These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions. Promethazine works by preventing the release of a substance called histamine from certain cells in your body. By preventing the release of histamine, this drug causes sleepiness and helps with pain control. This is because histamine helps regulate wakefulness and helps to keep you alert and your senses heightened. This drug also works to reduce stimulation of the part of your brain that sends signals to make you vomit.
If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects.
Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:. Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information.
However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible side effects. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always discuss possible side effects with a healthcare provider who knows your medical history.
Promethazine oral tablet can interact with other medications, vitamins , or herbs you may be taking. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well. To help avoid interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. When you take certain allergy drugs with promethazine, you may have increased side effects.
These can include dry mouth , constipation , trouble emptying your bladder, blurred vision, and drowsiness. Examples of these drugs include:. If you take certain antidepressant drugs called monoamine oxidase inhibitors MAOIs with promethazine, you raise your risk of extrapyramidal symptoms.
These symptoms include uncontrollable upward staring, eye and lid twitching, uncontrollable neck muscle contractions causing your head to twist or turn to one side , and sticking out your tongue uncontrollably. Promethazine can cause severe drowsiness.
When you take drugs called tricyclic antidepressants with promethazine, you may have drowsiness that is more extreme and lasts longer. When you take certain anxiety drugs with promethazine, you may have drowsiness that is more extreme and lasts longer. When you take certain bladder control drugs with promethazine, certain side effects may increase and last longer. These side effects include dry mouth, constipation, trouble emptying your bladder, blurred vision, and drowsiness.
When you take certain muscle relaxants with promethazine, you may have drowsiness that is more extreme and lasts longer. When you take certain nausea and motion sickness drugs with promethazine, certain side effects may increase and last longer. When you take certain pain drugs with promethazine, you may have drowsiness that is more extreme and lasts longer. When you take certain stomach and gastrointestinal drugs with promethazine, certain side effects may increase and last longer.
However, because drugs interact differently in each person, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible interactions. Always speak with your healthcare provider about possible interactions with all prescription drugs, vitamins, herbs and supplements, and over-the-counter drugs that you are taking. Taking it again could be fatal cause death. Drinking alcohol can make drowsiness from promethazine more extreme and last longer.
For people with angle-closure glaucoma : Angle-closure glaucoma leads to increased pressure in your eyes. If you have a history of angle-closure glaucoma, taking this drug may cause a sudden and severe increase in eye pressure. This is an emergency and may result in irreversible vision loss. Talk to your doctor before using this drug if you have this condition.
For people with enlarged prostate: If you have trouble urinating due to an enlarged prostate gland, taking this drug may make it even more difficult for you to urinate. For people with certain stomach problems: If you have a history of digestive tract blockage, taking this drug may make blockage worse. This is because this drug slows down movement through your digestive tract. For people with certain bladder problems: If you have a blockage in your bladder, taking this drug may make it more difficult for you to urinate.
This is because it narrows the tubes through which your urine flows. For people with bone marrow disease: This drug decreases your levels of platelets and white blood cells. You should not take it if you have bone marrow disease or you take other drugs that affect the ability of your bone marrow to make blood cells.
For people with heart disease : If you have heart disease, taking this drug may make it worse. Although some people find them helpful, they're not usually recommended. This is because there's little evidence that they're any more effective than simple home remedies and they're not suitable for everyone.
Promethazine will start to make you feel sleepy around 20 minutes after you take it and may work for up to 12 hours. If you're taking it for a cough or cold, allergies or feeling sick nausea , your symptoms should start to improve within 20 minutes. The medicine should work for around 4 to 6 hours. Only take promethazine for a short time, unless your doctor says it's OK for you to take it for longer.
Speak to your pharmacist or doctor before taking promethazine for longer than the medicine leaflet recommends. Ask them for advice if you're unsure how long you should take it for.
It's unlikely that you'll get addicted to promethazine. But it's best that you only take it for a very short time, unless your doctor tells you to take it for longer.
If you have bought a medicine containing promethazine, do not take it for longer than recommended on the packet without speaking to your pharmacist or doctor first. If you have taken promethazine for a long time and suddenly stop taking it, it's possible you might feel dizzy, sweaty or sick, have a racing heart and have trouble sleeping.
Speak to your doctor if you have taken promethazine for a long time and want to stop taking it. Promethazine is known as a drowsy sedating antihistamine as it makes you sleepy. Non-drowsy antihistamines are less likely to have this effect. These include cetirizine , fexofenadine and loratadine. Most people prefer to take a non-drowsy antihistamine as it's less likely to interfere with their everyday routine. You might choose to take a drowsy antihistamine, however, if you're having problems falling asleep, or if symptoms like itching or coughing are keeping you awake.
There is not enough information available to say whether one antihistamine is better than another for treating allergies. You may need to try a few different medicines to find what works best for you.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice if you're unsure. You can take 2 different antihistamines at a time, if your doctor says it's OK. If you have a severe itchy skin rash, your doctor may recommend 2 different antihistamines together for a few days. You could take a non-drowsy antihistamine such as cetirizine , fexofenadine or loratadine during the day, and a drowsy antihistamine at night if itching is making it difficult to sleep.
Do not take another drowsy antihistamine together with promethazine. It'll make you very tired and sleepy. Other drowsy antihistamines include chlorphenamine Piriton and diphenhydramine Nytol Original. Do not take 2 antihistamines together unless you have been advised to by your doctor. If you take it for insomnia or take it at bedtime, promethazine will help you sleep. If you take it during the day for other conditions, such as allergies, it might make you feel sleepy during the day as well.
Yes, you can take promethazine together with some painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. If you take promethazine with painkillers that contain codeine such as co-codamol or other prescription painkillers , you may feel very tired and sleepy.
It's important to check the packaging or label of your medicine carefully. This is because some promethazine products already contain a painkiller. Do not take extra painkillers if this is the case, as there's a risk of overdose. Speak to your pharmacist if you're not sure whether a medicine already contains a painkiller.
Do not drive a car or ride a bike if promethazine makes you sleepy during the daytime, gives you blurred vision or makes you feel dizzy, clumsy or unable to concentrate or make decisions. This may be more likely when you first start taking promethazine, but could happen at any time for example, when starting another medicine. It's an offence to drive a car if your ability to drive safely is affected.
It's your responsibility to decide if it's safe to drive. If you're in any doubt, do not drive. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure whether it's safe for you to drive while taking promethazine. UK has more information on the law on drugs and driving. There's no evidence to suggest that taking promethazine reduces fertility in either men or women. But speak to a pharmacist or doctor before taking it if you're trying to get pregnant.
Promethazine does not affect any type of contraception, including the combined pill and emergency contraception. You will not be able to breathe properly and may have difficulty waking up. However, do not drink alcohol. And if you take promethazine to help you sleep, try not to have drinks that contain caffeine, like coffee, tea, cola or energy drinks. Caffeine has the opposite effect to promethazine and can stop the medicine working. Yes, it's dangerous to take promethazine with recreational drugs.
This is because it can slow or stop your heart and lungs. Mixing promethazine and codeine in large amounts slows down the central nervous system brain and spinal cord , which can slow breathing and heart rate.
It's even more dangerous when taken with alcohol or other drugs and has caused people to die. Find out more the side effects of some recreational drugs on the Frank website. Promethazine will only help you sleep while you're taking it, so there are a number of things you can do instead to help yourself have a good night's sleep :.
If you have hay fever , it helps if you do not spend too much time outside if the pollen count is high. The best way to prevent any sort of allergic reaction is to avoid the substance that you're allergic to, if you can.
There are some practical steps you can follow to help prevent allergies. Page last reviewed: 27 October Next review due: 27 October Promethazine Phenergan - Other brand names: Avomine, Sominex On this page About promethazine Key facts Who can and cannot take promethazine How and when to take promethazine Side effects How to cope with side effects of promethazine Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions about promethazine.
About promethazine Promethazine is an antihistamine medicine that relieves the symptoms of allergies. Promethazine is used for: short-term sleep problems insomnia — including when a cough, cold or itching is keeping you awake at night allergies, including hay fever and hives urticaria feeling and being sick vomiting — due to motion sickness or vertigo cold symptoms, such as coughing and a runny nose You can buy promethazine from pharmacies, where it's often sold as Avomine, Phenergan or Sominex.
It comes as tablets, capsules and a liquid that you swallow. Help us improve our website Can you answer a quick question about your visit today? Do not drink alcohol while taking promethazine. Alcohol increases the risks of side effects. To help you sleep, take promethazine 20 minutes before you go to bed. It normally takes about 30 minutes to work.
To prevent motion sickness, take promethazine the night before a long journey or 1 to 2 hours before a short journey. Common side effects of promethazine include drowsiness, headaches, nightmares and feeling dizzy, restless or confused.
Promethazine can be taken by most adults. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies. Generic alternatives may be available. Promethazine pronounced as proe meth' a zeen.
Why is this medication prescribed? How should this medicine be used? Other uses for this medicine What special precautions should I follow? What special dietary instructions should I follow? What should I do if I forget a dose? What side effects can this medication cause? What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?
Brand names Brand names of combination products. Talk to your doctor about the risks of giving promethazine to your child. To insert a promethazine suppository, follow these steps: If the suppository feels soft, hold it under cold, running water for 1 minute.
Remove the wrapper. Dip the tip of the suppository in water. Lie down on your left side and raise your right knee to your chest. A left-handed person should lie on the right side and raise the left knee. Hold it in place for a few moments. Stand up after about 15 minutes. Wash your hands thoroughly and resume your normal activities. Other uses for this medicine. What special precautions should I follow? Before taking promethazine, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to promethazine, other phenothiazines certain medications used to treat mental illness, nausea, vomiting, severe hiccups, and other conditions or any other medications.
Also tell your doctor and pharmacist if you have ever had an unusual or unexpected reaction when you took promethazine, another phenothiazine, or any other medication. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you do not know if a medication you are allergic to is a phenothiazine. Be sure to mention any of the following: antidepressants 'mood elevators' such as amitriptyline Elavil , amoxapine Asendin , clomipramine Anafranil , desipramine Norpramin , doxepin Adapin, Sinequan , imipramine Tofranil , nortriptyline Aventyl, Pamelor , protriptyline Vivactil , and trimipramine Surmontil ; antihistamines; azathioprine Imuran ;barbiturates such as phenobarbital Luminal ; cancer chemotherapy; epinephrine Epipen ; ipratropium Atrovent medications for anxiety, irritable bowel disease, mental illness, motion sickness, Parkinson's disease, seizures, ulcers, or urinary problems; monoamine oxidase MAO inhibitors such as isocarboxazid Marplan , phenelzine Nardil , tranylcypromine Parnate , and selegiline Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar ; narcotics and other pain medication; sedatives; sleeping pills;and tranquilizers.
Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. If you will be giving promethazine to a child, also tell the child's doctor if the child has any of the following symptoms before he or she receives the medication: vomiting, listlessness, drowsiness, confusion, aggression, seizures, yellowing of the skin or eyes, weakness, or flu-like symptoms.
Also tell the child's doctor if the child has not been drinking normally, has had excessive vomiting or diarrhea, or appears dehydrated.
If you become pregnant while taking promethazine, call your doctor. Older adults should not usually take promethazine because it is not as safe as other medications that can be used to treat the same conditions.
0コメント