Prochlorperazine (Oral)

Generic name: Prochlorperazine

Usage of Prochlorperazine (Oral)

Prochlorperazine is used to treat nervous, emotional, and mental conditions (eg, schizophrenia) and non-psychotic anxiety. It is also used to control severe nausea and vomiting. This medicine should not be used to treat behavioral problems in older adult patients who have dementia.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Prochlorperazine (Oral) side effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Incidence not known

Agitation

black, tarry stools

chest pain

clay-colored stools

constipation

dark urine

decrease in how much or how often you urinate

diarrhea

difficulty in swallowing and breathing

dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when suddenly getting up from a lying or sitting position

drooling

drowsiness

dryness of the mouth

fever and chills

headache

inability to have or keep an erection

loss of appetite

mask-like face

nasal congestion

nausea

painful or difficult urination

shuffling walk

sore throat

sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth

stomach pain

swollen glands

tightness of the throat

trembling and shaking of the fingers and hands

uncontrolled chewing movements and movements of the arms and legs

unpleasant breath odor

unusual bleeding or bruising

unusual tiredness or weakness

vomiting of blood

yellow eyes or skin

Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:

Symptoms of overdose

Change in consciousness

fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat

loss of consciousness

seizures

severe sleepiness

Some side effects 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

Blurred vision

increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight

irregular menstrual periods

itching, rash, redness, or discoloration of the skin

jitteriness

trouble sleeping

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Prochlorperazine (Oral)

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 this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of prochlorperazine in children 2 years of age and older or weighing 9 kilograms (kg) (20 pounds (lbs)) and over. Use in children younger than 2 years of age or weighing under 9 kg (20 lbs) is not recommended.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of prochlorperazine in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related liver, kidney, or heart problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving this medicine.

Breast Feeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with 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 this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

Bepridil

Bromopride

Cisapride

Dofetilide

Dronedarone

Levoketoconazole

Mesoridazine

Metoclopramide

Pimozide

Piperaquine

Potassium Citrate

Saquinavir

Sparfloxacin

Terfenadine

Thioridazine

Ziprasidone

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Adagrasib

Alfentanil

Alfuzosin

Alprazolam

Amantadine

Amiodarone

Amisulpride

Amitriptyline

Amoxapine

Anagrelide

Apomorphine

Aprindine

Aripiprazole

Aripiprazole Lauroxil

Arsenic Trioxide

Asenapine

Astemizole

Atazanavir

Azithromycin

Benzhydrocodone

Bromazepam

Buprenorphine

Bupropion

Buserelin

Butorphanol

Calcium Oxybate

Cannabidiol

Cannabis

Ceritinib

Cetirizine

Chloral Hydrate

Chloroquine

Chlorpromazine

Ciprofloxacin

Citalopram

Clarithromycin

Clobazam

Clofazimine

Clomipramine

Clonazepam

Clothiapine

Clozapine

Codeine

Crizotinib

Dabrafenib

Daridorexant

Dasatinib

Degarelix

Delamanid

Desipramine

Deslorelin

Deutetrabenazine

Dexmedetomidine

Dibenzepin

Dihydrocodeine

Disopyramide

Dolasetron

Domperidone

Donepezil

Doxepin

Doxylamine

Droperidol

Duloxetine

Efavirenz

Encainide

Encorafenib

Enflurane

Entrectinib

Epinephrine

Erythromycin

Escitalopram

Esketamine

Etrasimod

Fentanyl

Fexinidazole

Fingolimod

Flecainide

Flibanserin

Fluconazole

Fluoxetine

Formoterol

Foscarnet

Fostemsavir

Gabapentin

Gabapentin Enacarbil

Gatifloxacin

Gemifloxacin

Gepirone

Glasdegib

Glucagon

Glycopyrrolate

Glycopyrronium Tosylate

Gonadorelin

Goserelin

Granisetron

Halofantrine

Haloperidol

Halothane

Histrelin

Hydrocodone

Hydromorphone

Hydroxychloroquine

Hydroxyzine

Ibutilide

Iloperidone

Imipramine

Inotuzumab Ozogamicin

Isoflurane

Isradipine

Ivabradine

Ivosidenib

Ketamine

Ketoconazole

Lacosamide

Lapatinib

Lefamulin

Lemborexant

Lenvatinib

Leuprolide

Levocetirizine

Levofloxacin

Levomethadyl

Levorphanol

Lidoflazine

Lithium

Lofexidine

Lorcainide

Loxapine

Lumefantrine

Macimorelin

Magnesium Oxybate

Mefloquine

Meperidine

Methacholine

Methadone

Metrizamide

Metronidazole

Mifepristone

Mirtazapine

Mobocertinib

Morphine

Morphine Sulfate Liposome

Moxifloxacin

Nafarelin

Nalbuphine

Nilotinib

Norfloxacin

Nortriptyline

Octreotide

Ofloxacin

Olanzapine

Ondansetron

Osilodrostat

Osimertinib

Oxaliplatin

Oxycodone

Oxymorphone

Ozanimod

Pacritinib

Paliperidone

Panobinostat

Paroxetine

Pasireotide

Pazopanib

Pentamidine

Pentazocine

Periciazine

Phenobarbital

Pimavanserin

Pitolisant

Ponesimod

Porfimer

Posaconazole

Potassium Oxybate

Pregabalin

Primidone

Probucol

Procarbazine

Promethazine

Propafenone

Protriptyline

Quetiapine

Quinidine

Quinine

Quizartinib

Ranolazine

Relugolix

Remifentanil

Remimazolam

Revefenacin

Ribociclib

Risperidone

Ropeginterferon Alfa-2b-njft

Scopolamine

Secretin Human

Selpercatinib

Sertindole

Sertraline

Sevoflurane

Siponimod

Sodium Oxybate

Sodium Phosphate

Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic

Sodium Phosphate, Monobasic

Solifenacin

Sorafenib

Sotalol

Spiramycin

Sufentanil

Sulfamethoxazole

Sulpiride

Sultopride

Sunitinib

Tacrolimus

Tapentadol

Telavancin

Telithromycin

Tetrabenazine

Tiotropium

Topiramate

Toremifene

Tramadol

Trazodone

Triclabendazole

Trifluoperazine

Trimethoprim

Trimipramine

Triptorelin

Vandetanib

Vardenafil

Vemurafenib

Vilanterol

Vinflunine

Voclosporin

Voriconazole

Zolmitriptan

Zolpidem

Zotepine

Zuclopenthixol

Zuranolone

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Aminolevulinic Acid

Belladonna

Belladonna Alkaloids

Betel Nut

Evening Primrose

Phenylalanine

Procyclidine

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following may cause an increased risk of certain side effects but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Ethanol

How to use Prochlorperazine (Oral)

Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

For oral dosage forms (tablets):

For severe nausea and vomiting:

Adults and children 2 years of age and older and weighs more than 39 kilograms (kg) (85 pounds (lbs))—At first, 5 or 10 milligrams (mg) 3 or 4 times a day. Your doctor may adjust your dose if needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 40 mg per day.

Children 2 years of age and older and weighs 18 to 39 kg (40 to 85 lbs)—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor. At first, 2.5 mg 3 times a day or 5 mg 2 times a day. Your doctor may adjust your dose if needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 15 mg per day.

Children 2 years of age and older and weighs 14 to 18 kg (30 to 39 lbs)—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor. At first, 2.5 mg 2 or 3 times a day. Your doctor may adjust your dose if needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 10 mg per day.

Children 2 years of age and older and weighs 9 to 13 kg (20 to 29 lbs)—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor. At first, 2.5 mg 1 or 2 times a day. Your doctor may adjust your dose if needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 7.5 mg per day.

Children younger than 2 years of age and weighs under 9 kg (20 lbs)—Use is not recommended.

For non-psychotic anxiety:

Adults—At first, 5 milligrams (mg) 3 or 4 times a day. Your doctor may adjust your dose if needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 20 mg per day or longer than 12 weeks.

Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

For schizophrenia:

Adults—5 to 10 milligrams (mg) 3 or 4 times a day. Your doctor may adjust your dose if needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 150 mg per day.

Children 6 to 12 years of age—At first, 2.5 mg 2 or 3 times a day. Your doctor may adjust your dose if needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 10 mg on the first day and 25 mg per day.

Children 2 to 5 years of age—At first, 2.5 mg 2 or 3 times a day. Your doctor may adjust your dose if needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 10 mg on the first day and 20 mg per day.

Children younger than 2 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, 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

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Warnings

It is very important that your doctor should check the progress of you and your child at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly. Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

Check with your doctor before using this medicine with alcohol or other medicines that affect the central nervous system (CNS). The use of alcohol or other medicines that affect the CNS with risperidone may worsen the side effects of this medicine, such as dizziness, poor concentration, drowsiness, unusual dreams, and trouble with sleeping. Some examples of medicines that affect the CNS are antihistamines or medicine for allergies or colds, sedatives, tranquilizers, or sleeping medicines, medicine for depression, medicine for anxiety, prescription pain medicine or narcotics, medicine for attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, medicine for seizures or barbiturates, muscle relaxants, or anesthetics, including some dental anesthetics.

This medicine may cause extrapyramidal symptoms. Check with your doctor right away if you have difficulty in speaking, drooling, loss of balance control, muscle trembling, jerking, or stiffness, restlessness, shuffling walk, stiffness of the limbs, twisting movements of the body, or uncontrolled movements, especially of the face, neck, and back.

This medicine may cause drowsiness, trouble with thinking, or trouble with controlling body movements, which may lead to falls, fractures or other injuries. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do other jobs that require you to be alert, well-coordinated, or able to think or see well.

Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting may occur, especially when you get up suddenly from a lying or sitting position. Getting up slowly may help. If this problem continues or gets worse, check with your doctor.

This medicine may make it more difficult for your body to cool itself down. Use care not to become overheated during exercise or hot weather since overheating may result in heat stroke. Also, use extra care not to become too cold while you are receiving risperidone injection. If you become too cold, you may feel drowsy, confused, or clumsy.

Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you are using this medicine. This medicine may affect the results of certain medical tests.

This medicine may cause tardive dyskinesia (a movement disorder). Check with your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms while using this medicine: lip smacking or puckering, puffing of the cheeks, rapid or worm-like movements of the tongue, uncontrolled chewing movements, or uncontrolled movements of the arms and legs.

Check with your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms while using this medicine: convulsions (seizures), difficulty with breathing, a fast heartbeat, a high fever, high or low blood pressure, increased sweating, loss of bladder control, severe muscle stiffness, unusually pale skin, or tiredness. These could be symptoms of a serious condition called neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS).

Prochlorperazine can temporarily lower the number of white blood cells in your blood, increasing the chance of getting an infection. If you can, avoid people with infections. Check with your doctor immediately if you think you are getting an infection or if you get a fever or chills, cough or hoarseness, lower back or side pain, or painful or difficult urination.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

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