Uses of the Medication Reglan

Reglan (Metoclopramide) is a medicine that increases the movements or contractions of the stomach and intestines. When given by injection, it is used to help diagnose certain problems of the stomach and/or intestines. It is also used by injection to prevent the nausea and vomiting that may occur after treatment with anticancer medicines.

The risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. The following should be discussed with your doctor.

• Allergies: Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to metoclopramide, procaine, or procainamide. Also tell your healthcare professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.
• Breastfeeding: Metoclopramide passes into the breast milk and may cause unwanted effects in nursing babies.
• Children: Muscle spasms, especially of jaw, neck, and back, and tic-like (jerky) movements of head and face may be especially likely to occur in children. Premature and full-term infants may develop blood problems if given high doses of metoclopramide.
• Older adults: Shuffling walk and trembling and shaking of hands may be especially likely to occur in elderly patients after they have taken metoclopramide over a long time.
• Other medicines: When you are taking metoclopramide, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicine that causes drowsiness). Using these medications with metoclopramide may cause severe drowsiness.

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of metoclopramide. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Abdominal or stomach bleeding
• Asthma
• High blood pressure
• Intestinal blockage
• Mental depression
• Parkinson's disease—Metoclopramide may make these conditions worse
• Epilepsy—Metoclopramide may increase the risk of having a seizure
• Kidney disease (severe)—Higher blood levels of metoclopramide may result, possibly increasing the chance of side effects