Meclizine

Meclizine is both an over-the-counter and a prescription medication. The over-the-counter form is used to treat nausea, vomiting and dizziness brought on by motion sickness. The prescription form is used to treat nausea, vomiting and dizziness brought on by motion sickness as well as treat vertigo due to diseases of the vestibular system.

Meclizine belongs to a group of drugs called antihistamines. It works by blocking the response to histamine in the body.

This medication come in tablets, chewable tablets, and strips to be placed on the tongue.

For the treatment of motion sickness, over-the-counter meclizine is taken once a day, one hour prior to activities known to cause motion sickness. For the treatment of vertigo, meclizine can be taken up to three times per day.

Common side effects include dry mouth, drowsiness, headache, fatigue, and sometimes blurred vision. Do not operate heavy machinery until you know how meclizine affects you.

Meclizine is both an over-the-counter and a prescription medication.

The over-the-counter form is used to treat nausea, vomiting and dizziness brought on by motion sickness including car sickness, sea sickness, and air sickness). The prescription form is used to treat nausea, vomiting and dizziness brought on by motion sickness as well as used to treat vertigo due to diseases of the vestibular system.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Meclizine may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Antivert

• Bonine

• D-Vert

• Dramamine Less Drowsy

• Driminate II

• Meclicot

• Medivert

• Meni-D

• Naus-ease

• Ru-Vert-M

• Travel-Ease

• Verticalm

• Zentrip

Serious side effects have been reported with meclizine. See the "Drug Precaution" section.

Common side effects of meclizine include the following:

• drowsiness
• dry mouth
• headache
• fatigue
• vomiting
• blurred vision (rare)

This is not a complete list of meclizine side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1800-FDA-1088

Tell our doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription an non-prescription medicines, vitamins , and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• Medications that block a protein in the body (CYP2D6) such as quinidine (Qualaquin), fluoxetine (Prozac,Sarafem), amitriptyline (Elavil, Amitril, Amitid), and paroxetine (Paxil)
• Alcohol
• Tranquilaizers
• Sedatives such as benzodiazepines

This is not a complete list of meclizine drug interactions. Ask you doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Meclizine can cause drowsiness. Alcohol, sedatives and tranquilizers may increase drowsiness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how meclizine affects you.

Do not drink alcoholic beverages while taking meclizine.

Do not use over-the-counter meclizine for children under 12 years of age unless directed by a doctor.

Do not take meclizine if you are allergic to meclizine or have shown a previous hypersensitivity to meclizine.

No drug interactions have been determined by the manufacturer. However, you should tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Not all drug interactions are known or reported and new drug interactions are continually being reported.

Before taking meclizine, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell you doctor if you:

• have asthma
• have a breathing problem such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis
• have galucoma
• have an enlarged prostate
• are taking sedatives or tranquilizers

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Meclizine falls into category B. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given meclizine and some babies had problems. But in human studies, pregnant women were given this medication and their babies did not have any problems related to this medication.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if meclizine crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using meclizine.

Take meclizine exactly as prescribed.

Meclizine comes in tablets, chewable tablets, and strips to be placed on the tongue.

For the treatment of motion sickness, over-the-counter Bonine, Dramamine Less Drowsy, and Zentrip (meclizine) is taken once a day, one hour prior to activities known to cause motion sickness.

For the treatment of vertigo, Antivert (meclizine) can be taken up to three times per day.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of meclizine at the same time.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

• the condition being treated
• other medical conditions you have
• other medications you are taking
• how you respond to this medication
• your weight
• your height
• your age
• your gender

Prescription Form

The recommended dose range of Antivert (meclizine) for the treatment of vertigo is 25 mg-100 mg divided in two or three doses per day.

The recommended dose range of Antivert (meclizine) for the treatment of motion sickness is 25 mg-50 mg one hour prior to activities known to cause motion sickness. The dose may be repeated once every 24 hours for as long as the activity lasts.

Over-the counter Form

The recommended dose range of meclizine for the treatment of motion sickness is 25 mg-50 mg one hour prior to activities known to cause motion sickness. The dose may be repeated once every 24 hours for as long as the activity lasts.

There are several over-the-counter products, so follow the directions closely.

If you take too much meclizine, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

If meclizine is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

• Store meclizine at room temperature.
• Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.