What special precautions should I follow?  

Before taking acetazolamide,

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to acetazolamide, sulfa drugs, diuretics ('water pills'), or any other drugs.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially amphetamines, aspirin, cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), medications for depression or irregular heartbeat, diflunisal (Dolobid), digoxin (Lanoxin), diuretics ('water pills'), lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid), phenobarbital, primidone (Mysoline), and vitamins.
• tell your doctor if you have or have ever had heart, liver, or kidney disease; or diabetes.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking acetazolamide, call your doctor immediately.
• if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking acetazolamide.
• you should know that this drug may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this drug affects you.
• remember that alcohol can add to the drowsiness caused by this drug.
• plan to avoid unnecessary or prolonged exposure to sunlight and to wear protective clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Acetazolamide may make your skin sensitive to sunlight.

What should I do if I forget a dose?  

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for the missed one.