Promethazine HCl Injection Side Effects Center

What Is Promethazine HCl Injection?

Promethazine hydrochloride is a phenothiazine used to treat or prevent nausea and vomiting caused by anesthesia or surgery, certain types of allergic reactions, pain caused by surgery or childbirth, and to sedate patients before surgery or medical procedures. Promethazine injection is usually given when a person cannot take the medication orally (by mouth). Promethazine hydrochloride is available in generic form.

What Are Side Effects of Promethazine HCl Injection?

Common side effects of promethazine hydrochloride include:

• drowsiness,
• dizziness,
• tired feeling,
• ringing in the ears,
• problems with balance or coordination,
• blurred vision,
• feeling nervous or shaky,
• sleep problems (insomnia),
• skin rash or itching,
• dry mouth
• , or
• stuffy nose

Promethazine HCI Injection may cause serious side effects including:

• hives,
• difficulty breathing,
• swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat,
• pain, burning, irritation, or skin changes where the injection was given,
• severe pain,
• swelling,
• numbness,
• cold feeling in your fingers or toes,
• discoloration in your fingers or toes,
• weak or shallow breathing,
• hallucinations,
• uncontrolled muscle movements in your face (chewing, lip smacking, frowning, tongue movement, blinking or eye movement,
• yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice),
• easy bruising or bleeding,
• nosebleeds,
• bleeding gums,
• sudden weakness,
• ill feeling,
• fever,
• chills,
• sore throat,
• mouth sores,
• red or swollen gums,
• trouble swallowing,
• very stiff (rigid) muscles,
• high fever,
• sweating,
• confusion,
• fast or uneven heartbeats,
• tremors, and
• lightheadedness

Get medical help right away, if you have any of the symptoms listed above.

Seek medical care or call 911 at once if you have the following serious side effects:

• Serious eye symptoms such as sudden vision loss, blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights;
• Serious heart symptoms such as fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeats; fluttering in your chest; shortness of breath; and sudden dizziness, lightheartedness, or passing out;
• Severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, arm or leg weakness, trouble walking, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady, very stiff muscles, high fever, profuse sweating, or tremors.

This document does not contain all possible side effects and others may occur. Check with your physician for additional information about side effects.

Dosage for Promethazine HCl Injection

The average adult dose of promethazine hydrochloride is 25 mg.

What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Promethazine HCl Injection?

Promethazine hydrochloride may interact with cold or allergy medicine, sedatives, narcotics, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety, lithium, atropine, belladonna, benztropine, dimenhydrinate, methscopolamine, scopolamine, blood pressure medications, blood thinners, bronchodilators, bladder or urinary medications, MAO inhibitors, medicines to treat Parkinson's disease, restless leg syndrome, or pituitary gland tumor, or medicines to treat stomach ulcer or irritable bowel syndrome.

Promethazine HCl Injection During Pregnancy or Breastfeeding

Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. During pregnancy promethazine hydrochloride should be taken only if prescribed. It is unknown if it is harmful to a fetus. It is unknown if this drug passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Additional Information

Our promethazine hydrochloride Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

• pain, burning, irritation, or skin changes where the injection was given;
• severe pain, swelling, numbness, cold feeling, or discoloration in your fingers or toes;
• weak or shallow breathing;
• hallucinations;
• uncontrolled muscle movements in your face (chewing, lip smacking, frowning, tongue movement, blinking or eye movement);
• jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
• easy bruising or bleeding (nosebleeds, bleeding gums);
• sudden weakness or ill feeling, fever, chills, sore throat, mouth sores, red or swollen gums, trouble swallowing; or
• severe nervous system reaction--very stiff (rigid) muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats, tremors, feeling like you might pass out.

Common side effects may include:

• drowsiness, dizziness;
• ringing in your ears;
• double vision;
• feeling nervous;
• dry mouth; or
• tiredness, sleep problems (insomnia).

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.