Prochlorperazine is an anti-sickness medicine. It can help stop you feeling or being sick (nausea or vomiting).

You can take prochlorperazine to treat:

• morning sickness
• feelings of dizziness (vertigo)
• travel sickness
• feelings of sickness due to migraines
• sickness caused by general anaesthetics after surgery, cancer treatment or taking other medicines
• problems with balance such as Ménière's disease

Prochlorperazine may occasionally be used to treat some forms of anxiety.

It's available as tablets and a liquid that you swallow. It can also be given as an injection, but this is usually done in hospital.

Prochlorperazine tablets and liquid are available on prescription. You can also buy tablets in a pharmacy without a prescription to treat nausea and vomiting, but only if you've been previously diagnosed with migraines.

• Prochlorperazine starts to work in around 30 to 60 minutes.
• Common side effects include feeling sleepy and blurred vision.
• You can usually take prochlorperazine when you need it, up to 3 times a day.
• It's best not to drink alcohol while taking prochlorperazine. It can increase the chance of side effects, such as feeling sleepy.

Prochlorperazine can be taken by most adults and children aged 1 year and over.

Prochlorperazine is not suitable for some people. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you:

• have had an allergic reaction to prochlorperazine or any other medicines in the past
• have high blood pressure due to a tumour near the kidney (phaeochromocytoma)
• have glaucoma
• have a history of blood clots or may be at higher risk of developing a clot
• have Crohn's disease, diverticulitis, hernia or colon cancer, or any other condition that can lead to a blockage in your bowel
• have liver problems
• have epilepsy or any condition that causes fits or seizures
• have high blood pressure or heart failure

If you or your child have been prescribed prochlorperazine, follow your doctor's instructions about how and when to take it.

Prochlorperazine tablets come as:

• standard tablets that you swallow whole with a drink of water
• tablets that dissolve between your upper lip and gum (buccal tablets)

Standard tablets and liquid can be taken with or without food.

Buccal tablets work best if they're taken after meals. This gives them more time to dissolve.

Dosage

The dose varies depending on what you are taking prochlorperazine for, but it is usually taken 2 to 3 times a day.

The dose for children aged 1 to 17 years is based on their weight.

What if I forget to take it?

For travel sickness, take it as soon as you remember.

For anything else, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the usual time.

Never take 2 doses at the same time.

What if I take too much?

Taking too much prochlorperazine can be dangerous.

Like all medicines, prochlorperazine can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them.

Common side effects

These common side effects happen in more than 1 in 100 people. They're usually mild and go away by themselves.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or do not go away:

• feeling sleepy or drowsy
• blurred vision
• dry mouth
• headaches
• stuffy nose

Serious side effects

Serious side effects are rare and happen in less than 1 in 10,000 people.

Tell your doctor straight away if you get:

• muscle stiffness or shaking, or uncontrollable face or tongue movements
• a sudden high temperature or an infection
• sore breasts in both men and women
• yellowing skin or the whites of your eyes turn yellow – these can be signs of liver problems
• a fast or irregular heartbeat (your heart feels like it's pounding)

Serious allergic reaction

In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to prochlorperazine.

What to do about:

• feeling sleepy or drowsy – do not drive, cycle or use tools or machinery. It's best not to drink alcohol, as it'll make you feel more tired. This should wear off as your body gets used to the medicine. Talk to your doctor if it continues for longer than a week, they may be able to suggest a different medicine.
• blurred vision – do not drive, cycle or use tools or machinery. If it lasts for more than 2 days, speak to your doctor.
• dry mouth – try chewing sugar-free gum or sucking sugar-free sweets.
• headache – rest and drink plenty of fluids. You can take an everyday painkiller like paracetamol or ibuprofen. Talk to your doctor if the headaches last longer than a week or are severe.
• stuffy nose – try a menthol decongestant or talk to your pharmacist if this bothers you.

Your doctor may prescribe prochlorperazine for morning sickness.

There's no evidence that prochlorperazine will harm your baby, but for safety it's best to take it for the shortest possible time.

Prochlorperazine and breastfeeding

Prochlorperazine passes into breast milk in small amounts. Talk to your doctor, as other medicines might be better while you're breastfeeding.

If your baby was premature, had a low birthweight or is not feeding as usual, speak to your doctor before taking any anti-sickness medicine.

If you take prochlorperazine while breastfeeding and notice your baby is sleeping more than usual or is behaving differently, talk to your health visitor or doctor as soon as possible.

For more information about how prochlorperazine can affect you and your baby during pregnancy, read the leaflet about the best use of prochlorperazine in pregnancy (BUMPS).

Some medicines and prochlorperazine do not work well together. This can increase the chance of having side effects.

Tell your pharmacist or doctor if you're taking any medicine that:

• makes you sleepy or drowsy
• gives you a dry mouth
• can affect your heart – taking prochlorperazine might make these side effects worse

Taking with other anti-sickness medicines

It's usually best to only take one type of medicine for feeling or being sick.

If prochlorperazine does not work for you, speak to your doctor and they may suggest a different medicine for you.

Mixing prochlorperazine with herbal remedies or supplements

Some herbal remedies can make your side effects worse. Speak to your pharmacist before taking any herbal supplements.