lindane

Not applicable.

Read the Medication Guide provided by your pharmacist before you start using lindane. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist. This drug can be poisonous if used incorrectly. Do not take this drug by mouth, and avoid contact with your eyes, nose, or mouth. If lindane gets in these areas, rinse with water immediately and seek immediate medical attention if a burning feeling remains. Do not use if there is skin irritation (e.g., open wounds, rash, cuts, or sores) on the area to be treated unless directed to do so by your doctor. Trim your nails short and clean your skin well with warm (not hot) water before using, but wait at least 1 hour after bathing/showering before use. Wet or warm skin can increase the absorption of lindane into your bloodstream. An average-sized adult requires only 1 ounce (30 milliliters), but larger persons should use no more than 2 ounces (60 milliliters). Make sure your skin is clean and does not have other lotions, creams, or oils on it. Oils and lotions can increase the absorption of lindane through your skin and into your bloodstream, which increases the risk of serious side effects. Shake the bottle well before use. Apply a very thin layer of lotion once over your entire body from the neck down to the bottoms of your feet or as directed by your doctor. Use a toothbrush to apply lindane under your nails (scabies mites prefer this area). Do not use this toothbrush in your mouth afterward. Wrap the toothbrush and throw it in the trash with the closed bottle of any unused lindane out of the reach of children and pets. After application, do not cover your skin with fabric that does not breathe (e.g., disposable/plastic diaper, tight clothes, blankets). Avoid skin-to-skin contact with anyone while lindane is on your body. Leave the medication on the skin for 8-12 hours. Leaving it on overnight is usually enough. Do not leave it on the skin more than 12 hours. Leaving it on longer will not kill any more scabies mites/eggs, but your risk of serious (possibly fatal) seizures will be increased. Remove lindane lotion by washing very well in a shower or bath, using warm (not hot) water. If an infant or young child is prescribed lindane, watch the child carefully after applying the lotion to make sure the child does not put their hands/feet into their mouth while the medication is on their skin. If you are applying lindane on another person, wear disposable gloves (made of nitrile, latex with neoprene, or sheer vinyl) to decrease the risk of contacting this drug and possible side effects. Do not use natural latex gloves because more lindane can penetrate that type of glove. Wash your hand well afterwards. Symptoms of scabies include an intense itching which is generally worse at bedtime. You may also see small, fine, wavy lines on the skin with a tiny insect at the end (a burrow). Burrows are usually found on finger/toe webs, wrists, elbows, armpits, belt line, lower buttocks, female nipples, or male genitals. Even if lindane kills all the scabies, the dead mites can still make you itch for a long time after treatment. Ask your doctor about other medications that may be used to soothe the itching. Inform your doctor if your condition persists or worsens 2-3 weeks after treatment.

Your healthcare professionals (e.g., doctor or pharmacist) may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first. This drug should not be used with the following products because very serious interactions may occur: body cream/ointment/oil (e.g., oil-based lotions, moisturizers). If you are currently using any of these products, they must be washed off before you apply lindane. Oil-based products may increase the absorption of lindane, increasing the risk of side effects. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use. Also report the use of drugs which might increase seizure risk (decrease seizure threshold) when combined with lindane such as certain antibiotics (e.g., penicillins, imipenem, quinolones such as ciprofloxacin), antidepressants (e.g., amitriptyline, bupropion), drugs that suppress the immune system (e.g., cyclosporine, mycophenolate, tacrolimus), isoniazid (INH), antimalarials (e.g., chloroquine, pyrimethamine), meperidine, methocarbamol, phenothiazines (e.g., thioridazine), sedatives (e.g., zolpidem, temazepam, lorazepam), and theophylline, among others. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for details. This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.

Do not share this medication with others. Scabies is easily passed from one person to another. All family members and people you have close contact with should be examined. After treatment, any recently worn clothing, hats, sheets/blankets, plush/fabric toys, and towels should be washed in very hot water or dry-cleaned to decrease the chance of re-infestation. This medication is used to treat a current infestation only. It cannot be used to prevent future infestations.

This medicine may be harmful if swallowed. If swallowing or other overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call the US national poison hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canadian residents should call their local poison control center directly. Symptoms of overdose may include nausea, vomiting, restlessness, unsteadiness, seizures, irregular heartbeat.

See also Warning section. Before using lindane lotion, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details. This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: a poorly controlled seizure disorder. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: previous use of lindane in the past few months, other skin conditions (e.g., psoriasis, dermatitis), HIV infection, history of serious head injury, history of seizures, brain tumors, severe liver disease, alcohol abuse, sudden stopping of regular alcohol or sedative use. This drug may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do any activity that requires alertness until you are sure you can perform such activities safely. Limit alcoholic beverages. Before having an imaging test (e.g., X-rays, CT scan) requiring the use of dye, tell your doctor that you have used this medication. During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. If you are pregnant, do not apply lindane shampoo to others unless it is absolutely necessary and you have discussed it with your doctor. Use gloves as directed. (See How to Use section.) Lindane passes into breast milk and could have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Your baby should not come into direct contact with your skin while it has lindane on it. In addition, to lessen the chance of exposing your baby to the medication and possible side effects, pump your breast milk and discard it for 24 hours after using lindane. During this time, feed your baby formula or breast milk you stored from before you used lindane lotion.

Store at room temperature between 59-86 degrees F, (15-30 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Keep the bottle tightly closed. Do not store in the bathroom. Do not freeze. Keep all medicines away from children and pets. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.

See also Warning section. This medication may cause stinging, burning, or redness of the skin. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly. Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Tell your doctor immediately if these rare but very serious side effects occur: vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, seizures. A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction may include: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

This drug should only be used if other, safer medicines (e.g., permethrin, crotamiton) cannot be used or have not been effective. Do not use lindane to re-treat the same scabies infestation after the first lindane treatment does not work. Infrequently, lindane has caused seizures (sometimes death) after prolonged or repeated use. Rare (sometimes fatal) nervous system reactions such as seizures may occur, even after correct one-time use of lindane. Lindane should not be used in premature infants or patients with poorly controlled seizures. In addition, lindane should be used with caution in infants, children, the elderly, patients with skin conditions (e.g., skin rash, psoriasis), and patients with low body weight (e.g., less than 110 pounds or 50 kilograms). Itching may occur after either successful or failed treatments. Avoid re-applying lindane for a few months after use.