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Promethazine is in a group of drugs called phenothiazines (FEEN-oh-THYE-a-zeens). It works by changing the actions of chemicals in your brain. Promethazine also acts as an antihistamine. It blocks the effects of the naturally occurring chemical histamine in your body.
Promethazine is used to treat allergy symptoms such as itching, runny nose, sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, hives, and itchy skin rashes. It also prevents motion sickness, and treats nausea and vomiting or pain after surgery. It is also used as a sedative or sleep aid.
Promethazine is not for use in treating symptoms of asthma, pneumonia, or other lower respiratory tract infections.
Stop using promethazine and call your doctor at once if you have twitching or uncontrollable movements of your eyes, lips, tongue, face, arms, or legs. These could be early signs of dangerous side effects. Promethazine should not be given to a child younger than 2 years old. Promethazine can cause severe breathing problems or death in a child in very young children. Carefully follow your doctor's instructions when giving this medicine to a child of any age.
Promethazine can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. Avoid drinking alcohol, which can increase some of the side effects of promethazine. There are many other medicines that can interact with promethazine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list with you of all the medicines you use and show this list to any doctor or other healthcare provider who treats you.
Promethazine should not be given to a child younger than 2 years old. Promethazine can cause severe breathing problems or death in very young children. Carefully follow your doctor's instructions when giving this medicine to a child of any age.
You should not take this medicine if you are allergic to promethazine or to similar medicines such as chlorpromazine, fluphenazine, mesoridazine, perphenazine, prochlorperazine, thioridazine, or trifluperazine.
To make sure promethazine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:
asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), sleep apnea, or other breathing disorder;
a sulfite allergy;
a history of seizures;
a weak immune system (bone marrow depression);
glaucoma;
enlarged prostate or problems with urination;
stomach ulcer or obstruction;
heart disease or high blood pressure;
liver disease;
adrenal gland tumor (pheochromocytoma);
low levels of calcium in your blood (hypocalcemia); or
if you have ever had a serious side effect while using promethazine or any other phenothiazine.
It is not known whether promethazine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medicine.
It is not known whether promethazine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while using this medicine.
Take promethazine exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results. Do not take this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.
Promethazine is often taken at bedtime or before meals. For motion sickness, promethazine is usually started within 1 hour before traveling. When used for surgery, promethazine is usually taken the night before the surgery.
How often you take this medicine and the timing of your dose will depend on the condition being treated.
Measure liquid medicine with the dosing syringe provided, or with a special dose-measuring spoon or medicine cup. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.
If a child is using this medicine, tell your doctor if the child has any changes in weight. Promethazine doses are based on weight in children, and any changes may affect your child's dose.
Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve, or if they get worse while using promethazine.
This medicine can cause unusual results with certain medical tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using promethazine.
Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
Overdose symptoms may include overactive reflexes, loss of coordination, severe drowsiness or weakness, fainting, dilated pupils, weak or shallow breathing, or seizure (convulsions).
This medicine may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert. Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly and steady yourself to prevent a fall.
Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of promethazine.
Avoid exposure to sunlight or tanning beds. Promethazine can make you sunburn more easily. Wear protective clothing and use sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) when you are outdoors.
Get emergency medical help if you have any signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop using promethazine and call your doctor at once if you have:
severe drowsiness, weak or shallow breathing;
a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
confusion, agitation, hallucinations, nightmares;
seizure (convulsions);
fast or slow heartbeats;
jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
uncontrolled muscle movements in your face (chewing, lip smacking, frowning, tongue movement, blinking or eye movement);
easy bruising or bleeding (nosebleeds, bleeding gums);
sudden weakness or ill feeling, fever, chills, sore throat, mouth sores, red or swollen gums, trouble swallowing; or
severe nervous system reaction--very stiff (rigid) muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats, tremors, feeling like you might pass out.
Side effects such as confusion and severe drowsiness may be more likely in older adults.
Common promethazine side effects may include:
drowsiness, dizziness;
ringing in your ears;
double vision;
feeling nervous;
dry mouth; or
tired feeling, sleep problems (insomnia).
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Cold or allergy medicine, sedatives, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety can interact with promethazine and cause medical problems or increase side effects. Tell your doctor if you regularly use any of these medicines.
Also tell your doctor if you are using any of the following medicines:
lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid);
atropine (Atreza, Sal-Tropine), belladonna (Donnatal, and others), benztropine (Cogentin), dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), methscopolamine (Pamine), or scopolamine (Transderm-Scop);
blood pressure medication such as guanadrel (Hylorel), guanethidine (Ismelin), propranolol (Inderal), and others;
a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);
bronchodilators such as ipratropium (Atrovent) or tiotropium (Spiriva);
bladder or urinary medications such as oxybutynin (Ditropan, Oxytrol), solifenacin (Vesicare), and others;
an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), phenelzine (Nardil), or selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam); or
medicines to treat Parkinson's disease, restless leg syndrome, or pituitary gland tumor (prolactinoma); or
medicine to treat stomach ulcer or irritable bowel syndrome, such as dicyclomine (Bentyl), glycopyrrolate (Robinul), hyoscyamine (Anaspaz, Cystospaz, Levsin, and others), mepenzolate (Cantil), or propantheline (Pro-Banthine).
This list is not complete and there are many other medicines that can interact with promethazine. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list with you of all the medicines you use and show this list to any doctor or other healthcare provider who treats you.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use promethazine only for the indication prescribed.
Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.
Medically reviewed by USARx EDITORIAL TEAM Last updated on 1/1/2020.
Source: Drugs.com Promethazine Hydrochlorid (www.drugs.com/promethazine.html).
Applies to promethazine: oral syrup, oral tablet
Other dosage forms:
Oral route (Tablet; Syrup)
Promethazine hydrochloride should not be used in pediatric patients less than 2 years old because of the potential for fatal respiratory depression. Exercise caution when administering to pediatric patients 2 years or older and use at the lowest effective dose. Avoid concomitant use of other drugs with respiratory depressant effects.
Along with its needed effects, promethazine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Stop taking promethazine and get emergency help immediately if any of the following effects occur:
Rare
- Symptoms of neuroleptic malignant syndrome; two or more occur together; most of these effects do not require emergency medical attention if they occur aloneCheck with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking promethazine:
Incidence not known
Symptoms of overdose
Some side effects of promethazine may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Incidence not known
Applies to promethazine: compounding powder, injectable solution, oral syrup, oral tablet, rectal suppository
The most commonly reported side effect include drowsiness, dizziness, and restlessness.
Frequency not reported: Drowsiness, sedation, somnolence, dizziness, extrapyramidal symptoms, incoordination, tremors, convulsive seizures, faintness, headache, neuroleptic malignant syndrome/fatal neuroleptic malignant syndrome, psychomotor impairment, antimuscarinic effects, abnormal movements, central nervous system depression, activation of epileptogenic foci, tardive dyskinesia, tic-like movements of the head and face
Frequency not reported: Severe chemical irritation, tissue damage, burning, pain, erythema, swelling, sensory loss, palsies, paralysis, severe spasm of distal vessels, thrombophlebitis, venous thrombosis, phlebitis, abscesses, tissue necrosis, gangrene
Frequency not reported: Restlessness, anxiety, confusion, disorientation, euphoria, nervousness, insomnia, catatonic-like states, irritability, hysteria, hallucinations, hyperexcitability, nightmares, delirium, agitation/agitated behavior
Frequency not reported: Dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, tongue protrusion, gastric irritation, epigastric distress
Frequency not reported: Bradycardia, tachycardia, palpitations, hypotension, arrhythmias, circulatory collapse, increased or decreased blood pressure
Frequency not reported: Leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, thrombocytopenic purpura, agranulocytosis, blood dyscrasias, hemolytic anemia, aplastic anemia
Frequency not reported: Dermatitis, photosensitivity, urticaria, rash, pruritus, angioneurotic edema, topical contact dermatitis
Frequency not reported: Lassitude, tinnitus, fatigue, tiredness, paradoxical reactions, decreased performance (impaired driving/poor work performance, incoordination, reduced motor skills, impaired information processing)
Frequency not reported: Asthma, nasal stuffiness, respiratory depression/fatal respiratory depression, apnea/fatal apnea, marked irregular respiration
Frequency not reported: Blurred vision, oculogyric crisis, diplopia, angle closure glaucoma
Frequency not reported: Anaphylaxis, angioedema, hypersensitivity reactions
Frequency not reported: Torticollis, muscle spasms, muscle dyskinesia
Frequency not reported: Anorexia, loss of appetite, appetite stimulation
Frequency not reported: Jaundice, obstructive jaundice
Frequency not reported: Urinary retention and hesitancy
Medically reviewed by USARx EDITORIAL TEAM Last updated on 1/1/2020.
Source: Drugs.com Promethazine Hydrochlorid (www.drugs.com/promethazine.html).
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