Reglan is given to treat a condition in which the stomach does not contract. This condition is called diabetic gastroparesis. The symptoms of diabetic gastroparesis include vomiting, nausea, heartburn, appetite loss, feeling of indigestion and persistent fullness after meals.

All medicines have either no or some side effects. Reglan’s side effects can be broadly classified into two categories:

  • Minor or the most common and
  • Major side Effects.

Minor Side Effects: Practitioner should be consulted if any of the following occurs during the use of Reglan:

1. Sleeping disorders

2. Loose stools or diarrhea

3. Headache

4. Dizziness

5. Nausea

6. Drowsiness

7. Uneasy feeling or restlessness

8. Tiredness

9. Dip in energy.

Major Side Effects: It is advisable to consult a doctor if any of the given symptoms are observed:

a. Tardive Dyskinesia – Uncontrollable muscle movements like that of tongue, face, mouth or jaw.

b. Rashes on the skin

c. Hives or eruptions

d. Irritation on skin or itching

e. Difficulty in breathing

f. Tightness of the chest

g. Swelling in any part of mouth, face, lips, tongue, arms, legs or feet

h. Abnormal thinking

i. State of confusion

j. Color change in Urine

k. Decrease in coordination.

l. Low sexual appetite

m. Change in the heartbeat pattern

n. Hallucinations

o. Less control over bladder

p. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, agitation, jitteriness etc.

q. Dizziness that remains continual

r. Continual restlessness including inability to sit still.

s. Breathlessness

t. Inflexible muscles

u. Sudden increased sweating

v. Weight gain which is sudden or unusual

w. Suicidal thoughts or actions

x. Vision changes

y. Yellowing of skin or eyes.

z. Breast development of males

Though this list attempts to be an exhaustive list of the side effects of the drug, however few others like harmful for nursing mothers and elderly people have also been reported.

Reglan is also used to treat vomiting in patients undergoing cancer treatment. Amongst this cancer chemotherapy population, Reglan’s 1- 2mg/kg per dose has caused drowsiness to almost 70% of the people. Though hallucinations have rarely been reported, there have been few instances of convulsive seizures, without any unambiguous co-relation with metoclopramide

Tardive dyskinesia is the most threatening and often irreversible side effect of Reglan. Tardive dyskinesia is a disorder of movement. During this type of medical issue the patient suffers from involuntary, purposeless and often repetitive movements such as grimacing, tongue protrusion, lip smacking, and rapid eye blinking, etc, occur. Unlike Parkinson’s in which patients have difficulty in moving, patients suffering from tardive dyskinesia, have difficulty in not moving.

 

Reglan should not be recommended to people with:

  • Intestines or Stomach blockage/ Hole/ Perforation
  • Disorders like Epilepsy or any other of the same kind
  • Tumor of the Adrenal Gland
  • Disease of Liver or Kidney
  • Have suffered from Heart Ailments
  • High Blood Pressure
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Diabetes
  • History of Depression
  • Nursing mothers should take this preparation only under medical supervision because metoclopramide if passed to babies, through breast milk, can prove fatal. The chances of causing harm to infants are high, however, statistical data to prove the same is not available. Women planning pregnancy or women who became pregnant during the course of Reglan, should talk the same with their respective practitioners.