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LAWSUITS NEWS & LEGAL INFORMATION

Taking Reglan for Your Migraine Could Give You a Bigger Headache

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Washington, DCOriginally approved to treat Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, Reglan it is often used off-label to treat severe headaches and migraines. While Reglan (metoclopramide) has proven effective to lessen the symptoms of headaches, patients need to be aware of Reglan side effects—not the least of which is tardive dyskinesia.

There is no question that severe headaches can be debilitating. While the exact etiology is unknown, there are various risk factors and associations at play, including a family history of migraine headaches (in the neighborhood of 70-80 percent), the use of certain medications, fatigue or emotional stress, exertion, and specific foods or alcohol, according to a recent Emedicine report from WebMD.

Depending on the type and severity of headache, various symptoms associated with migraines can be effectively treated with metoclopramide (Reglan). These include nausea (in 80% percent of the cases), vomiting (50%), yawning, irritability, hypotension and hyperactivity. Such symptoms are associated with dopamine receptor activation. Dopamine receptor hypersensitivity has been shown experimentally with dopamine agonists such as apomorphine, bromocriptine, and pergolide. Dopamine antagonists, such as metoclopramide (Reglan), have been shown clinically to treat migraine headaches effectively.

Patients, however, should be aware of Reglan side effects, especially tardive dyskinesia, a neurological disorder characterized by the involuntary movement of facial muscles (usually the tongue, lips and eyes) and, in rare cases, involuntary spastic movement of other limbs. The FDA required the addition of a black box warning to the label, advising patients and physicians of the heightened risk of tardive dyskinesia if used beyond 12 weeks.

However, tardive dyskinesia can occur at any time. Symptoms may cease when the medication is stopped, but for some, tardive dyskinesia is a lifelong affliction for which there is no known cure.

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READER COMMENTS

Posted by

on
I was given this cocktail yesterday. I experienced all the pain and fear from the reglan, feeling like I was dying. I now have a throbbing pain in my head and anxiety about my health. I am scared and worried and trying to function feels impossible. Don't take this drug if you do not have to.

Posted by

on
I take 40 mg of reglan a day w/o problems.
For diabetic gastroparesis. Maybe is the iv form that's doing or giving reactions.
For me they work?
Iv vs oral who knows

Posted by

on
After reading all the stories I don't feel so crazy! 2 years ago I was given this coctail for a headache minus the benadryl because I had to dive home. Dr told me to stop at Walgreens and get some benadryl on my way home. Unfortunately, once I was in my car I was too high from the cocktail to stop and get the benadryl. I made it home thank God! But then I was up all alone on my room shaking,nervous, felt like I couldn't breath. Thinking crazy thoughts until 8am! Finally fell asleep and slept the whole day away to only wake up with a more severe headache! Yesterday I went to the ER for a headache and was given this same cocktail! This time it had the benadryl in it. Same reaction! Within minutes I was pressing the call light. I begged them to reverse the meds and get it out of my system now! I tried to rip my iv out! About an hour unto this nasty feeling of helplessness that the dr could not understand she talked me into taking a Xanax for the panic attack I was having and she went and did some research to find out it was the reginal! Woke up today and have my headache AGAIN! Nobody should feel this way! It is scary and I believe now I will have to live with these headaches forever!

Posted by

on
The concoction IV drip works but only about half-way took headache. I had no side effects as others listed.

Posted by

on
my eight yr old daughter went to the emergency room for a migraine she had for a week. they gave her a migraine cocktail containing reglan without explaining the side effects. they gave it to her in a shot form like a vaccine. immediately she had a bad reaction she flung up on the bed, her eyes opened wide like a deer caught in a headlight, she passed out for a minute, then her body began to tense all her muscles, her chin hit her chest, and her body and limbs began to move like crazy as she screamed in pain. it passed and she came to was dizzy and off balance, complained about a tingly feeling all over then pain and the sound of a vacuum running in her body. (this all took place in about 3 mins) then the nurse who was just standing there watching as I began to panic (I do not panic) thinking my daughter was going to die took her off for a ct scan. everything came back normal so they released us. the next morning started these horrific events: Let's call them "fits". so during this fit, she experiences tightening of face muscles and grimacing, eyes roll on own, tongue muscle tightens and she feels like she cant breathe, screaming in pain as all her muscles in her body tighten while a sensation of bugs crawling in her skin continue, her hand began to tighten and twist while a tick that looks as though she is playing a piano with her fingers goes on. she arches her back everything hurts. this will continue from 1 minute to 35 mins. she is unable to respond but can hear and understand everything going on around her. Then her eyes start closing halfway and twitching. this happens anywhere from 10 to 100 times a day rarely having a break when she does get a break her muscles are exhausted she cannot walk.it makes her nauseated to her stomach. when she sleeps she twitches in her sleep and her heart races. spasms in her belly are extra hard at this minute and she is not resting. we have been to the emergency room at a childrens hospital three times after the first incident. All three times we were admitted. All the doctors agree it was caused by the reglan, they called it a dystollic reaction. she was given benedryl to counter the medicine the first time by IV it helped. we went home they came back. admitted. this time they gave the meds by mouth, they helped a little so they got briefer and time in between longer so I thought we could handle it and so we went home and given benedryl around the clock every four hours the reaction returned so we went back and this time they look for other causes, ran every test they could. came up with no results and so they told me it started with the meds but it should have been out of her system so they think her body got into the habit of twitching and it is now a mental issue. I'm so angry because I know it is the medicine and she can not go to school, she cannot play like a normal kid and we got released with no answers and no where to turn. I am so hopless right now.. fits have increased again to the point there is only one minute between them and they are continuing for hours. I'm emotionally drained and cant stand to see her hurt like this. if anyone has any advice please share. Thank you

Posted by

on
I was given reglan through iv s a cocktail for my migraine. When I left I still had a headache and it continued for 3 more days switching from right side to left side. I was very irritable then the migraine got worse I was crying because it was so severe and throbbing I couldn't move but couldn't sleep either and I didn't want to go back to the er they didn't help the migraine go away except worsen it for 3 extra days. I will not let them give me reglan again.

Posted by

on
Thank you for the validation that I was not a "Crack Head". The combination was Reglan and Compazine and I reacted as many have described...horribly!! I just needed to get away. sitting, standing, walking, nothing felt right. I was almost suicidal. I was all over the place. I couldn't lay still in the hospital bed! I would toss and turn, get up and then sit in the chair. I was stir crazy!

Posted by

on
I was given a cocktail iv of steroid and reglan. I wish someone would have explained to me the side affects! I suddenly was so miserable, I just wanted to get out of the ER! I was all over the place. I couldn't lay still in the hospital bed! I would toss and turn, get up and then sit in the chair. I was stir crazy! Today both my forearms felt like they were tightening or constricted, I now wonder if the reglan had anything to do with it. Am afraid to take prescription, not sure what could happen next!

Posted by

on
I was given a combination of Raglan, benadryl and iibruprofen in the ER for a migraine and helped me. It worked better tan IV Dilaudid.

Posted by

on
My daughter who is 7 has had benadryl/ reglan given to her twice. The first time it was wonderful she was immediately feeling better. The 2nd time she was crying and said she was tired but couldn't sleep. I was never given any warnings about the side effects except the benadryl would make her sleepy. Scary stories

Posted by

on
I was given 20 mg of Reglan and 25 mg of Benadryl in the ER in May 2014. These were given to me right into my IV. Needless to say I will never go to the ER ever again for a migraine. This was my first and last time. I am still trying to recover from the side affects of the drug. I have been diagnosed with Tardive Dystonia, Tardive Dyskinesia, SEVERE depression and SEVERE anxiety. I have Reglan listed as a drug I am allergic too. I really want this drug off the market!!! I don't want anyone to desk with a life like mine. I am not allowed to do anything. I can't walk very well because my legs will give out and I do walking lunges or squats. My hip and knees hurt SO bad. I am not allowed to drive. Pretty much I can only sit on the couch. When I go out in public I get stares and laughed at. I have panic attacks. This drug is very dangerous.

Posted by

on
I was given 20 mg of Reglan and 25 mg of Benadryl in the ER in May 2014. These were given to me right into my IV. Needless to say I will never go to the ER ever again for a migraine. This was my first and last time. I am still trying to recover from the side affects of the drug. I have been diagnosed with Tardive Dystonia, Tardive Dyskinesia, SEVERE depression and SEVERE anxiety. I have Reglan listed as a drug I am allergic too. I really want this drug off the market!!! I don't want anyone to desk with a life like mine. I am not allowed to do anything. I can't walk very well because my legs will give out and I do walking lunges or squats. My hip and knees hurt SO bad. I am not allowed to drive. Pretty much I can only sit on the couch. When I go out in public I get stares and laughed at. I have panic attacks. This drug is very dangerous.

Posted by

on
I was given the cocktail for a migraine in the ER yesterday evening April 22, 2015 not knowing anything about the drug. I had my kids with me. It worked well for my migraine. It didnt make me feel anxious or weird. I'm sure low doses are fine. I have a prescription for 10mg Reglan and I'm definitely getting it filled. This is the first time in 15 years of EL visits for migraines that Reglan was administered. I will be asking questions next time. Side effects sound horrible.

Posted by

on
I was given the same cocktail, torodol, benadryl, reglan, a steroid and some pill. I repeatedly asked the dr. and nurse what the side effects were. No answer. The dr. simply said reglan has been proven to stop migraines for two days. I had asked the dr. for a norco and an immitrex cause that combo worked best for me. He lied abd said the hospital doesn't allow narcotics. Two minutes later, i hear another patient receiving narcotics. Let me add tgat I was sitting for almost two hours with no pain relief. A neurologist told me I should not be left untreated as a blood vessel could burst in my brain, as it could for any migraine sufferer. Anyway, I had asked what the side fx were ....nobody answered. I had such bad leg spasms, shaking legs. My husband had to tell the nurse cause I couldn't. She ignored him. I had shaking legs all night and now bad pressure, migraine returned and im back at the ER. I cant believe this. I was also prescribed compazine. Walgreens refused to fill it because it has been red flagged as comparable to phenergan which I am allergic to. I cant believe the incompetence.I hope this isnt permanent.

Posted by

on
I was given Reglan, benedryl, and a steroid as a headache cocktail. With in one minute of the iv injection I was unresponsive. With in that one minute I was able to tell my parents to get the nurse because I didn't feel good. When the nurse came back in I was already unable to respond to anything. I could not control any part of my body. I could hear everything that was going on, but I couldn't even control my eyes. The doctor rubbed my chest so hard that I have bruises in an attempt to wake me. He forced open my eyes but they just rolled to the back of my head. I felt like I was not getting enough air but I couldn't take a deep breath. I could not control my breathing. My mouth opened wide, involuntarily. As I have read online now I see that is a sign that death is near. Eventually a drug was given to undo what the regional did. The first dose had no affect on me. They gave me a second dose and slowly I was able to come out the coma I was in....This was the scariest night of my life. Reglan almost killed me!

Posted by

on
I have had migraines for 15 years. now that I'm pregnant, my dr put me on Reglan. should I take it??

Posted by

on
Stay away from reglan. I went to the ER in February with a headache and nausea, was given Reglan, and had a horrible neurological reaction. The doc should have told me the possible side effecs and asked if I wanted the risk. My heart immediately started racing, I couldn't sit still, felt like I was dying, my legs got twitchy and I couldn't sit or lay still. I ended up in the hospital for 4 days because of this reaction. Its now 4 months later and I'm stuck with panic attacks (never had before), heart palpiations, and my feet tingle and move on their own. This drug should be removed from the market!!

Posted by

on
Went to the ER for headach like most people on here and had similar side effects if you don't want to feel edgy and ANXious I def don't recommend .. If this happens to you make sure the give you beneydryl in IV form and some Percocet to go to sleep so you can sleep it off

Posted by

on
Went to the ER for headach like most people on here and had similar side effects if you don't want to feel edgy and ANXious I def don't recommend .. If this happens to you make sure the give you beneydryl in IV form and some Percocet to go to sleep so you can sleep it off

Posted by

on
Wow. I am so glad never to have had such awful reactions to Reglan .
That said, i almost always have atypical reactions to medications. So, if you're like me, and typically have opposite medication reactions, Reglan will likely suit you fine in the case of a severe migraine. If you are the typical type, I'd not recommend trying it and going with something more common like morphine (which is horrible for me. Makes my head 'spicy' and does absolutely nothing for pain).

Posted by

on
I went to the ER last night, for what I believed to be a headache caused by my slightly high blood pressure but it turned out that it was just a migraine. I used to get migraines all the time when I was in my teens, now I get them every few years.

So, last night the doctor gave me what she called a "headache cocktail" consisting of reglan and toporal. I swear I thought I was going crazy! I felt boxed in. I couldn't sit down, I felt like I was overheating, I was a mess, not to mention I was very irritable (something I never feel). It didn't even dawn on me to look up the side effects of this medication at first, but something told me to just now, and I am astonished that so many have these side effects, it's crazy! The doctor gave me a prescription for the reglan, I am scared to take it again! Not to mention that as I type this right now, I can feel the migraine coming back.........

Posted by

on
I was given reglan in the er for headaches n migraines they first gave it to me n an IV n right afterwards I was shaking n wanting tojump out the bedto wanting scream n Yank the IV out I was so on edge it was disturbing n then after the medicine wore off my migraine was at its worst I'd never felt pain n my head like it b4 ... it sucked it really really did

Posted by

on
I was just given this drug in the ER. I have never felt so horrible in my entire life. I didn't know I was having a reaction, just thought I was going insane. I knew I was acting crazy(ala crack head) but couldn't stop myself. I was jumpy and felt like I just needed to get away. sitting, standing, walking, nothing felt right. I was almost suicidal. The worst part was My 11 year old daughter was with me, and she was so scared. Funny thing is, I don't even like to take tylenol, so when they said they were shooting me up with medication, I asked what it was and what the side effects were. Thier answer was "all medication has side effects" So when this happened I didn't call anyone, because I didn't eve think that it could be a possible side effect. My daughter is still soo upset.She is so scared it is going to happen again.

Posted by

on
Reglan gave me extreme headaches.

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