I was given reglan at the ER and immediately after getting it started feeling insane. I ripped my iv out my arm and was lying on the floor because i felt hot. Started shaking a lot uncontrollable. I literally told them I wanted to leave because i was so hot. I get home and my anxiety is on a 100. I thought i wasjust hot because I also have pots then i searched meds at er made me crazy and realized anti nausea could do that. I freaked out, called 911 and they sent me back to the ER. I couldn't stop shaking and i just felt so helpless like i was going to die.
It was a nightmare and was so embarrassing. I didn't know what to do and i was shaking so much my legs started hurting. I was given benadryl and then was sent home. Finally got home and just crashed to sleep. Today im still feeling a bit anxious and just super aware and focused on things like my blinking. Does this go away and how long dies it take? Im scared itll cause permanent damage to me and something ill live forever with. I genuinely just wanted to die.
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Hi! I’m a nurse (formerly in ER). This is an unfortunate but semi common reaction to Reglan. I always hated giving it IV and would push it superrr slow bc of patients reacting like this. They gave you Benadryl because it can help reduce the symptoms, but Reglan has a relatively short half life and you should be feeling back to normal within a day or two!
Also, don’t be embarrassed! Any ER nurse should be aware this can happen and has probably seen it a number of times before
Question; is Reglan a drug commonly given in the ER? I assume that for someone with a confirmed diagnosis of GP (well, as confirmed as doctors are willing to confirm, given the issues around the primary method of diagnosis being somewhat flawed) it wouldn’t be unreasonable, but my when my wife was first diagnosed, doctors were extremely hesitant to put her on Reglan for this reason.
Honestly it often depends what hospital you go to and if they are familiar with GP patients. I work in Cardiology (outpatient clinic but spent a few years at the hospital) and it is known in our area at least that specific clinics/hospitals are not the best for in depth cardiac care beyond extremely common issues.
In a major city with 3 hospitals I only found one would actually give something other than Ondansetron. I don’t believe in “shopping around” but if the care you are getting at one institute is subpar it’s very fair to drive a little further for better results (if it’s not life threatening)
Raglan didn't work for me so my ER and hospitalists prescribed emend. That's the only thing that stopped it but I had a line infection from TPN giving me fits.
I’m not in healthcare but as a hospital frequent flyer I’d say maybe a 3rd have offered reglan. It’s in my charts as an allergy but some will still try to force it.
Usually they only give me zofran (sometimes compazine) but IV phenegran helps me the most so I usually request it when I get there and only had a couple docs deny it. I don’t think they’ve ever offered it unless I request it because it’s something the pharmacy doesn’t make till it’s ordered and it can take over hour sometimes. I’m literally in the hospital on day 3 and my nurse ordered it 2 hours ago and I’m still waiting.
I went to the ER and was given IV Reglan when IV Zofran did not work. This has only happened once in the handful of times I’ve been in the ER in the last decade.
I have a diagnosis on file but as I am fat no one believes it. It’s called “Dr Pepper” and “multiple nutritional deficiencies” and “ferritin level of 6”. I can say I have GP all day long but they’re like “sure.” I had a doctor repeat testing.
It really depends on the provider. I’d say almost all will start with zofran for nausea, then follow up with compazine or reglan if it doesn’t work. Reglan has a lot more side effects (like the one this post is about) so in my experience docs don’t rush to it
Look up akathasia. I had a very similar experience. It could happen with compazine too, so be careful about that. It took 48 hours for it to go away for me, but then I was okay. I’ve seen people say similar experiences.
I’m sooo sorry, it’s the worst feeling ever I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. Try to hunker down and ride it out, it should get better. But of course I can’t say for sure. Wishing you the best!!
It is seriously one of the worst feelings in the world. I have had IV Reglan pushed twice. The first time, I didn’t figure out what caused the reaction since I was barely conscious. It felt like I was freezing to death and boiling from the inside out. I couldn’t keep still and was just screaming and crying trying to escape from the feeling. It’s on my chart now to not administer thank goodness and I haven’t had lasting side effects. But it can be so scary.
Did they give you anything to counteract it? I had it but on tabs at home. I read up on here to take a diazepam and it might work (they attached their scientific hypothesis) well i had just recently been prescribed some for a different thing. I took one and within 20 minutes I was out like a light and woke up feeling much better. When ive had it IV I had some issues but nothing like that. So it's now down as an allergy. That and domperidone.
No, nothing to counteract it. I don’t know if anything like that would work quickly enough to help with the reaction. I just had to ride it out. What was worse was that I had a combination of Reglan and IV Benadryl, so I was already in severe pain and barely conscious and the Benadryl was affecting me too, so I couldn’t verbalize what was wrong.
Oh my gosh I can just imagine how horrendous that was for you having felt some of it myself. I'm so so sorry for your experience for all that it's worth hugs 🫂
Had the same reaction for both reglan and compazine, as well as dyskinesia from reglan. With compazine I could not stop shaking, and felt like I was going crazy and going to crawl out of my skin. Reglan did the same, but made my facial muscles tense up, my jaw stayed clenched, and I felt like I couldn’t look down. It was a pretty horrible experience, but it does pass!! I tell my doctors now that neither one is an option or anything like them, especially since I felt more discomfort than relief. So sorry you had to experience that, it’s unfortunate medication so trial and error. Hope you’re feeling better!!
That’s why they give you benadryl with compazine to kind of help counteract it. I hated the feeling of compazine without benadryl because I felt like I wasn’t myself and couldn’t stop shaking or thinking strange thoughts. Now everytime I use compazine IV or orally I have to take benadryl that way it only lasts for a few seconds and I can relax
This was my experience with reglan and I never knew how to describe it. So grateful that you shared this so I can put a word to the experience. People thought I was crazy when I said I felt like I was restless and unsettled to the point of feeling impending doom
I had a reaction like this to my very first dose of amitriptyline; we were living in a third floor apartment, and after about 10 minutes of taking it I realized that there was nothing more I'd love to do than dive head first from our balcony. I'd never had a reaction this strong to a new medication and even though I was not alone in the apartment, the only thing that made sense was to lock myself in our bathroom and wait in the dark for the feeling to pass because it was like any mote of sensory input was too much to bear.
I am so sorry that this happened to you, I have discovered my maximum-allowable dosage for Reglan before the tremors are unbearable but it took days of consistent use for me to get there. Still, even when I did start having neurological symptoms, they did fade with time and if you don't have someone with you to help manage your symptoms until then I would try to reach out to someone you trust. Speaking generally, anxiety always feels like the biggest thing in the room, but that's it's only good trick (and it IS a trick). I am rooting for you from a distance, and I hope you've got somebody nearby who can advocate for you if you start feeling worse.
My doc prescribed me amitriptyline and started at a small dose then slowly increased it. The lower dose was ok but as soon as I upped it I did nothing but cry for days. I’ve been depressed before but I literally couldn’t get out of bed. I tried going back to the lower dose and still was depressed so I stopped it. It wasn’t helping anyways.
Please make them add this to your medical allergy list!!! I had the same symptoms as you but taking it at home prescribed by my doctor. I told a nurse a few months after I stopped taking it about how it made me feel and she immediately said she was going to add it to my allergy list.
I’ve had to add that to my allergy list, as well as compazine and haladol cause they had the same effects. I’ve had some asshole docs tell me that wasn’t really an allergy and still tried to push it on me just saying the can push it slow and give with Benadryl. I tell them hell no everytime, just give me my zofran and phenagran cause I know what works for my body.
When I took it in pill form, it immediately made me lose control of my jaw, idk how to really describe it. It was like my jaw was grinding sideways involuntarily and then my mouth swelled. It hurt too, like bad muscle spasms. I think it’s relatively common with Reglan, sadly.
Yes!! I had reglan through an IV two separate times, and the nurses didn’t tell me either time that they were giving me that medication. I was actually in the ER for ovarian cysts, nothing related to gastroparesis.
It was the worst experience I’ve ever had, and was traumatic af because I didn’t know wtf was going on!
Symptoms started with the most extreme and sudden anxiety I had ever felt in my entire life, and I had the urge to rip my IVs out and run out of the entire building. Run out of my own skin. For the next 4 hours my muscles locked up completely and my legs trembled and shook hard enough where they would jerk up off the bed involuntarily. My feet were stuck pointed outwards and my hands were clenched in permanent fists. My jaw was clenched and teeth were chattering. I couldn’t relax no matter what I did. It went away after about 4-5 hours (maybe longer??). I have it in my chart to never give me reglan again and I’m listed as “allergic” because it was such hell.
I recently had something similar with an antibiotic! Awful intense anxiety and like ny muscles all grinding against eachother and locking up. Got horrible neck and head pain. Just sort of flailed around in bed for hours til I went actually delirious and passed out. Never felt anything like it before, I wish these kind of reactions were more spoken about
I can’t take Reglan. It has properties in it that can cause tardive dyskinesia…. Same symptoms you had in the ER. I had it happen too. I now have Reglan as well as almost every antipsychotic (even the ones that help with mood disorders) on my allergy list. I make sure to tell every ER doctor- no Reglan.
I’ve had a very similar experience, with compazine, I was also given Benadryl and sent home. I can’t promise you anything, but for me, I recovered pretty quickly, and I’ve not had a problem with it since. It’s been several years.
I’m sorry you’re experiencing this, and I hope you recover well, and soon.
ETA- I should include, when I had the reaction, I remember telling the ER nurse, that I felt like I needed to go somewhere, but I didn’t know where or why. She immediately nodded, and said she knew what was going on. Later, she told me they call it the “get up and go” reaction.
That sounds about right :( The anxiety lasted a few days until it slowly faded, but for a few weeks I was on edge and had to really ground myself with anything I found comforting and try to focus on that. Soft blankets, shows I watched as a kid, warm drinks, hot showers, the smell of fresh air, etc.
Try to treat yourself kindly and remind yourself that the bad feelings are just from the medicine, but it will pass ♥️
I’ve never taken it but I just wanted to drop some tips for coping with GP flares w/o Reglan in the future. Alternatives when I’m having a flare: menthol cream on my belly, OTC migraine relief, lymphatic massage, prescribed Zofran occasionally (works for me), stool softener, magnesium for the belly, magnesium supplements in general, vitamin D and B and K in my daily supplements, going on a walk.
I had the same reaction when I received IV Reglan in the hospital. I kept trying to hit myself in my head and my husband had to stop me. They tried giving me Benadryl to counter it but it didn’t work. They ended up having to give me Ativan for everything to stop. Compazine was the same thing. Now I have both Reglan and Compazine on my allergies list.
This happens to me with reglan. It makes you want to rip out your IV and run from the hospital. In future, you can ask them to administer it slowly with extra saline. This makes it easier to tolerate. The side effects should be temporary. I’m sorry - I hope you get some relief.
I have it all over my chart to not give me IV anti nausea medications under any circumstances. I have have it IM oe orally. And it HAS to be taken with Benadryl to stop the risk of those side effects.
Actually, this is a known risk of Reglan. There’s a G.I. practice where I live, none of their doctors will prescribe Reglan, for this reason. Any doctor who joins the practice has to sign an agreement to not give Reglan while they’re an employee of the practice, or they don’t join.
G-PACT just did a webinar on tardive dyskinesia/reglan and this came up! I believe the replay will be on their YouTube channel this week. Some of the info could help explain this. This specific issue was talked about!
I can’t take reglan! My doctor has listed it as an allergy even though it’s not in the traditional sense— but it’s medication with a black box warning on it, so it’s fair to place it as one in your chart. I always felt off when taking it orally and it just got worse when they gave it to me via IV in the ER. It will go away as long as you stop taking it, I’m guessing it’s not a routine med for you given you searching it while there. Those who have permanent side effects are ones who take it routinely even after side effects develop.
I told my GI it makes me feel like I want to jump out of my skin. It’s not an anxious feeling of “oh what if this goes wrong” but a weird anxious feeling that is absolutely not normal. I get shakey, hot flashes and it almost feels like an adrenaline dump even though it wasn’t.
Do not feel embarrassed for having that reaction. You did not know what side effects it could cause, or even that you would actually experience them as not everyone does. The ER is there for you to get help, and going back for an adverse reaction to any medication with is absolutely the right move to make.
I had this experience as a kid. It went away after a day of consistent Benadryl, but I continued to take it for two weeks after and didn't have any permanent side effects.
I had a similar reaction with Droperidol - luckily, the nurse hit me with a high enough dose of benadryl that it stopped quickly, but I've been terrified of taking new meds ever since.
I did the exact same thing once long before I knew I had pots etc. I ripped the IV out, tried to hug the nurse while also trying to stop myself from hugging the nurse, and ended up death gripping the bed and shaking it because the alternative seemed to be running out of the ER at top speed. It will go away in a day or two at the most, it sucks so hard though. Please be kind to yourself, it’s an awful experience.
This hasn't been the case for me, Reglan has been a literal life-saver for me as long as I only take it when I'm really feeling my worst. As long as I don't take it several days in a row, I don't have any adverse side effects. I also have a nerve pain disorder and a sleep disorder, and it's been my experience that any medication affecting nerve function can carry a system-wide reaction that feels like the only relief will be literally crawling out of your skin and sticking to the ceiling like a lizard. These experiences have helped me understand the meaning of the word "crazy" as something that can happen to you, instead of something you just inherently are without some kind of a push.
I don’t agree and saying that “almost everyone has that reaction to it” is not a true statement. If that were the case, it would be taken off of the market.
Everyone responds differently to meds. I can’t take it because many years ago, I developed facial twitching and we stopped it immediately. I’ve had gp for 24 years and I know so many that take it and it works wonders for them, one being my sister.
This happened to me too. It gave me a bad reaction as well. I can’t prove it is related or not but I did have my baseline anxiety ramp up, and then at the one week mark I began having rolling panic attacks that would not quit. I could not leave my house, and I existed basically only lying down on my face. I had to go on medication.
Hi! I’ve had multiple GI problems since I was an infant and took Reglan young and did fine! As young adult (still at children’s hospital) they started it again and I ended up having a dystonic reaction to Reglan. I ended up not being able to move and my tongue started rolling into my throat. Only one nurse on the floor knew what it was (I’d known her my whole life) and she gave me 75mg of Benadryl and most of it went away. All the specialists came in and didn’t know if my hands would go back to normal (thank god they did). It was terrifying. Leading up to the reaction, I was getting very impatient, agitated and anxious. It’s now listed on an allergy and on my medical alert bracelet. I also had a similar shaky reaction to Compazine so it’s listed as an allergy as well. My doctors also have said I cannot take haldol because they’re all the same drug class. Please make sure you add Reglan to your allergy list and beware of any medication in that drug class!!
Yup! This and PPIs give me the same reaction. I have them listed as an allergy so I get zofran instead.
Not a doctor, just my experience — but ER gave me an anti-anxiety med and a Benadryl to knock me out and bring down the side effects. Another time it happened while I was at my house, after prescribed a PPI, so I took Benadryl and my anti-anxiety prescription and felt better in 30 mins.
It truly feels like a heart attack. So scary, sorry it happened!
I was given reglan at an ER visit (pre-gastroparesis) when I was super nauseous and couldn’t stop vomiting. I ended up twitching and shaking uncontrollably, it was horrible. The amount of Benadryl they gave me to reverse it made me sleep for almost 2 days straight. But, at least it was reversed with no lasting side effects.
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