› $150,000,000 verdict in personal injury case
The new chewable heartburn medication Metozolv, an orally disintegrating version of Reglan (metoclopramide), has added a warning to its label alerting users of a risk of the serious movement disorder Tardive Dyskinesia with long-term use of the drug. The change to the drug’s safety label was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and announced this month.
Women who use heartburn medication during pregnancy should not be overly concerned about the drugs causing birth defects, but using the drugs before they become pregnant may cause problems for the unborn child, according to a new study from Denmark published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – Ron, a musician and artist, was having trouble sleeping. His legs would move involuntarily back and forth under the sheets. At first, both Ron and his doctors thought he suffered from restless leg syndrome. But after a battery of tests conducted by neurologists, and a review of his medical history and medications, doctors determined that Ron suffered from a Parkinson’s-like condition known as Tardive Dyskinesia. They say it was caused by the heartburn medication Reglan.
A study into the safety of the anti-nausea drug metoclopramide, also known as the brand name Reglan, on pregnant women indicates that the drug is safe in mothers and their unborn children, according to a first-time study of the drug’s affects on expectant mothers. The drug is not indicated for pregnant women but the drug has an off-label indication for the treatment of morning sickness.
In 1992, a woman wrote to the People’s Pharmacy, a syndicated column in her local newspaper by King Features, asking if her father’s heartburn medication Reglan (metoclopramide) may have led to his suicide.
“Looking back, mother started noticing gradual changes in his behavior after his doctor prescribed Reglan for heartburn associated with a hiatal hernia,” she wrote. “We have done some research and found that this drug can indeed cause depression, confusion and even suicide. We were unaware of this side effect when Daddy was taking Reglan.
It might surprise some to learn that the prescription heartburn drug Reglan (metoclopramide) has an off-label use of helping new mothers increase their milk supply. An appropriate level of the hormone prolactin permits lactation to proceed normally, but when a mother has low prolactin levels, milk supply may suffer. Drugs used to stimulate lactation work by blocking dopamine, which results in increased prolactin levels and, in many cases, an increase in milk supply.
Dawn Harris says she was never made aware that long-term use of the acid reflux drug Reglan (metoclopramide) could cause her young child to suffer a serious, permanent and disabling neurological injury that results in involuntary movements of the face, arms and torso. The Louisiana mother has filed suit against the makers of the drug, claiming the medication caused her child to develop Tardive Dyskinesia.
There was nothing in their 47 years of marriage that would make Lucy* suspect her husband Joe* was anything besides energetic and optimistic. That all changed when the 70-year-old was prescribed the drug Reglan, also known by the generic metoclopramide, to treat a sliding hiatal hernia with moderate gastroesophageal reflux. Just three months after starting Reglan, Joe began to complain that he was depressed. His depression continued to worsen, and three months later he was prescribed Zoloft. When Zoloft did nothing to improve his spirits, Joe tried three other antidepressants, Prozac, Effexor and Celexa. Nothing seemed to help.
The prescription drug Reglan, also known by the generic metoclopramide, is taken by more than 2 million people to treat the symptoms of gastrointestinal problems such as severe heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and gastroparesis. Many people have become aware of the drug’s serious side effects, including the debilitating neurological disorder known as Tardive Dyskinesia in which the muscles move involuntarily. Reglan’s safety label now includes an FDA black box warning for the risk of the disorder. But another serious condition is being blamed on the medication – suicidal ideation.
Thousands of people who suffer from gastrointestinal problems such as severe heartburn, acid reflux and gastroparesis, are treated with the prescription drug Reglan, known by the generic metoclopramide. These drugs were originally prescribed for daily use for as long as two years in some patients. What patients may not realize is that long-term use of the drug is no longer recommended – and, in fact, falls under an FDA black box warning – as it can cause a serious and sometimes permanent neurological disorder known as Tardive Dyskinesia.
