Serenase
Serenase contains haloperidol and is used to treat mental health conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and behavior problems that affect thoughts, feelings, and actions in adults, teenagers, and children.
How to Use
Dosage
Your doctor will tell you how much to take. Adults usually take 0.5 mg to 10 mg daily, with a maximum of 5 mg to 20 mg depending on the condition. Older adults usually start with 0.5 mg daily, with a maximum of 5 mg. Children aged 6-17 usually take 0.5 mg to 3 mg daily, with a maximum of 5 mg for certain conditions.
Method
Take the tablets by mouth with a little water.
The maximum daily dose for adults is typically 5 mg to 20 mg, depending on the condition. For older adults, it's usually 5 mg per day, unless your doctor says otherwise. For children up to 17 years, it's usually 5 mg per day for certain conditions.
Possible Side Effects
- •Feeling restless or agitated
- •Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- •Headache
- •Uncontrolled movements of the mouth, tongue, jaw, arms, and legs; feeling restless and unable to sit still; slow movements; muscle tremors or stiffness; shuffling walk; mask-like face
- •Serious mental health issues, such as believing things that are not true (delusions) or seeing, hearing, feeling, or smelling things that are not there (hallucinations)
- •Depression
- •Abnormal muscle tension
- •Feeling dizzy, especially when standing up or sitting up quickly
- •Drowsiness
- •Eyes rolling upwards or fast, uncontrolled eye movements; vision problems like blurred vision
- •Low blood pressure
- •Feeling sick (nausea) or throwing up (vomiting)
- •Constipation
- •Dry mouth or more saliva than usual
- •Skin rash
- •Problems urinating or not being able to fully empty your bladder
- •Difficulty getting or keeping an erection (impotence)
- •Weight gain or loss
- •Changes in liver function tests
- •Changes in blood cell counts, including a severe drop in white blood cells and platelets
- •Feeling confused
- •Reduced or lost sex drive
- •Seizures (fits)
- •Stiff muscles and joints
- •Uncontrolled muscle spasms, twitches, or contractions, including neck spasms that make your head turn to one side
- •Difficulty walking
- •Shortness of breath
- •Liver inflammation or problems, causing yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)
- •Increased skin sensitivity to sunlight
- •Itching
- •Heavy sweating
- •Changes in menstrual cycle, like missed periods, long or heavy periods, or painful periods
- •Unexpected production of breast milk
- •Breast pain or discomfort
- •Fever
- •Swelling caused by fluid buildup in the body
- •High levels of a hormone called prolactin in the blood
- •Narrowing of airways in the lungs, causing breathing difficulties
- •Difficulty or inability to open the mouth
- •Problems with sexual intercourse
- •High levels of antidiuretic hormone in your blood (SIADH)
- •Low blood sugar levels
- •Swelling around the voice box or temporary spasms of the vocal cords, which can cause speech or breathing problems
- •Sudden liver failure
- •Reduced bile flow in the bile ducts
- •Skin peeling or flaking
- •Inflamed small blood vessels, causing a rash with small red or purple spots
- •Breakdown of muscle tissue (rhabdomyolysis)
- •Long-lasting and painful erection
- •Breast enlargement in men
- •Low body temperature
- •Irregular heart rhythm that can cause fainting; unusually fast heartbeat; extra heartbeats
- •A serious condition called neuroleptic malignant syndrome, with high fever, severe muscle stiffness, confusion, and unconsciousness
- •Severe allergic reactions like swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat; difficulty swallowing or breathing; itchy rash (hives)
- •Blood clots, especially in the legs (symptoms include swelling, pain, and redness in the leg), which can travel to the lungs and cause chest pain and breathing difficulties
Important Warnings
- Do not take if you are allergic to haloperidol or any other ingredient in this medicine.
- Do not take if you have Parkinson's disease, Lewy body dementia, or progressive supranuclear palsy.
- Do not take if you have certain heart problems (e.g., prolonged QT interval, recent heart attack, heart failure, or very low potassium levels).
- Do not take Serenase with certain other medicines that can cause serious heart problems. Tell your doctor about all medicines you are taking.
- Serenase can cause serious side effects like heart problems, uncontrolled body movements, a severe reaction called neuroleptic malignant syndrome, severe allergic reactions, or blood clots. Seek urgent medical help if you notice any of these.
Show 2 more warnings
- If you are an older adult with dementia, this medicine may slightly increase the risk of death and stroke. Discuss this with your doctor.
- This medicine is not for children under 6 years of age.
Use in Elderly Patients
Avoid use in older adults. Anticholinergic. Sedative. Increases the risk of cardiovascular events, QT prolongation and orthostatic hypotension. Increases risk of falls, extrapyramidal symptoms and cognitive impairment. Reduces the effectiveness of drugs for Alzheimer’s disease. (updated 10.11.2025)