Phenergan from Canada: Overview, Cost, Precautions
Phenergan, also called promethazine, belongs to a group of drugs known as Phenothiazines. It works by altering the actions of chemicals in your brain. It is also an antihistamine that works by blocking the effects of a certain naturally occurring substance (histamine) that your body makes during an allergic reaction.
Phenergan is a prescription medicine that is administered orally in tablet form and liquid, as well as by injection.
How To Take
Phenergan should be used exactly as prescribed by your doctor. You should follow all the directions on your prescription label. However, your doctor may occasionally change your dose to ensure you get the best results. Follow the instructions. Do not take it in larger or smaller doses, or for longer than instructed.
You can take Phenergan/promethazine tablets, capsules, and liquid with or without food. Ensure to take your promethazine tablets or capsules with water. They should be swallowed and not chewed.
Liquid medicines comprising promethazine come with a measuring spoon or syringe that allows you to measure out the correct dose.
Phenergan is often taken when you’re about to go to bed or before food. For motion sickness, Phenergan is usually started an hour before traveling. For surgery, Phenergan is usually taken the night before.
How often you take Phenergan and the timing of your dose depends on the condition being treated
Precautions and Drug Facts
Before purchasing Phenergan, there are important facts to note about the medicine:
- Children under six years old should not be given cough and cold medicines containing promethazine. Phenergan can cause extreme breathing problems or even death in very young children. Caution should be taken to carefully follow the doctor’s instruction when administering this to children of any age.
- Phenergan should not be taken if you are allergic to promethazine or any similar medicines such as chlorpromazine, prochlorperazine, fluphenazine, perphenazine, mesoridazine, thioridazine, or trifluoperazine.
- Phenergan should not be used in the treatment of symptoms of asthma, pneumonia, or any other lower respiratory tract infections.
- To ensure that Phenergan is safe for you to use, it is important to let your doctor know if you have asthma, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), sleep apnea, or other breathing disorders, a weak immune system, a history of seizures, glaucoma, heart and liver disease, stomach ulcer, adrenal gland tumor and so on.
- This medication may make you drowsy or obscure your vision. Taking alcohol or marijuana (cannabis) can make you even more drowsy. Remember not to drive, operate machinery, or do anything that needs attentiveness or clear vision until you can do it safely. It is best to avoid alcoholic beverages whenever you are on this drug. Talk to your doctor if you are using marijuana.
- Before surgery, inform your doctor or dentist about all the products you are using (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products).
- This medicine may make you more susceptible to the sun. When using this medicine, you should limit your time in the sun. Make sure to use sunscreen and wear protective clothing when you are outdoors. Let your doctor know right away if you get sunburned or have skin blisters/redness.
- Children may be more susceptible to the side effects of this medication, especially slowed breathing and uncontrolled movements. This medication may often cause excitement in young children rather than drowsiness. Special care should be taken when using this medication in children who have lost a lot of fluid/are dehydrated and children who have a family history of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). You should also pay attention to children who are hard to wake up from sleep.
- Older adults may be more susceptible to the side effects of this drug. These include drowsiness, confusion, constipation, or trouble urinating. Drowsiness and confusion may lead to falling.
- During pregnancy, this medication should only be used when necessary. Discuss with your doctor the benefits as well as the disadvantages of using this medication during pregnancy.
- It is not yet clear if promethazine passes into breast milk. It may have unwanted effects on a nursing infant. Refer to your doctor before using this drug while breastfeeding.
Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk of having some serious side effects. It is advisable to keep a list of all the products you use including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products, as well as drugs prescribed by other doctors, and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Get your doctor’s approval before you start, stop or change your medication.
Cold or allergy medicines, sedatives, pain relief medicines, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and anxiety and depression medicines can interact with Phenergan and cause serious side effects. There are also a lot of other drugs that may interact with this medication. Inform your doctor if you regularly use any of these medicines.
How Much Does Phenergan Cost?
The cost of Phenergan depends on the pharmacy you visit. The medication will likely also cost more without insurance. You can reduce the drug price by using mail-order pharmacies, allowing you to save money by receiving medications without leaving your house. This is how Canadian Pharmacy Drug works. Mail-order also makes it possible to get a long-term supply of the medicine, which helps to reduce costs by saving you unnecessary trips to the drugstore.
What Next?
Now that you have some basic knowledge of the uses of Phenergan and its price, it is important to follow all the information you have received upon purchasing this medication. If you have any more inquiries, you should contact your healthcare professional to offer more personalized service on the cost and usage of Phenergan.