What is the most important information I should know about meperidine and promethazine?

Before using meperidine and promethazine, tell your doctor if you have heart disease, kidney or liver disease, asthma or a sulfite allergy, a head injury or brain tumor, seizures, underactive thyroid, Addison's disease, glaucoma, urination or prostate problems, or a history of drug or alcohol abuse.

Do not take this medication if you have taken an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), phenelzine (Nardil), or selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam) within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you take meperidine and promethazine before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body.

Do not drink alcohol while you are taking meperidine and promethazine. Dangerous side effects or death can occur when alcohol is combined with a narcotic pain medicine. Check your food and medicine labels to be sure these products do not contain alcohol.

Never take more than your prescribed dose of meperidine. Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain.

Meperidine and promethazine 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.

Do not stop using meperidine and promethazine suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your doctor about how to avoid withdrawal symptoms when stopping the medication.

Meperidine and promethazine may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. This medication should never be shared with another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it.

What is meperidine and promethazine?

Meperidine is a narcotic pain reliever.

Promethazine is an anti-nausea medication.

The meperidine and promethazine combination is used to treat moderate to severe pain.

Meperidine and promethazine may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my health care provider before taking meperidine and promethazine?

Do not use this medication if you have taken an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), phenelzine (Nardil), or selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam) within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you take meperidine and promethazine before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body.

Meperidine and promethazine may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. This medication should never be shared with another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it.

Before using meperidine and promethazine, tell your doctor if you have:

• heart disease or a heart rhythm disorder;
• kidney disease;
• liver disease;
• underactive thyroid;
• an allergy to sulfites;
• asthma or a breathing disorder;
• a history of head injury or brain tumor;
• epilepsy or other seizure disorder;
• glaucoma;
• Addison's disease;
• prostate enlargement or urination problems; or
• a history of drug or alcohol dependence or abuse.

If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use meperidine and promethazine, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

Meperidine and promethazine may pass into breast milk and could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take meperidine and promethazine?

Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Never take meperidine and promethazine in larger amounts, or use it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain.

Take this medicine with a full glass of water.

Take meperidine with food or milk if it causes stomach upset.

Do not stop taking meperidine and promethazine suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your doctor about how to avoid withdrawal symptoms when stopping the medication.

Store meperidine and promethazine at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

After you have stopped using this medication, flush any unused pills down the toilet.

Keep track of how many pills have been used from each new bottle of this medicine. Meperidine is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if any person in the household is using this medicine improperly or without a prescription.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Since pain medication is usually taken as needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. If you are taking the medication regularly, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and wait until your next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

Overdose symptoms may include increased sweating, blue lips, limp muscles, cold or clammy skin, slow heartbeat, shallow breathing, feeling light-headed, or fainting.

What should I avoid while taking meperidine and promethazine?

Do not drink alcohol while you are taking this medication. Dangerous side effects or death can occur when alcohol is combined with meperidine and promethazine. Check your food and medicine labels to be sure these products do not contain alcohol.

Meperidine and promethazine 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.

Tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by meperidine and promethazine.

What are the possible side effects of meperidine and promethazine?

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 meperidine and promethazine and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• fast, slow, or uneven heartbeats;
• shallow breathing;
• extreme weakness or drowsiness;
• feeling light-headed, fainting;
• feeling anxious or agitated;
• urinating less than usual;
• tremors; or
• unusual thoughts or behavior.

Less serious side effects may include:

• constipation;
• mild nausea or stomach upset;
• warmth, tingling, or redness under your skin;
• blurred vision; or
• dry mouth.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

What other drugs will affect meperidine and promethazine?

There may be other drugs that can interact with meperidine and promethazine, 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.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about meperidine and promethazine.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

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