My GERD has been totally uncontrollable, and I was on Reglan for awhile with Prevacid. IT'S HORRIBLE!!!! I'm not even joking. Avoid it if you can.
My doctor first thought of putting me on it 2 years ago. At that time it was decided we would wait. We waited until about 6 months ago. At that time I had a pH probe confirming that my 80mgs of Nexium a day was barely touching my reflux. Then my doctor decided to add Reglan. It's taken as a small pill 4 times a day- 30 minutes before your three meals, and at bedtime. It is of course a pain to take it then, because who really knows when it is going to be 30 minutes before they eat? If you don't take it 30 minutes before you eat, you're going to get none of the good effects and all the bad ones. It needs to be taken almost exactly thirty minutes before.
Reglan interacts with many drugs, both prescription and OTC, so you need to watch out for that too.
Reglan's side effects are many. In people under 35 Parkinson's like side effects are common. In people over 35, depression is most common. I was warned of this when I started and told to go off immediately if the Parkinson's like symptoms started. I was also told to call them and they woul dgive me a drug to reverse what was happening. Fortunately I did not get the Parkinson's like effects.
However, during my 3 months on it I was tired CONSTANTLY. I just never felt like I had enough energy. I also got headaches like crazy- I never get headaches except on it. By the end of my time on it I was getting depressed and just had no desire to do anything but sleep. I'm a student so this just wasn't cutting it. I actually left the school I was at, and I think part of it was because of the Reglan (my reason was to be near my doctors so I could get my reflux under control).
Reglan also wasn't working for me because I didn't know when that powerful 30 minute mark was. It also works best if it is taken at the same time everyday, and being a student there was no way it was possible.
Reglan can increase nausea, and that was my main symptom of GERD.
After 2 months on Reglan I was cut down to 2 times a day because of my side effects. 3 weeks later I took myself off it completely and feel a million times better for it.
I now take Prevacid 30 mg twice a day and Carafate and Promethazine as needed for nausea for my GERD. I'm doing pretty well over all. Doctors tend to stray from the anti-emetics because of their side effects, but their effects are a lot subtler than those of Reglan.
I hate to discourage you from looking into this completely because I imagine it does work for some people. I am not one of those and just want you to know what to expect. I would encourage you to discuss it with your doctor, but be aware of the side effects and don't push for it.
I would use it as a very last resort. I would have a fundoplication before going back on Reglan.
I also have Crohn's disease and am allergic to most drugs (2 page allergy/adverse reaction list which includes Carafate--vomiting). For the last couple of weeks my stomach has been hurting at well as the acid reflux being bad. I have tried everything - raised head of bed, lousy diet, etc. I am on 30 mg Prevacid Am, 30 mg Prevacid PM and 300 mg Zantac PM and I am getting worse. Last couple of days the stomach pain seems worse and I think my stomach may be swollen. I'm seeing the gastro doc Monday (was supposed to go Friday but scared so hubby is off Monday and I want him to go with me). I had a mastectomy, i have severe osteoporosis and I am afraid to have the fundo. I understand sometimes you can't burp or vomit once you have it. With my luck that would be me. I am even afraid to have another upper endoscopy as I developed a carba mix allergy that is in the tip and angle of the scope (in natural and synthetic rubber). I had a sinus scope a while back and my sinuses swelled up. Can you imagine if the esophagus/throat swells up. Also, it happened not in the ENT office but about 6 to 8 hours after. By that time you are home and what happens if you can't breathe or swallow. HELP!!!!!
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