How to Use

For diseaseds taking this drug by mouth :

• If you are taking the capsule, tablet, liquid, or extended-release - not including the once-a-day capsule or tablet form of this drug, it works best when taken with a glass of water on an empty stomach - either 30 minutes to 1 hour before meals or 2 hours after meals. In some cases your family doctor may want you to take this drug with meals or right after meals to lessen stomach upset. If you have any questions about how you must be taking this drug, check with your family doctor.
• If you are taking the once-a-day capsule or tablet form of this drug, some products are to be taken each morning after fasting overnight and at least 1 hour before eating. However, other products are to be taken in the morning or evening with or without food. Be sure you understand exactly how to take the drug prescribed for you . Try to take the drug about the same time each day.
• There are few various forms of aminophylline, oxtriphylline, and theophylline capsules and tablets. If you are taking:
  • Enteric-coated or delayed-release tablets, swallow the tablets whole. Do not crush, break, or chew before swallowing.
  • Extended-release capsules , swallow the capsule whole. Do not crush, break, or chew before swallowing. Do not open the capsule and sprinkle the beads onto food unless told to do so by your health care professional.
  • Extended-release tablets , swallow the tablets whole. Do not break - unless tablet is scored for breaking, crush, or chew before swallowing.

Use this drug only as directed by your family doctor . Do not use more of it, do not use it more often and do not use it for a longer time than your family doctor ordered. To do so may increase the risk of serious side effects.

In order for this drug to help your medical problem, it must be taken every day in regularly spaced doses as ordered by your family doctor . This is necessary to keep a constant amount of this drug in the blood. To help keep the amount constant, do not miss any doses.

Dosage

After you begin taking aminophylline, oxtriphylline, or theophylline, it is very important that your family doctor check the level of drug in your blood at regular intervals to find out if your dose needs to be changed Do not change your dose of aminophylline, oxtriphylline, or theophylline unless your family doctor tells you to do so .

The number of capsules or tablets or teaspoonfuls of solution or syrup that you take depends on the strength of the drug. Always the number of doses you take each day and the time between doses depend on whether you are taking a short-acting or long-acting form of aminophylline, oxtriphylline, or theophylline .

Missed dose If you miss a dose of this drug, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage To store this drug:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store the capsule or tablet form of this drug in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the drug to break down.
• Keep the liquid form of this drug from freezing.
• Do not keep outdated drug or drug no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded drug is out of the reach of children.