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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 lithium, the
following should be considered:
Allergies-
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic
reaction to antihistamines. Also tell your health care professional if
you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives,
or dyes.
Diet-
Make certain your health care professional knows if you are on a
low-sodium, low-sugar, or any other special diet. Most medicines contain
more than their active ingredient, and many liquid medicines contain
alcohol.
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-
Mmall amounts of antihistamines pass into the breast milk. Use is
not recommended since babies are more susceptible to the side effects of
antihistamines, such as unusual excitement or irritability. Also, since
these medicines tend to decrease the secretions of the body, it is
possible that the flow of breast milk may be reduced in some patients.
Children-
Serious side effects, such as convulsions (seizures), are more
likely to occur in younger patients and would be of greater risk to
infants than to older children or adults. In general, children are more
sensitive to the effects of antihistamines. Also, nightmares or unusual
excitement, nervousness, restlessness, or irritability may be more
likely to occur in children.
Older adults-
Elderly patients are usually more sensitive to the effects of
antihistamines. Confusion; difficult or painful urination; dizziness;
drowsiness; feeling faint; or dryness of mouth, nose, or throat may be
more likely to occur in elderly patients. Also, nightmares or unusual
excitement, nervousness, restlessness, or irritability may be more
likely to occur in elderly patients.
Other medicines-
Always tell your doctor all
medications you are taking, both prescription and over-the-counter.
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other
cases 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 antihistamines
it is especially important that your health care professional knows if
you are taking any of the following:
- Anticholinergics (medicine for
abdominal or stomach spasms or cramps)—Side effects, such as dryness
of mouth, of antihistamines or anticholinergics may be more likely to
occur
- Clarithromycin (e.g., Biaxin)
- Erythromycin (e.g., E-Mycin)
- Itraconazole (e.g., Sporanox)
- Ketoconazole (e.g., Nizoral)
- Troleandomycin—Use of these
medicines with astemizole or terfenadine may cause heart problems,
such as an irregular heartbeat; these medicines should not be used
together.
- Bepridil (e.g., Vascor)
- Disopyramide (e.g., Norpace)
- Maprotiline (e.g., Ludiomil)
- Phenothiazines (acetophenazine
[e.g., Tindal], chlorpromazine [e.g., Thorazine], fluphenazine [e.g.,
Prolixin], mesoridazine [e.g., Serentil], perphenazine [e.g., Trilafon],
prochlorperazine [e.g., Compazine], promazine [e.g., Sparine],
promethazine [e.g., Phenergan], thioridazine [e.g. Mellaril],
trifluoperazine [e.g., Stelazine], triflupromazine [e.g., Vesprin],
trimeprazine [e.g., Temaril])
- Pimozide (e.g., Orap)
- Procainamide (e.g., Pronestyl)
- Quinidine (e.g., Quinaglute Dura-tabs)
- Central nervous system (CNS)
depressants (medicines that cause drowsiness)—Effects, such as
drowsiness, of CNS depressants or antihistamines may be worsened;
also, taking maprotiline or tricyclic antidepressants may cause some
side effects of either of these medicines, such as dryness of mouth,
to become more severe
- Cisapride (e.g., Propulsid)
- HIV-protease inhibitors (indinavir
[e.g., Crixivan], nelfinavir [e.g., Viracept], ritonavir [e.g., Norvir],
saquinavir [e.g., Fortovase, Invirase]) or
Mibefradil (e.g., Posicor)
- Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (fluoxetine
[e.g., Prozac], fluvoxamine [e.g., Luvox], nefazodone [e.g., Serzone],
paroxetine [e.g., Paxil], sertraline [e.g., Zoloft])
- Sparfloxacin (e.g., Zagam)
- Zileuton (e.g., Zyflo)—Use of these
medicines with astemizole or terfenadine may cause heart problems;
these medicines should not be used with astemizole or terfenadine
- Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (furazolidone
[e.g., Furoxone], isocarboxazid [e.g., Marplan], phenelzine [e.g.,
Nardil], procarbazine [e.g., Matulane], selegiline [e.g., Eldepryl],
tranylcypromine [e.g., Parnate])—If you are now taking, or have taken
within the past 2 weeks, any of the MAO inhibitors, the side effects
of the antihistamines, such as drowsiness and dryness of mouth, may
become more severe; these medicines should not be used together
- Quinine—Use of this medicine with
astemizole may cause heart problems, such as irregular heartbeat;
these medicines should not be used together.
Other medical problems-
Make sure you tell your doctor
if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Enlarged prostate or
- Urinary tract blockage or difficult
urination—Antihistamines may make urinary problems worse
- Glaucoma—These medicines may cause a
slight increase in inner eye pressure that may make the condition
worse
- Heart rhythm problems (history of)
- Intestinal obstruction
- Low potassium blood levels—Use of
astemizole or terfenadine can cause serious heart rhythm problems
- Liver disease—Higher blood levels of
astemizole or terfenadine may result, which may increase the chance of
heart problems
- Stomach ulcer
Proper Use of This Medicine-
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
- Asthma
- High blood pressure
- Intestinal blockage
- Mental depression
- 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
Proper use of this
medicine-
Do not take larger doses or more often than recommended on the label,
unless otherwise directed by your doctor. To do so may increase the
chance of side effects .
Dosing-
- For oral dosage forms (capsules,
tablets, or liquid):
- Adults: 25 to 100 milligrams (mg)
three or four times a day as needed.
- Children younger than 6 years of
age: 12.5 mg every six hours as needed.
- Children 6 years of age and older:
12.5 to 25 mg every six hours as needed.
- For injection dosage form:
- Adults: 25 to 100 milligrams (mg)
injected into a muscle.
- Children: 1 mg per kg (0.45 mg per
pound) of body weight injected into a muscle. .
Missed dose-
If you are taking this medicine regularly
and you miss a dose, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is
almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your
regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.
Storage-
- Keep out of the reach of children.
- Store away from heat and direct
light.
- Do not store the capsule or tablet
form of this medicine in the bathroom medicine cabinet, near the
kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the
medicine to break down.
- Keep the liquid form of this
medicine from freezing.
- Do not keep outdated medicine or
medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out
of the reach of children.
Side Effects of This Medicine
Check with your doctor as soon as
possible if any of the following side effects occur:
- Less common or rare: Fast or
irregular heartbeat; fever; abdominal or stomach pain; burning;
chills; clay-colored stools or dark urine; cough; diarrhea; difficulty
swallowing; dizziness; fast heartbeat; fever; headache; hives;
itching; prickly sensations; puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or
around the eyes, face, lips or tongue ; seizures; shortness of breath;
skin rash; tightness in chest; tingling; unusual tiredness or
weakness; wheezing; sore throat; unusual bleeding or bruising ;
unusual tiredness or weakness
Some commonly used brand names are:
In the U.S.-
In the U.S.-
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