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Do I Have a Reglan Case?
Have you been injured by taking Reglan for short term heartburn? Get help from the PA law firm Welch, Gold & Siegel.
Consumer Alert:
Heartburn drug Reglan causes life threatening side effects like Tardive Dyskinesia or TD
By Welch, Gold & Siegel – Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc., Pennsylvania
Why do doctors prescribe heartburn drugs that cause seriously harmful side effects?
Oddly enough, heartburn has nothing to do with your heart except some symptoms are similar to those symptoms that people experience with a heart attack. Heartburn is an irritation of the esophagus caused by stomach acid. Occasional heartburn is not dangerous and is a regular occurrence for about 10 percent of the population. Chronic heartburn is a can develop into a serious condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD.
Neither heartburn nor GERD are nearly as serious as the side effects of Reglan, the medication frequently prescribed to quell heartburn.
In February 2009, the Food & Drug Administration added a black box warning to the Reglan label about the risks of Tardive Dyskinesia. Is a warning enough? Should Reglan be recalled?
Frequently, prescription drugs cause serious side effects. Reglan's side effects include delirium, loss of consciousness, fever, convulsions, anxiety, tremors, uncontrollable eye, tongue, jaw, and neck movements.
More Reglan complications include depression or suicidal thoughts, low levels of white blood cells that lead to osteoporosis, seizures, increased heart rate, jaundice, hallucinations, rigid muscles, hyper adrenal gland production which causes low blood potassium levels which can cause heart attack/heart failure/kidney failure and stroke, and tardive dyskinesia.
What is Tardive Dyskinesia? Tardive Dyskinesia is diagnosed by involuntary, repetitive movements of the extremities, as well as grimacing, rapid blinking and impaired movement of the fingers. The risk of Tardive Dyskinesia associated with Reglan (generic-metoclopramide) has increased among long-term users and among elderly patients, especially women.
What's worse is there is no known treatment for TD and its symptoms. Though for some patients, the TD symptoms may lessen when Reglan is stopped.