Perphenazine is indicated for the treatment of certain mental or mood disorders such as:

• Depression
• The manic phase of bipolar disorder
• Schizophrenia

Depression is considered a serious medical condition. It can get worse without proper treatment. This condition can be more than a constant state of sadness or feeling blue. Major depression can cause a variety of symptoms. Some affect your mood and others affect your body. Symptoms may also be ongoing or come and go such as:

• Irritability
• Feeling empty or anxious
• Talking or thinking more slowly
• Loss of interest in activities
• Difficulty sleeping through the night
• Sleeping too much
• Decreased energy
• Greater fatigue
• Changes in appetite

In the manic phase of bipolar disorder, it is common to experience feelings of heightened energy, creativity, and euphoria. If you have this type of condition, you may talk a minute, sleep very little, and be hyperactive. You may also feel like you are all-powerful, destined for greatness, or invincible. Common signs and symptoms of the manic phase of bipolar disorder may include:

• Racing thoughts, jumping quickly from one idea to the next
• Talking so rapidly that others can’t keep up
• Highly distractible or unable to concentrate
• Delusions and hallucinations(in severe cases)
• Extremely irritable
• Acting recklessly without thinking about the consequences

Schizophrenia requires lifelong treatment. This is also a serious mental disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally. This may result in some combination of delusions, hallucinations, and extremely disordered thinking. Schizophrenia may also affect behavior that impairs daily functioning and can be disabling. Here are some common early warning signs:

• Depression or social withdrawal
• Suspiciousness or hospitality (an extreme reaction to criticism)
• Expressionless gaze
• Deterioration of personal hygiene
• Inability to cry or express joy
• Oversleeping or insomnia
• Forgetful or unable to concentrate
• Strange use of words or way of speaking

Perphenazine is in the class of medications called phenothiazine antipsychotics. This drug will help you feel less nervous, think more clearly, and take part in your everyday life. This can lessen aggressive behavior and the desire to hurt others or yourself. This will also help decrease hallucinations. Perphenazine restores the balance of certain natural substances in the brain called dopamine. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already approved this prescription. This is supplied as oral tablets with the active ingredient of Perphenazine. Each tablet is available in the dosage forms of 2 mg, 4 mg, 8 mg, and 16 mg.

How does Perphenazine work?

Perphenazine works by blocking a variety of receptors in the brain particularly dopamine receptors. Dopamine is a natural compound called neurotransmitter and is involved in transmitting messages between brain cells. It is a neurotransmitter known to be involved in regulating mood and behavior.

In schizophrenia, this drug blocks the receptors that dopamine acts on. This prevents the overactivity of dopamine in the brain. This also helps to control psychotic illness.

Perphenazine may also be used to control nausea and vomiting. This affects dopamine receptors in an area of the brain that controls nausea and vomiting. Vomiting is controlled by an area of the brain called vomiting center. The vomiting center is responsible for causing feelings of sickness and for the vomiting reflex. It is activated when it receives nerve messages from another area of the brain called the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ). This medication controls nausea and vomiting by blocking dopamine receptors found in the CTZ. This stops the CTZ from sending the messages to the vomiting center.  

How to use Perphenazine?

The dosage will depend on your medical condition, age, weight, and response to the treatment. Your doctor may direct you to start at a low dose and gradually increase it. Follow the instructions of your doctor very carefully. You should not take the medication more or less than it is prescribed.

Perphenazine is to be taken by mouth usually 1 to 3 times a day or as directed by your doctor. You may take each dose with or without a meal. The tablet is to be swallowed as a whole with a full glass of water. Do not break, chew, or crush it. Use Perphenazine regularly for the best benefit. To help you remember, take it at the same time each day. Let your doctor know if your condition does not improve or if it gets worse.

What are the side effects of Perphenazine?

Common side effects:

• Tremors and feeling restless
• Drowsiness or dizziness
• Headache
• Blurred vision
• Anxiety
• Strange dreams
• Sleep problems or insomnia
• Stuffy nose
• Dry mouth
• Changes in your menstrual periods
• Weight gain
• Constipation
• Skin rash or itching
• Uncontrollable movement of tongue, lips, arms, face, or legs

Call your doctor if you have these unlikely but serious side effects:

• Confusion or unusual thoughts
• Extreme drowsiness or dizziness
• Little or no urinating
• Sudden weakness or ill feeling
• Severe bloating or stomach cramps

Warnings and Precautions

• Perphenazine may cause drowsiness and blurred vision. If affected do not drive or use any machinery.
• You should avoid drinking alcohol while having this medication. It may make you drowsier.
• Antipsychotic medicines can sometimes affect the ability of the body to control their core body temperature. This is more likely to be a problem in elderly people in the elderly and can result in heatstroke. It is important to avoid situations that can result in overheating or getting dehydrated.
• Consult your doctor right away if you experience sweating, high fever, and muscle stiffness while having this treatment.
• Use Perphenazine with caution in elderly people, with liver or kidney disease, a severe disease affecting the airways or lungs.
• This should not be used in children under 14 years of age. This should also not be used in people with low numbers of white blood cells in their blood and people in unresponsive unconscious states.
• This is not recommended for use during pregnancy unless it is given by your doctor. If you get pregnant while having this medication, call your doctor and stop taking this drug.
• If you are breastfeeding women, consult your doctor first.
• If you missed a dose, call your doctor for further instruction.