What is metoclopramide?
Metoclopramide increases muscle contractions in upper digestive tract. This speeds up the rate at which the stomach empties into the intestines.
Metoclopramide is used short-term to treat heartburn caused by gastroesophageal reflux in people who have used other medications without relief of symptoms.
Metoclopramide is also used to treat slow gastric emptying in people with diabetes (also called diabetic gastroparesis), which can cause nausea, vomiting, heartburn, loss of appetite, and a feeling of fullness after meals.
Metoclopramide may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
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Precautions
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Instructions
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Side Effects
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Interactions
Precautions
You should not take this medication if you are allergic to metoclopramide, or if you have:
- bleeding or blockage in your stomach or intestines;
- a perforation (hole) in your stomach or intestines;
- epilepsy or other seizure disorder; or
- an adrenal gland tumor (pheochromocytoma).
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have
- kidney disease;
- liver disease (especially cirrhosis);
- congestive heart failure;
- diabetes (your insulin dose may need adjusting); or
- a history of depression.
If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take metoclopramide.
FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
Metoclopramide can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, and medicine for anxiety can add to sleepiness caused by metoclopramide. Tell your doctor if you regularly use any of these other medicines.
Avoid drinking alcohol. It can increase some of the side effects of metoclopramide.
Metoclopramide 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.
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Instructions
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include drowsiness, confusion, tremors or uncontrolled muscle movements in face or neck, or seizure (convulsions).
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then to take the medicine and skip the missed dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
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Side Effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop using metoclopramide and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
- tremors, or restless muscle movements in your eyes, tongue, jaw, or neck;
- mask-like appearance of the face;
- fever, stiff muscles, confusion, sweating, fast or uneven heartbeats, rapid breathing;
- depressed mood, thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself;
- hallucinations, anxiety, agitation, jittery feeling, trouble staying still;
- swelling, fluid retention;
- jaundice (yellowing of your skin or eyes); or
- seizure (convulsions).
Less serious side effects may include:
- feeling restless, drowsy, tired, or dizzy;
- headache, sleep problems (insomnia);
- nausea, diarrhea;
- breast tenderness or swelling;
- changes in your menstrual periods; or
- urinating more than usual.
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.
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Interactions
Before taking metoclopramide, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:
- acetaminophen (Tylenol);
- cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune);
- digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin);
- glycopyrrolate (Robinul);
- levodopa (Larodopa, Atamet, Parcopa, Sinemet);
- mepenzolate (Cantil);
- tetracycline (Brodspec, Panmycin, Robitet, Sumycin, Tetracap, and others);
- atropine (Donnatal, and others), benztropine (Cogentin), dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), methscopolamine (Pamine), or scopolamine (Transderm-Scop);
- bladder or urinary medications such as darifenacin (Enablex), tolterodine (Detrol), or solifenacin (Vesicare);
- bronchodilators such as ipratroprium (Atrovent) or tiotropium (Spiriva);
- irritable bowel medications such as dicyclomine (Bentyl), hyoscyamine (Anaspaz, Cystospaz, Levsin), or propantheline (Pro-Banthine); or
- an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate).
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with metoclopramide. 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.
Other Names
Reglan and metoclopramide
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Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2004 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version 2.05. Revision date 8/23/04
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