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 the doctor BEFORE my child takes this drug?

• If your child is allergic to this drug; any part of this drug; or any other drugs, foods, or substances. Tell the doctor about the allergy and what signs your child had.
• If your child has any of these health problems: Bone marrow problems or liver disease.
• If your child has any of these health problems: Blood problems, brain damage, heart or blood vessel problems, low blood pressure, slow breathing, very sleepy, or a weak pulse
• If your child has any of these health problems: Enlarged prostate, heart failure (weak heart), low thyroid function, myasthenia gravis, or Parkinson’s disease.
• If your child has glaucoma or trouble passing urine or you have been told your child is at risk for these problems.
• If your child has pheochromocytoma.
• If your child has recently drunk a lot of alcohol or taken a big amount of drugs that may slow your child’s actions like phenobarbital or some pain drugs like oxycodone.
• If your child has taken certain drugs used for depression like isocarboxazid, phenelzine, or tranylcypromine, or drugs used for certain other health problems in the last 14 days. Taking this drug within 14 days of those drugs can cause severe high blood pressure. Talk with your child’s doctor.
• If your child takes 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. There are many drugs that must not be taken with this drug.
• If your child will be getting anesthesia.
• If your child is younger than 1 year of age. Do not give this drug to a child younger than 1 year of age.

If your child is breast-feeding a baby:

• Be sure your child does not breast-feed a baby while taking this drug.

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

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

What are some things I need to know or do while my child takes this drug?

• Tell all of your child’s health care providers that your child is taking this drug. This includes your child’s doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.
• Have your child avoid tasks or actions that call for alertness until you see how this drug affects your child. These are things like riding a bike, playing sports, or using items such as scissors, lawnmowers, electric scooters, toy cars, or motorized vehicles.
• To lower the chance of feeling dizzy or passing out, have your child keep lying down for at least 1 hour after getting this drug. Have your child rise slowly and be careful going up and down stairs.
• Alcohol interacts with this drug. Be sure your child does not drink alcohol or take products that have alcohol in them.
• Talk with your child’s doctor before your child uses marijuana, other forms of cannabis, or prescription or OTC drugs that may slow your child’s actions.
• Do not give your child products with calcium, aluminum, or magnesium within 2 hours before or 2 hours after your child takes this drug.
• This drug may make your child sunburn more easily. Use care if your child will be in the sun. Tell your child’s doctor if your child sunburns easily while taking this drug.
• Have blood work checked as you have been told by the doctor. Talk with the doctor.
• This drug may cause the results of some pregnancy tests to be wrong. Talk with the doctor.
• Blood clots have happened with this drug. Sometimes, these blood clots have been deadly. Talk with the doctor.
• If your child has high blood sugar (diabetes), talk with the doctor. This drug can raise blood sugar.
• Check your child’s blood sugar as you have been told by the doctor.
• This drug can cause your child to not handle heat or cold as well. Have your child be careful in very hot or very cold weather. Heat stroke may happen, which can be deadly.
• Have your child be careful in hot weather or while your child is being active. Have your child drink lots of fluids to stop fluid loss.
• This drug may cause weight gain. Your child’s weight may need to be checked often.
• 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.
• 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 your child is pregnant or may be pregnant:

• Tell the doctor if your child is pregnant or becomes pregnant. You will need to talk about the benefits and risks of your child using this drug while 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 child’s 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 child’s doctor or get medical help right away if your child has 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 high blood sugar like confusion, feeling sleepy, unusual thirst or hunger, passing urine more often, flushing, fast breathing, or breath that smells like fruit.
• 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.
• Call the doctor right away if your child has 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.
• A very bad and sometimes deadly health problem called neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) may happen. Call your child’s doctor right away if your child has any fever, muscle cramps or stiffness, dizziness, very bad headache, confusion, change in thinking, fast heartbeat, heartbeat that does not feel normal, or is sweating a lot.
• 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 child’s doctor right away if your child has trouble controlling body movements or problems with the 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.

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 child’s doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother your child 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 child’s doctor. Call your child’s doctor for medical advice about side effects.

You may report side effects to your national health agency.

How is this drug best given?

Give this drug as ordered by your child’s doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely.

Tablets:

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

Injection:

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

What do I do if my child misses a dose?

• Give a missed dose as soon as you think about it.
• If it is close to the time for your child’s next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your child’s normal time.
• Do not give 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 child’s 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 child’s symptoms or health problems do not get better or if they become worse, call your child’s doctor.
• Do not share your child’s drug with others and do not give anyone else’s drug to your child.
• Some drugs may have another patient information leaflet. If you have any questions about this drug, please talk with your child’s 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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