What is Reglan?
Reglan is an oral medication used to treat diabetic gastroparesis, which is the delayed movement of food from the stomach into the intestine, and GERD, which is a backup of stomach acid into the esophagus. Symptoms of these conditions include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, heartburn, and chest pain. Reglan is produced by Schwarz Pharma. Reglan was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1985. It is generically known as metoclopramide.

How does Reglan Cause Tardive Dyskinesia?
Reglan tardive dyskinesia is caused by its drug, metoclopramide. It occurs most often when people take Reglan for long periods of time, but in some cases, Reglan tardive dyskinesia can occur after taking the drug for a short period of time.

What are the Symptoms of Reglan Tardive Dyskinesia?
Common symptoms of Reglan tardive dyskinesia include:

• Facial grimacing;
• Jaw swinging;
• Tongue thrusting; and
• Repetitive chewing.

If you experience any of these Reglan tardive dyskinesia symptoms, you should seek immediate medical attention.

What is the prognosis for Reglan tardive dyskinesia?
If Reglan tardive dyskinesia is diagnosed and treated early, the condition may be reversed by stopping taking Reglan. However, even if a person stops taking Reglan, the involuntary movements may become worse, and may even be permanent.

The FDA Warns About Reglan Side Effects
The FDA has acknowledged that Reglan can cause tardive dyskinesia and other side effects. On February 26, 2009, the FDA mandated that Reglan have a “black box” warning label on the box. This black box warning is the FDA’s strictest warning. Black Box warnings indicate that a medication has the potential to cause life-threatening side effects.

What other side effects does Reglan cause?
In addition to causing Reglan tardive dyskinesia problems, Reglan can cause depression, suicidal thoughts, hallucinations, jaundice, neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS– a life-threatening neurological condition marked by delirium, fever and muscle rigidity), seizures, aldosteronism, a condition where the adrenal glands produce excessive hormones and cause low blood-potassium levels, and agranulocytosis, a condition characterized by low levels of white blood cells.

Reglan Tardive Dyskinesia Lawsuit
If you have suffered Reglan tardive dyskinesia, you may have important legal rights. A Reglan lawsuit is a way to seek legal justice for damage caused by Reglan.

What is Tardive Dyskinesia?

Tardive Dyskinesia literally means late (tardive) movement (Dyskinesia). It is a condition where the body moves involuntarily and often repetitively. A person with TD may have more subtle symptoms such as eyebrow raising or lip sucking, or their symptoms may be much more extreme, involving involuntary shaking of the arms, torso or lower extremities.

Reglan Tardive Dyskinesia symptoms are classified as a movement disorder, in the same category as Tourette’s Syndrome and Parkinson’s disease.

Causes of TD

Earlier cases of Tardive Dyskinesia were linked to the use of antipsychotic drugs. Scientists believe that certain drugs were used to treat diseases like schizophrenia by blocking dopamine, a chemical made by the body. However, they believed that in some people, the body becomes overly sensitive to dopamine so even a little can create involuntary movements.

Many of the antipsychotic drugs used now have fewer side effects in terms of movement, however, new cases of Tardive Dyskinesia are emerging from people who have taken drugs, such as Reglan for gastroesophageal reflux disease (also known as GERD or acid reflux). People who have taken Reglan for more than three months are at a higher risk of developing TD.

In addition to having the inconvenience, discomfort and fatigue from the involuntary movement, people with TD may have difficulty breathing and swallowing. They may develop mouth sores and ulcers from involuntary tongue movement. People with TD may feel embarrassed by the symptoms and may find themselves unable to work in certain jobs because of their movement.

Treatment for Tardive Dyskinesia

A person who experiences TD symptoms may find relief by discontinuing the medicine used, however, symptoms may continue. In addition, as indicated by the term “tardive,” some symptoms may appear even later, after the medicine has been discontinued. This may be because the medicine may actually mask the symptoms it in fact creates. An additional challenge is to find substitute medicines to treat the original symptoms of psychosis or acid reflux.

Although there is currently no cure for Reglan and Tardive Dyskinesia, there are some treatments that may help lessen the symptoms, including the use of certain amino acids and vitamins.

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with Tardive Dyskinesia as a result of using this drug, you may have the right to compensation. We represent all Reglan lawsuit clients on a contingency basis, so there are no legal fees unless we win compensation in your case. We are currently representing patients throughout the United States. Please call or e-mail to see if we can help.

The Dangers Of Chronic Reglan Use For High-Risk Patients

Chronic and high-dose use of metoclopramide (the generic name for the branded drug Reglan) has been linked to a number of severe movement-related disorders. After being available to the public (by prescription) for nearly three decades, the FDA issued a black box warning on the drug. The warning emphasizes the dangers of developing tardive dyskinesia if the patient uses Reglan for more than three months. Some populations may be at more risk than others.

Metoclopramide drugs are dopamine receptor blockers. They are often prescribed to treat symptoms related to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastroparesis, and vomiting and nausea caused by radiation and chemotherapy treatment. Adolescents, geriatrics, and nursing mothers are considered to be more susceptible to developing tardive dyskinesia and other side effects than the general population. Below, we’ll explore the use of Reglan by young people, the elderly, and pregnant or nursing women.

Reglan Use Among Young People

Young children occasionally suffer from GERD and other reflux-related issues. When their symptoms are severe and their bodies are unresponsive to other forms of treatment, doctors might prescribe drugs containing metoclopramide. Many adolescents also undergo radiation or chemotherapy treatment for cancer. The treatment will often generate intense nausea and vomiting. Reglan can be used to help control these symptoms.

Chronic use of the drug by young people has produced an alarmingly high rate of dystonia. This is a condition that is similar to tardive dyskinesia; it is characterized by involuntary movements. While TD often presents within the facial area, limbs, and hands, dystonia manifests as persistent muscular contractions that are spasmodic and sometimes painful. In some cases, young victims will begin showing symptoms within weeks of beginning to use metoclopramide products.

Metoclopramide Use Among The Elderly

In 2004, studies began to show that elderly patients were at far more risk of developing tardive dyskinesia than other populations. The data also suggested that women were more likely to develop the condition than men, though this may be due to women comprising a larger portion of the sample size.

Tardive dyskinesia is another involuntary movement disorder. Unlike dystonia, which manifests primarily as muscular contractions, TD is usually most noticeable in the facial area, limbs, and extremities. Within the facial area, patients can be observed jutting out their tongue, blinking, grimacing, and swaying their jaw. Their arms and legs might also sway, and small tremors might be noticeable.

Reglan Use Among Pregnant Or Nursing Mothers

Reglan has been prescribed to pregnant women to treat nausea, and to nursing mothers to stimulate breast milk production. There is no evidence that metoclopramide drugs can be passed along from the mother to her unborn child. However, there is evidence which suggests Reglan can be passed along to a nursing baby through breast milk.

In most cases, taking metoclopramide products can stimulate the production of breast milk within a few days. Even though babies are considered more susceptible to the drug than adults, their limited exposure is seldom problematic if the mother stops taking it after the first week.

There are two important points from this article. First, metoclopramide drugs should only be considered a short-term treatment path; chronic use exposes patients to tardive dyskinesia and other side effects. Second, they should only be used when symptoms (i.e. nausea, reflux-related, etc.) are severe and other medications are ineffective. While the young, old, and pregnant or nursing are considered high-risk populations, the dangers associated with long-term Reglan use extends to everyone.

We represent all clients suffering from Reglan side effects on a contingency basis which means that there are never any legal fees unless we win compensation in your case. For a free no-obligation consultation please call toll free or fill out our short online contact form and a Reglan lawsuit attorney will contact you to answer any of your questions.

CNS Side Effects

It is estimated that 1 in 10 patients who receive a normal dosage (i.e. 10 mg) of metoclopramide will experience side effects related to the central nervous system. These can include drowsiness, exhaustion, or a perpetual restlessness. In some cases, patients might experience headaches, dizziness, and even depression, though these symptoms occur less often.

Symptoms Similar To Parkinson’s Disease

Many people who have taken Reglan for periods exceeding twelve weeks have developed symptoms that are similar to Parkinson’s disease. For example, they will often display cogwheel rigidity, a condition in which the patient’s limb shows resistance to movement, but yields in step-like fashion. Tremors, muscular stiffness, and a “mask face” (known as hypomimia) can also manifest.

Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome

In rare cases of chronic metoclopramide use, neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) will present. This is a neurological condition that is potentially fatal. Symptoms can include muscular rigidity, fever, delirium, and dysautonomia. The latter symptom typically manifests as a combination of fatigue, thirst, anxiety, and vertigo. In severe cases of NMS, a patient might suffer from hyperthermia, a condition in which the body can overheat to the point of collapse.

Tardive Dyskinesia

Of all the potential side effects that can result from long-term use of drugs containing metoclopramide, tardive dyskinesia is one of the most common. It is also one of the most tragic. Patients who suffer from TD are forced to cope with a number of involuntary movements in their face and hands. Their eyes blink rapidly; their face grimaces uncontrollably; their lips pucker, smack, and purse; their tongue protrudes repetitively. All of these movements are reflexive and cannot be controlled.

Unfortunately, tardive dyskinesia is incurable. It can be treated on a case-by-case basis, but treatment is administered to help lessen the impact of the symptoms, not cure the disorder. In some patients, the symptoms may become less pronounced or disappear altogether once Reglan use is discontinued. However, that is not always the case. Many victims must cope with the outward manifestations for the remainder of their lives.

Holding Reglan Manufacturers Accountable

One of the most startling recent revelations is that metoclopramide manufacturers may have been aware of the health dangers posed by their products even as they promoted their use. Evidence strongly suggests they not only were aware that long-term use of Reglan could lead to tardive dyskinesia, but they were also willing to downplay that risk. Several Reglan lawsuits have already been filed in order to hold these manufacturers accountable for their negligence.

Being diagnosed with a neurological disorder that has developed from chronic use of metoclopramide products is tragic. For some, it means a lifetime of medical bills, rehabilitation, and suffering. If you are currently coping with tardive dyskinesia or similar side effects, contact a Reglan lawyer to investigate your options.