Missouri Reglan Side Effects Lawyer
Reglan, also known as metoclopramide, is a medication used to treat heartburn, nausea, gastroparesis, and similar gastrointestinal or stomach conditions. Reglan is made by drug manufacturer Baxter International, Inc. and comes in several forms, including tablets, syrups, and injections.
In 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a warning stating that Reglan use has been linked to tardive dyskinesia, a condition that causes involuntary movements of various muscles. The FDA notes that the risk of developing tardive dyskinesia increases when patients are prescribed Reglan for more than twelve weeks in a row, or if they are given especially high doses of the drug. The FDA also required Reglan or metoclopramide manufacturers to put a "black box warning" on the medication's labels, explaining the risk of tardive dyskinesia and that anyone who begins to show symptoms of this disorder should stop taking the medication immediately and see a physician.
Tardive dyskinesia is a neurological disorder that affects a person's ability to move under their own power. Patients who have tardive dyskinesia perform repetitive, purposeless movements that they cannot control. For instance, a patient may make faces, smack or purse their lips, stick their tongue out, or blink rapidly. The person's arms and legs may also move on their own, and the fingers may move as if the person is playing "air guitar."
People who have tardive dyskinesia cannot control these body movements. The movements make simple tasks, like brushing one's hair or teeth or making a sandwich, difficult when they interfere with the person's ability to pick things up, hold them, and move them around. They can also be embarrassing to live with. People who don't realize the patient has tardive dyskinesia may assume the patient is making the movements intentionally, which can lead to social misunderstandings or another person taking offense when none was intended.
Studies indicate that the patients who are most at risk of developing tardive dyskinesia from taking Reglan or metoclopramide are older women who have been taking the drug for more than twelve weeks. Patients who are obese, have an organic brain dysfunction, atrophy, or psychosis, are addicted to other drugs or alcohol, or who have a genetic predisposition to tardive dyskinesia are more likely to develop the condition.
The FDA recommends that anyone who starts showing symptoms of tardive dyskinesia while taking Reglan stop taking the medication immediately. Some patients find that their symptoms clear up once they stop taking Reglan. For many patients, however, the symptoms are permanent.
There is no cure for tardive dyskinesia. The treatments used to help patients who have the condition vary depending on each person's needs, according to the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Medication may be prescribed to help control the involuntary muscle movements. However, most people who have tardive dyskinesia must move forward with their lives while managing the condition, which may require mobility aids and in-home assistance with basic tasks like grooming, eating, and moving from place to place.
Tardive dyskinesia is a serious condition that may have permanent consequences. If you or a loved one took Reglan and developed tardive dyskinesia, please contact the experienced St Louis drug injury attorneys at Page Law. We will examine your case carefully and help you fight for the compensation you deserve. For a free and confidential consultation, call us day or night at 314-322-8515.
