Stop using promethazine and call your doctor at once if you have twitching or uncontrollable movements of your eyes, lips, tongue, face, arms, or legs. These could be early signs of dangerous side effects. Promethazine should not be given to a child younger than 2 years old. Promethazine can cause severe breathing problems or death in a child in very young children. Carefully follow your doctor's instructions when giving this medicine to a child of any age.
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. Avoid drinking alcohol, which can increase some of the side effects of promethazine. There are many other medicines that can interact with 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. Keep a list with you of all the medicines you use and show this list to any doctor or other healthcare provider who treats you.
Before taking this medicine
Promethazine should not be given to a child younger than 2 years old. Promethazine can cause severe breathing problems or death in very young children. Carefully follow your doctor's instructions when giving this medicine to a child of any age.
You should not take this medicine if you are allergic to promethazine or to similar medicines such as chlorpromazine, fluphenazine, mesoridazine, perphenazine, prochlorperazine, thioridazine, or trifluperazine.
To make sure promethazine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:
asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), sleep apnea, or other breathing disorder;
a sulfite allergy;
a history of seizures;
a weak immune system (bone marrow depression);
glaucoma;
enlarged prostate or problems with urination;
stomach ulcer or obstruction;
heart disease or high blood pressure;
liver disease;
adrenal gland tumor (pheochromocytoma);
low levels of calcium in your blood (hypocalcemia); or
if you have ever had a serious side effect while using promethazine or any other phenothiazine.
It is not known whether promethazine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medicine.
It is not known whether promethazine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while using this medicine.
