Metoclopramide Nasal Spray
Using metoclopramide nasal spray may cause you to develop a muscle problem called tardive dyskinesia. If you develop tardive dyskinesia, you will move your muscles, especially the muscles in your face in unusual ways. You will not be able to control or stop these movements. Tardive dyskinesia may not go away even after you stop using metoclopramide nasal spray. The longer you take metoclopramide, the greater the risk that you will develop tardive dyskinesia. Therefore, your doctor will probably tell you not to take metoclopramide products for longer than 12 weeks. The risk that you will develop tardive dyskinesia is also greater if you are taking medications for mental illness, if you have diabetes, or if you are elderly, especially if you are a woman. Call your doctor immediately if you develop any uncontrollable body movements, especially lip smacking, mouth puckering, chewing, frowning, scowling, sticking out your tongue, blinking, eye movements, or shaking arms or legs.
Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer’s patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with metoclopramide nasal spray and each time you refill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm) or the manufacturer’s website to obtain the Medication Guide.
Talk to your doctor about the risk(s) of using metoclopramide nasal spray.
🔔 Why is this medication prescribed?
Metoclopramide nasal spray is used to relieve symptoms caused by slow stomach emptying in people who have diabetes. These symptoms include nausea, vomiting, heartburn, loss of appetite, and feeling of fullness that lasts long after meals. Metoclopramide is in a class of medications called prokinetic agents. It works by speeding the movement of food through the stomach and intestines.
🔔 How should this medicine be used?
Metoclopramide nasal spray comes as a solution (liquid) to spray into the nose. It is usually sprayed into one nostril 4 times a day, 30 minutes before each meal and at bedtime for 2 to 8 weeks. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use metoclopramide nasal spray exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
To use the nasal spray, follow these steps:
- Remove the cap and the safety clip from the nasal spray pump.
- If you are using the nasal spray pump for the first time, you must prime the pump. Hold the bottle with your thumb at the base and your index and middle fingers on the white shoulder area. Point the bottle upright and away from your eyes. Press down and release the nozzle to release 10 sprays into the air away from the face. If you have not used your nasal spray for more than 14 days, reprime the pump with 10 sprays.
- Close one nostril by gently placing your finger against the side of your nose, tilt your head slightly forward and, keeping the bottle upright, insert the nasal tip into the other nostril. Point the tip toward the back and outer side of the nose. Use your forefinger and middle finger to press firmly down on the nozzle and release a spray. Following the spray, sniff gently and breathe out slowly through your mouth.
- Wipe the applicator with a clean tissue and cover it with the cap.
If you are not sure that the nasal spray entered your nose, do not repeat the dose, and continue your regular dosing schedule.
The last 20 years have seen the cost of medical care increase about 70% faster than the rate of general inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the Research Division of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Healthcare inflation dropped to a historical low after 2010 but is again on the rise as of 2018, according to Bloomberg.
🔔 Other uses for this medicine
This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
