Metoclopramide (Systemic)

Brand Names : Octamide, Metoclopramide Intensol, Reglan, Apo-Metoclop, Maxeran, PMS-Metoclopramide

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 metoclopramide, the following should be considered:

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

Pregnancy - Not enough studies have been done in humans to determine metoclopramide's safety during pregnancy. However, metoclopramide has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in animal studies.

Breast-feeding - Metoclopramide passes into the breast milk and may cause unwanted effects in nursing babies. Be sure you have discussed the risks and benefits of the medicine with your doctor.

Children - Muscle spasms, especially of jaw, neck, and back, and tic-like (jerky) movements of head and face may be especially likely to occur in children, who are usually more sensitive than adults to the effects of metoclopramide. Premature and full-term infants may develop blood problems if given high doses of metoclopramide.

Older adults - Shuffling walk and trembling and shaking of hands may be especially likely to occur in elderly patients after they have taken metoclopramide over a long time.

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 metoclopramide, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking the following:

• Central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicine that causes drowsiness) - Use with metoclopramide may cause severe drowsiness

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

• Abdominal or stomach bleeding or
• Asthma or
• High blood pressure or
• Intestinal blockage or
• Mental depression or
• Parkinson's disease - Metoclopramide may make these conditions worse

• Epilepsy - Metoclopramide may increase the risk of having a seizure

• Kidney disease (severe) - Higher blood levels of metoclopramide may result, possibly increasing the chance of side effects