Common uses

Phenergan is used to treat allergy symptoms such as itching, runny nose, sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, hives, and itchy skin rashes.
Phenergan also prevents motion sickness, and treats nausea and vomiting or pain after surgery. It is also used as a sedative or sleep aid.
Phenergan may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Before using

Phenergan should not be given to a child younger than 2 years old. Phenergan can cause severe breathing problems or death in a child younger than 2. Carefully follow your doctor's instructions when giving this medicine to a child of any age. Do not use Phenergan if you have asthma or other lung disease.
Before taking Phenergan, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
• epilepsy or another seizure disorder;
• sleep apnea (breathing stops during sleep);
• glaucoma;
• a stomach ulcer or digestive obstruction;
• bone marrow disorder;
• problems with urination;
• high blood pressure or heart disease; or
• liver disease.
If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take Phenergan.
FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether Phenergan passes into breast milk or if it could harm an unborn baby. Do not use Phenergan without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
If you are over 60 years of age, you may be more sensitive to the side effects of Phenergan.

Directions

Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Take each dose with a full glass of water.
You can take Phenergan with or without food.
To be sure you get the correct dose of Phenergan syrup, measure the liquid with a marked measuring spoon or medicine cup, not with a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one..

Cautions

If you are taking other medications that cause sedation, your doctor may reduce the dosage of these medications or eliminate them while you are using Phenergan.
If you have a seizure disorder, Phenergan may cause your seizures to occur more often.
Phenergan can cause a serious—even fatal—decline in the breathing function. Avoid this medication if you have chronic breathing problems such as emphysema, or if you suffer from sleep apnea (periods during sleep when breathing stops).
Phenergan can also cause a potentially fatal condition called Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome. Symptoms include high fever, rigid muscles, sweating, and a rapid or irregular heartbeat. If you develop these symptoms, stop taking Phenergan and see your doctor immediately.
Use Phenergan cautiously if you have heart disease, high blood pressure or circulatory problems, liver problems, the eye condition called narrow-angle glaucoma, peptic ulcer or other abdominal obstructions, or urinary bladder obstruction due to an enlarged prostate.
Phenergan may affect the results of pregnancy tests and can raise your blood sugar.
Some people have developed jaundice (yellow eyes and skin) while on this medication.
Tell your doctor if you have any uncontrolled movements or seem to be unusually sensitive to sunlight.
Remember that Phenergan can cause drowsiness.

Possible side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using Phenergan and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
• twitching, or uncontrollable movements of your eyes, lips, tongue, face, arms, or legs;
• shallow breathing, weak pulse;
• hallucinations (seeing or hearing things);
• nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
• fever, muscle stiffness, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeat, sweating, fainting.
Less serious side effects may include:
• dizziness, drowsiness, sleepiness, or confusion;
• blurred vision, dry mouth;
• ringing in your ears;
• mild nausea or vomiting; or
• increased sensitivity to sunlight.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

If you take too much

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.
Overdose symptoms include severe drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, large pupils, flushing, nausea, vomiting, shallow breathing, and fainting.

Additional information

Call your doctor immediately if you experience twitching or uncontrollable movements of your eyes, lips, tongue, face, arms, or legs. These could be early signs of dangerous side effects. Phenergan should not be given to a child younger than 2 years old. Phenergan can cause severe breathing problems or death in a child younger than 2. Carefully follow your doctor's instructions when giving this medicine to a child of any age. Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include severe drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, large pupils, flushing, nausea, vomiting, shallow breathing, and fainting. Phenergan can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. Avoid drinking alcohol, which can increase some of the side effects of Phenergan. There are many other medicines that can cause interact with Phenergan. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list with you of all the medicines you use and show this list to any doctor or other healthcare provider who treats you.

Drug interactions

Promethazine should not be taken with any of the MAO (mono-amine oxidase) inhibitor-class of antidepressants, for example, isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), and procarbazine (Matulane), since the effects of both drugs add to each other and lead to complications.
Excessive anti-cholinergic effects (described below) can occur when promethazine is used with any of the following: some antihistamines, e.g., carbinoxamine (Rondec), clemastine (Tavist), diphenhydramine (Benadryl); some phenothiazines, e.g., thioridazine (Mellaril), triflupromazine (Stelazine); some tricyclic antidepressants, e.g., amitriptyline (Elavil), amoxapine (Asendin), clomipramine (Anafranil), protriptyline (Vivactil); clozapine (Clozaril), cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), and disopyramide (Norpace).