Nabilone

What is nabilone?

Nabilone is a medicine that is used to treat or prevent upset stomach, sensation of feeling sick (nausea) and throwing up (vomiting). Nabilone may be used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by other medicines.

You may hear nabilone called by its brand name, Cesamet. Nabilone comes in a capsule form.

Before giving nabilone to your child

Tell your child’s doctor if your child has:

• had any unusual or allergic reaction to nabilone or any other part of this drug
• has known sensitivity to marijuana or other cannabinoid agents
• has a history of mood disorders.

Talk with your child’s doctor or pharmacist if your child has any of the following conditions. Precautions may need to be taken with this medicine if your child has:

• high blood pressure or heart problems
• a severe liver problem
• a history of emotional disorders.

How should you give your child nabilone?

Follow these instructions when giving your child nabilone:

• Give your child this medicine exactly as your child’s doctor or pharmacist tells you to.
• Give the medicine at the same time every day, unless your child’s doctor tells you otherwise.
• Give this medicine with or without food. Give with food if it causes an upset stomach.

When nabilone is used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by other medicines (such as cancer medicines) it is usually given one to three hours before the cancer medicine and continued two or three times daily while your child is receiving the cancer medicine. This medicine is not to be taken on an "as needed" basis.

What should you do if your child misses a dose of nabilone?

If your child misses a dose of nabilone:

• Give the missed dose as soon as you remember.
• If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose. Give the next dose at the regular time.
• Do not give your child two doses to make up for one missed dose.

What are the possible side effects of this medicine?

Your child may have some of these side effects while they take nabilone. Check with your child's doctor if your child continues to have any of these side effects, if they do not go away or if they bother your child:

• dry mouth
• headache

Call your child’s doctor during office hours if your child has any of these side effects:

• excessive drowsiness
• unusual changes in mood or behavior that is different from usual (e.g. feeling intense excitement and happiness for no apparent reason, or low mood)
• sensation of spinning and loss of balance
• feeling dizzy when standing up from sitting or lying down
• nightmares
• fast heart beat
• tremors.

Most of the following side effects are not common, but they may be a sign of a serious problem. Call your child's doctor right away or take your child to Emergency if your child has any of these side effects:

• seeing, hearing or thinking of something that is not present
• feeling confused
• sense of being disconnected from reality
• seizure

What safety measures should you take when your child is using nabilone?

This medicine may be habit forming.

Check with your child’s doctor or pharmacist before you give your child any other medicines, even medicines that you can buy without a doctor’s order (prescription), including natural or herbal medicines.

There are some medicines that should not be taken together with nabilone or in some cases the dose of nabilone or the other medicine may need to be adjusted. It is important that you tell your doctor and pharmacist if your child takes any other medications (prescription, over the counter or herbal) including:

• sedatives (e.g. diazepam, lorazepam)
• opioid pain medications (e.g. morphine, codeine)
• any medicine that affects mental alertness or coordination (e.g. alcohol).

Your child’s alertness and coordination may be affected by the side effects that nabilone can cause. It may also affect your child’s safety in performing activities like riding a bicycle, swimming and other sports such as gymnastics, soccer and basketball. They should be careful when taking part in these types of activities.

What other important information should you know?

• Make sure you always have enough nabilone to last through weekends, holidays and vacations. Call your doctor at least five days before your child runs out of medicine to order refills.
• Keep nabilone at room temperature in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. Do NOT store it in the bathroom or kitchen.
• Do not share your child’s medicine with others and do not give anyone else’s medicine to your child.
• Do not keep any medicines that are out of date. Check with your pharmacist about the best way to throw away outdated or leftover medicines.
• Keep a list of all medications your child is on and show the list to the doctor or pharmacist.
  

Keep nabilone out of your child’s sight and reach and locked up in a safe place. If your child takes too much nabilone, call your local Poison Information Centre at one of these numbers. These calls are free. 

• Call 1-844 POISON-X, or 1-844-764-7669, from anywhere in Canada except Quebec.
• Call 1-800-463-5060 if you live in Quebec.