, stomach pain;
dry mouth;
sleep problems (insomnia);
dizziness;
headache; or
anxiety, trouble concentrating.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

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Interactions

Before taking rimantadine, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

cimetidine (Tagamet);
aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol); or
nasal flu vaccine (FluMist).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with rimantadine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Other Names

Flumadine and rimantadine

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Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.