Stop taking meclizine and get help right away if you have any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction. Using meclizine with other drugs that make you drowsy can worsen this effect. Ask your doctor before using opioid medication, a sleeping pill, a muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety or seizures. No effect of oral propantheline or atropine on blood alcohol levels was observed in healthy volunteers when administered before ingestion of a standard ethanol load. Uncommon (1% to 10%) — Headache, psychomotor impairment, dermatitis, and antimuscarinic effects such as diplopia (double vision), tachycardia, constipation, urinary retention and gastro-intestinal disturbances. While less common, the most serious side effects of meclizine are described below, along with what to do if they happen.
Treatment
It also exerts a depressive action against the nervous system and an anesthetizing effect locally. Finally, it reduces the excitability of the labyrinth and vestibular stimulation and may influence the activity of receptors that trigger vomiting. People aged 65 years or older can be at greater risk for some side effects of meclizine. Talk to your healthcare provider about your risks if you are in this age group. Sometimes it is not safe to use certain medicines at the same time.
Cyclizine derivatives
Meclizine has an onset of action of 30 to 60 minutes, depending on dosage; their duration of action is 12 to 24 hours. The most common side effects of meclizine are listed below. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any of these side effects that bother you. Meclizine comes as a regular and chewable tablet and a capsule. For motion sickness, meclizine should be taken 1 hour before you start to travel. For dizziness caused by an ear condition, follow your doctor’s directions.
- For dizziness caused by an ear condition, follow your doctor’s directions.
- Some meclizine tablets should not be chewed, crushed, or split.
- Therefore, the effect is worse when looking down but may be lessened by looking outside of the vehicle.
- If you take over-the-counter (OTC) meclizine, follow the instructions for the product you are taking.
- There is limited information regarding Pharmacodynamics of Meclizine in the drug label.
- Users are advised not to operate heavy machinery while under the influence.
Motion sickness
Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. In cases of overdose, the patient should be brought to and observed in a hospital for potential neurological complications. Most histamine H1 antagonists are reported to be readily absorbed following oral administration. Upon oral administration, the time to reach peak plasma concentrations (Cmax) of meclizine is about 3 hours post-dose, with the value ranging from 1.5 to 6 hours. WikiDoc is not a professional health care provider, nor is it a suitable replacement for a licensed healthcare provider.
Meclizine is most effective if taken before symptoms appear.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Meclizine can affect your alertness or coordination. Do not drive or do other activities that require alertness or coordination until you know how meclizine affects you. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while you are taking this medication.
Theaters warned patrons of its possible nauseating effects, cautioning meclizine wikipedia pregnant women in particular. Blair Witch was filmed with a handheld camcorder, which was subjected to considerably more motion than the average movie camera,19 and lacks the stabilization mechanisms of steadicams. For the sake of novelty, IMAX and other panoramic type theaters often show dramatic motions such as flying over a landscape or riding a roller coaster. The sensory conflict theory notes that the eyes view motion while riding in the moving vehicle while other body sensors sense stillness, creating conflict between the eyes and inner ear.
Some drugs can affect your blood levels of other drugs you use, which may increase side effects or make the medicines less effective. To prevent motion sickness, take meclizine about 1 hour before you travel or anticipate having motion sickness. You may take meclizine once every 24 hours while you are traveling, to further prevent motion sickness. Some other medicines may alter the blood levels of meclizine. Tell your healthcare provider about all medicines that you take or have recently taken. Always tell your healthcare provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using.
- Tell your healthcare provider about all of your health conditions and any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using.
- WikiDoc is not a professional health care provider, nor is it a suitable replacement for a licensed healthcare provider.
- Tell your healthcare provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
- You should carry the list with you in case of emergencies.
- People aged 65 years or older can be at greater risk for some side effects of meclizine.
Hypotension may also occur, particularly in the elderly. In children, anticholinergic effects and CNS stimulation, characterized by hallucinations, seizures, trouble sleeping, are more likely to occur. In case of overdose, symptomatic and supportive treatment is recommended. In case of recent ingestion, induction of emesis or gastric lavage should be initiated to limit further drug absorption. Although there is no known antidote to meclizine, physostigmine may be useful to counteract the CNS anticholinergic effects of meclizine. Additionally, this medication proves beneficial in off-label applications, extending its utility to address analogous symptoms triggered by viral illnesses, gastrointestinal infections, pregnancy, or radiation therapy.
Meclizine (Antivert) – Uses, Side Effects, and More
It is proposed that meclizine may be excreted into breast milk. However, one study found impairment of attention in subjects given atropine 0.5 mg or glycopyrrolate 1 mg in combination with alcohol. In addition, the potential for abuse may be increased with the combination. Meclizine may increase the toxicity with CNS depressants, neuroleptics and anticholinergic. Alcohol, sedatives and tranquilizers can increase the drowsiness of the patient. The oral and intraperitoneal LD50 in mouse are 1600 mg/kg and 625 mg/kg, respectively.
If you are on a dosing schedule, skip any missed dose. You should not use meclizine if you are allergic to it. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.
Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of meclizine. Tell your doctor if you use other medicines or have other medical conditions or allergies. Meclizine is also used in adults to treat symptoms of vertigo (dizziness or spinning sensation) caused by disease that affects your inner ear.