Patient Suffers Possible Reglan Side Effects

Parker, COJoyce P. is not positive she was given a prescription for Reglan, and is therefore not sure if she is suffering from Reglan side effects. However, she is looking into the matter because she has suffered symptoms similar to those linked to Reglan and tardive dyskinesia after being diagnosed with a disease commonly treated with Reglan.

Between 4 and 5 years ago, Joyce (not her real name) was diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). At the time, she was given prescription medications to help manage her condition. Joyce believes one of the medications she was given may have been Reglan.

About one year ago, Joyce noticed that when she was lying in bed, she would experience involuntary convulsions in her abdominal area.

"They were just like spasms in my trunk," Joyce says. "They would go on and on. Then, it worked its way down to my left buttock and left leg. It keeps my husband awake and it makes it impossible to get a full night's sleep.

At first, I thought it was stress. I worked at Microsoft and had a feeling I would get laid off, which I was. But, I've been gone from there for almost a year—I haven't worked in that time—and the problem seems to be getting worse. So, clearly it's not just stress.

It's really scary. I'll be sound asleep and I'll start going into these convulsions. I thought I had Parkinson's, but I heard about the [tardive dyskinesia] and that matched my symptoms.

I notice it mainly when I'm lying down—when I'm trying to fall asleep or I am asleep. I notice it sometimes when I'm sitting but it's not as prevalent as when I'm trying to go to sleep.

Right now, it happens every single night. It's not as much of an issue because I'm not working, so I don't have to get up at a certain time in the morning, but it does wake me up throughout the night. I'm jerking around and kicking out—and kicking my husband.

Even though I stopped taking the medication, I still experience these muscle spasms. Now, I'm afraid to take anything for the GERD, so on top of the convulsions, I suffer with this disease. I try to deal with it through my diet but it's just been really hard. It's actually kind of weird—I have no control over the convulsions, I just kick out and that wakes me up."