Ergonovine/Methylergonovine (Systemic)

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For ergonovine and methylergonovine, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to ergonovine, methylergonovine, or other ergot medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Breast-feeding - This medicine passes into the breast milk and may cause unwanted effects, such as vomiting; decreased circulation in the hands, lower legs, and feet; diarrhea; weak pulse; unstable blood pressure; or convulsions (seizures) in infants of mothers taking large doses.

Children - Although there is no specific information comparing use of ergonovine or methylergonovine in children with use in other age groups, these medicines are not expected to cause different problems in children than they do in adults.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of ergonovine or methylergonovine in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking ergonovine or methylergonovine it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Bromocriptine (e.g., Parlodel) or
• Other ergot alkaloids (dihydroergotamine [e.g., D.H.E. 45], ergoloid mesylates [e.g., Hydergine], ergotamine [e.g., Gynergen], methysergide [e.g., Sansert]) - Use of these medicines with ergonovine or methylergonovine may increase the chance of side effects of these medicines.

• Nitrates or
• Other medicines for angina - Use of these medicines with ergonovine or methylergonovine may keep these medicines from working properly

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of ergonovine or methylergonovine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Angina (chest pain) or other heart problems or
• Blood vessel disease or
• High blood pressure (or history of) or
• Stroke (history of) - These medicines may cause changes in how the heart works or blood pressure changes

• Infection - Infections may cause an increased sensitivity to the effect of these medicines

• Kidney disease

• Liver disease - The body may not remove these medicines from the bloodstream at the usual rate, which may make the medicine work longer or increase the chance for side effects

• Raynaud's phenomenon - Use of these medicines may cause worsening of the blood vessel narrowing that occurs with this disease