Alphagan

Do NOT use Alphagan P if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Alphagan P
• you are taking furazolidone or a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) (eg, phenelzine).

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Some medical conditions may interact with Alphagan P. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

• if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breast-feeding
• if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
• if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
• if you have severe heart disease (including not enough blood flow) or kidney or liver problems
• if you have a history of depression
• if you have Raynaud phenomenon
• if you have low blood pressure, inflammation of the blood vessels, or not enough blood flow to the brain.

Some medicines may interact with Alphagan P. Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

• Bromocriptine, catechol-O-methyltranferase (COMT) inhibitors, cocaine, methyldopa, or oxytocic drugs (eg, ergotamine) because the risk of their side effects may be increased by Alphagan P
• Furazolidone or MAOIs (eg, selegiline) because the risk of their side effects, including high fever, high blood pressure, and headache, may be increased by Alphagan P
• Guanethidine because its effectiveness may be decreased by Alphagan P
• Tricyclic antidepressants (eg, amitriptyline) because they may increase or decrease Alphagan P's effectiveness.

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Alphagan P may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.

Important safety information:

• Alphagan P may cause drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision, or lightheadedness. These effects may be worse if you take it with alcohol or certain medicines. Use Alphagan P with caution. Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.
• Lab tests, including eye exams, may be performed while you use Alphagan P. These tests may be used to monitor your condition or check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.
• Alphagan P should be used with extreme caution in children younger than 2 years old; safety and effectiveness in these children have not been confirmed.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: If you become pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of using Alphagan P while you are pregnant. It is not known if Alphagan P is found in breast milk. If you are or will be breast-feeding while you use Alphagan P, check with your doctor. Discuss any possible risks to your baby.

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects.

Check with your doctor if any of these most common side effects persist or become bothersome:

Abnormal vision; cough; dizziness; drowsiness; dry eyes; dry mouth; eye irritation; flu; foreign body sensation; headache; inflamed eyelids; irritation near the eyelashes; loss of color in the eye; muscular pain; rash; redness of eyelid; runny nose; sensitivity to light; sinus infection; sore throat; staining and erosion of the cornea; stomach upset; swelling of the conjunctiva; tearing; tiredness; upper respiratory tract symptoms; weakness.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these severe side effects occur:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); anxiety; changes in heart rate; difficulty breathing; eyelid crusting; fainting; nasal dryness; palpitations; pounding in the chest.

This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.