What Is Seconal Sodium?

Seconal Sodium (secobarbital sodium) is a barbiturate used to treat insomnia for the short term or as a sedative before surgery.

What Are the Side Effects of Seconal Sodium?

Common side effects of Seconal Sodium include:

• unwanted sleepiness,
• trouble waking up,
• drowsiness,
• dizziness,
• excitation,
• headache,
• tiredness,
• loss of appetite,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• problems with memory or concentration,
• excitement (especially in children or older adults),
• upset stomach,
• constipation, or
• “hangover” effect (drowsiness the day after a dose).

Seconal Sodium may cause serious side effects, including:

• hives,
• difficulty breathing,
• swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat,
• sleep walking,
• unusual thoughts or behaviour,
• new or worsening depression,
• confusion,
• hallucinations,
• anxiety,
• agitation, and
• thoughts of self-harm

Get medical help right away if you have any of the symptoms listed above.

Seek medical care or call 911 at once if you have the following serious side effects:

• Serious eye symptoms such as sudden vision loss, blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights;
• Serious heart symptoms such as fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeats; fluttering in your chest; shortness of breath; and sudden dizziness, lightheadedness, or passing out;
• Severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, arm or leg weakness, trouble walking, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady, very stiff muscles, high fever, profuse sweating, or tremors.

This document does not list all possible side effects; others may occur. Check with your physician for additional information about side effects.

Dosage for Seconal Sodium

Dosages of barbiturates must be individualised with full knowledge of their particular characteristics. Factors to consider include the patient’s age, weight, and condition.

What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Seconal Sodium?

Seconal Sodium may interact with:

• Anticoagulants
• Corticosteroids
• Griseofulvin
• Doxycycline
• Phenytoin, Sodium Valproate, Valproic Acid
• CNS Depressants
• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)
• Estradiol, Estrone, Progesterone, and Other Steroidal Hormones

Seconal Sodium During Pregnancy or Breastfeeding

Barbiturates can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Retrospective, case-controlled studies have suggested that there may be a connection between the maternal consumption of barbiturates and a higher than expected incidence of fetal abnormalities. Barbiturates readily cross the placental barrier and are distributed throughout fetal tissues; the highest concentrations are found in the placenta, fetal liver, and brain. Fetal blood levels approach maternal blood levels following parenteral administration.

Withdrawal symptoms occur in infants born to women who receive barbiturates throughout the last trimester of pregnancy. If Seconal Sodium (secobarbital sodium capsules) is used during pregnancy or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, the patient should be apprised of the potential hazard to the fetus.

Tell your doctor about all of your health conditions, including if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.

Additional Information

Our Seconal Sodium Side Effects Drug Centre provides a comprehensive overview of available drug information on the potential side effects of this medication.

This is not a complete list of side effects, and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.