Methotrimeprazine

This information from Lexicomp^® explains what you need to know about this medication, including what it’s used for, how to take it, its side effects, and when to call your healthcare provider.

Brand Names: Canada

Methoprazine; Nozinan

What is this drug used for?

• It is used to treat schizophrenia.
• It is used to treat mood problems.
• It is used to treat problems with how one acts.
• It is used to manage pain.
• It is used to treat sleep problems.
• It is used to treat upset stomach and throwing up.

What do I need to tell my doctor BEFORE I take this drug?

• If you are allergic to this drug; any part of this drug; or any other drugs, foods, or substances. Tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had.
• If you have any of these health problems: Blood problems, bone marrow problems, or liver disease.
• If you have any of these health problems: Brain damage, heart or blood vessel problems, low blood pressure, slow breathing, or a weak pulse.
• If you have any of these health problems: Enlarged prostate, heart failure (weak heart), low thyroid function, myasthenia gravis, or Parkinson’s disease.
• If you have glaucoma or trouble passing urine or have been told you are at risk for these problems.
• If you have an adrenal gland tumor called pheochromocytoma.
• If you have a health problem or take a drug that makes you very sleepy.
• If you have recently drunk a lot of alcohol or taken a drug that may slow your actions like phenobarbital or some pain drugs like oxycodone.
• If you have taken certain drugs for depression or Parkinson’s disease in the last 14 days. This includes isocarboxazid, phenelzine, tranylcypromine, selegiline, or rasagiline. Very high blood pressure may happen.
• If you take any drugs (prescription or OTC, natural products, vitamins) that must not be taken with this drug, like certain drugs that are used for abnormal heartbeat or Parkinson’s disease. There are many drugs that must not be taken with this drug.
• If you will be getting anesthesia.
• If you are breast-feeding. Do not breast-feed while you take this drug.

Children:

• If your child is younger than 1 year of age. Do not give this drug to a child younger than 1 year of age.

This is not a list of all drugs or health problems that interact with this drug.

Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all of your drugs (prescription or OTC, natural products, vitamins) and health problems. You must check to make sure that it is safe for you to take this drug with all of your drugs and health problems. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor.

What are some things I need to know or do while I take this drug?

• Avoid driving and doing other tasks or actions that call for you to be alert until you see how this drug affects you.
• To lower the chance of feeling dizzy or passing out, keep lying down for at least 1 hour after you get this drug. Rise slowly when you get up. Be careful going up and down stairs.
• Avoid drinking alcohol or taking products that have alcohol in them while taking this drug.
• This drug may cause the results of some pregnancy tests to be wrong. Talk with the doctor.
• Tell your doctor if you have signs of high blood sugar like confusion, feeling sleepy, unusual thirst or hunger, passing urine more often, flushing, fast breathing, or breath that smells like fruit.
• Blood clots have happened with this drug. Sometimes, these blood clots have been deadly. Talk with the doctor.
• Call your doctor right away if you have signs of a blood clot like chest pain or pressure; coughing up blood; shortness of breath; swelling, warmth, numbness, change of color, or pain in a leg or arm; or trouble speaking or swallowing.
• An unsafe heartbeat that is not normal (long QT on ECG) has happened with this drug. This may raise the chance of sudden death. Talk with the doctor.
• Severe stomach or bowel problems like necrotizing enterocolitis and paralytic ileus have happened with this drug. Sometimes, these can be deadly. Talk with the doctor.
• Older adults with dementia taking drugs like this one have had a higher number of strokes. Sometimes these have been deadly. This drug is not approved to treat mental problems caused by dementia.
• Some people may get a severe muscle problem called tardive dyskinesia. This problem may lessen or go away after stopping this drug, but it may not go away. The risk is greater with diabetes and in older adults, especially older females. The risk is greater with longer use or higher doses, but it may also occur after short-term use with low doses. Call your doctor right away if you have trouble controlling body movements or problems with your tongue, face, mouth, or jaw like tongue sticking out, puffing cheeks, mouth puckering, or chewing.
• Low white blood cell counts have rarely happened with this drug. This may lead to a higher chance of getting an infection. Tell your doctor if you have ever had a low white blood cell count. Call your doctor right away if you have signs of infection like fever, chills, or sore throat.
• This drug may affect fertility. Fertility problems may lead to not being able to get pregnant or father a child. If you plan to get pregnant or father a child, talk with your doctor before taking this drug.
• If you are 65 or older, use this drug with care. You could have more side effects.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant. You will need to talk about the benefits and risks of using this drug while you are pregnant.
• Taking this drug in the third trimester of pregnancy may lead to side effects or withdrawal in the newborn.

What are some side effects that I need to call my doctor about right away?

WARNING/CAUTION: Even though it may be rare, some people may have very bad and sometimes deadly side effects when taking a drug. Tell your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any of the following signs or symptoms that may be related to a very bad side effect:

• Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash; hives; itching; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever; wheezing; tightness in the chest or throat; trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking; unusual hoarseness; or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Signs of liver problems like dark urine, tiredness, decreased appetite, upset stomach or stomach pain, light-colored stools, throwing up, or yellow skin or eyes.
• Signs of low sodium levels like headache, trouble focusing, memory problems, feeling confused, weakness, seizures, or change in balance.
• Signs of high or low blood pressure like very bad headache or dizziness, passing out, or change in eyesight.
• Trouble controlling body movements, twitching, change in balance, trouble swallowing or speaking.
• Shakiness, trouble moving around, or stiffness.
• Fast or abnormal heartbeat.
• Weakness on 1 side of the body, trouble speaking or thinking, change in balance, drooping on one side of the face, or blurred eyesight.
• Drooling.
• Trouble passing urine.
• Stomach pain; black, tarry, or bloody stools; throwing up blood; or throw up that looks like coffee grounds.
• Constipation.
• Feeling very tired or weak.
• Seizures.
• Not sweating during activities or in warm temperatures.
• Anxiety.
• Sweating a lot.
• Enlarged breasts, nipple discharge, not able to get or keep an erection, or menstrual changes.
• Erections (hard penis) that happen often or that last a long time.
• A very bad and sometimes deadly health problem called neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) may happen. Call your doctor right away if you have any fever, muscle cramps or stiffness, dizziness, very bad headache, confusion, change in thinking, fast heartbeat, heartbeat that does not feel normal, or are sweating a lot.

What are some other side effects of this drug?

All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects. Call your doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother you or do not go away:

• Feeling sleepy.
• Dry mouth.
• Weight gain.
• Dizziness.

These are not all of the side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, call your doctor. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

You may report side effects to your national health agency.

You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-332-1088. You may also report side effects at https://www.fda.gov/medwatch.

How is this drug best taken?

Use this drug as ordered by your doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely.

Tablets:

• Take with or without food. Take with food if it causes an upset stomach.
• Do not stop taking this drug all of a sudden without calling your doctor. You may have a greater risk of signs of withdrawal. If you need to stop this drug, you will want to slowly stop it as ordered by your doctor.

Injection:

• It is given as a shot.
• If you have been taking this drug on a regular basis and you stop it all of a sudden, you may have signs of withdrawal. Do not stop taking this drug all of a sudden without calling your doctor. Tell your doctor if you have any bad effects.

All products:

• Tell all of your health care providers that you take this drug. This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.
• Talk with your doctor before you use marijuana, other forms of cannabis, or prescription or OTC drugs that may slow your actions.
• Do not take products with calcium, aluminum, or magnesium within 2 hours before or 2 hours after you take this drug.
• Have blood work checked as you have been told by the doctor. Talk with the doctor.
• If you have high blood sugar (diabetes), talk with your doctor. This drug may raise blood sugar.
• Check your blood sugar as you have been told by your doctor.
• This drug can cause you to not handle heat or cold as well. Older adults may have a higher risk. Be careful in very hot or very cold weather. Heat stroke may happen, which can be deadly.
• Be careful in hot weather or while being active. Drink lots of fluids to stop fluid loss.
• This drug may cause weight gain. You may need to have your weight checked often.
• This drug may make you sunburn more easily. Use care if you will be in the sun. Tell your doctor if you sunburn easily while taking this drug.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

• Take a missed dose as soon as you think about it.
• If it is close to the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your normal time.
• Do not take 2 doses at the same time or extra doses.

How do I store and/or throw out this drug?

Tablets:

• Store at room temperature protected from light. Store in a dry place. Do not store in a bathroom.

Injection:

• If you need to store this drug at home, talk with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about how to store it.

All products:

• Keep all drugs in a safe place. Keep all drugs out of the reach of children and pets.
• Throw away unused or expired drugs. Do not flush down a toilet or pour down a drain unless you are told to do so. Check with your pharmacist if you have questions about the best way to throw out drugs. There may be drug take-back programs in your area.

General drug facts

• If your symptoms or health problems do not get better or if they become worse, call your doctor.
• Do not share your drugs with others and do not take anyone else’s drugs.
• Some drugs may have another patient information leaflet. If you have any questions about this drug, please talk with your doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
• Some drugs may have another patient information leaflet. Check with your pharmacist. If you have any questions about this drug, please talk with your doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
• If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer

This generalized information is a limited summary of diagnosis, treatment, and/or medication information. It is not meant to be comprehensive and should be used as a tool to help the user understand and/or assess potential diagnostic and treatment options. It does NOT include all information about conditions, treatments, medications, side effects, or risks that may apply to a specific patient. It is not intended to be medical advice or a substitute for the medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of a health care provider based on the health care provider’s examination and assessment of a patient’s specific and unique circumstances. Patients must speak with a health care provider for complete information about their health, medical questions, and treatment options, including any risks or benefits regarding use of medications. This information does not endorse any treatments or medications as safe, effective, or approved for treating a specific patient. UpToDate, Inc. and its affiliates disclaim any warranty or liability relating to this information or the use thereof. The use of this information is governed by the Terms of Use, available at https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/know/clinical-effectiveness-terms.

Last Reviewed Date

2022-10-05

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