Prochlorperazine

Prochlorperazine is an anti-sickness medication that can treat nausea, labyrinthitis, Ménière’s disease, and BPPV, commonly referred to as vertigo.

Labyrinthitis is the inflammation of part of the inner ear called the labyrinth. The eighth cranial nerve (vestibulocochlear nerve) may also be inflamed. It typically causes symptoms such as nausea, vertigo, tinnitus, and/or hearing impairment.^[1] It’s typically caused by a bacterial or viral infection, so you’d need treatment for that in addition to Prochlorperazine for nausea and vertigo.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, or BPPV, ^[2] is commonly known as vertigo, and it’s a false perception of movement when there isn’t any. It may cause you to feel like you’re going to fall or like the room is spinning. There are other causes for vertigo, but BPPV is the most common. You might need to take antihistamine alongside anti-sickness medication, so speak to our clinicians about it so they can recommend the best course of treatment.

Ménière’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that causes symptoms including nausea and vertigo.^[3] It may lead to you losing your balance completely and falling over.

Prochlorperazine works by blocking the action of dopamine from sending nausea signals to your brain.^[4] Dopamine is a hormone, usually referred to as a chemical messenger, that is made by your own body, which uses it to send messages between nerve cells.

Prochlorperazine intercepts these messages, and in this case, the one that tells your brain it’s time to feel nauseous, effectively keeping you from feeling unpleasant sickness sensations.

There are two doses of Prochlorperazine available: 3mg and 5mg. Which one you’ll be prescribed will depend on how severe the condition you’re trying to treat is, your ability to tolerate the medication, your age, and what condition it’s being prescribed for.

You’ll normally be given a lower dose of Prochlorperazine to begin with, which can be adjusted once we’re sure the medication is right for you. If you’re not sure what dose you should be starting with, our clinicians will explain everything you need to know and give you the right treatment advice.

You should swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water. And if the clinician who prescribed Prochlorperazine to you recommends that you take it three times a day, you should take it with breakfast, lunch, and dinner as this medication is best taken with food to avoid stomach upset. This schedule can also help you remember your tablets, as you need to take them with every meal.

Once you take the tablet out of the blister pack it comes in, take it quickly, and don’t allow the tablet to stay in contact with your skin for too long as it can cause redness. If you’re pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, you must tell the clinician so they can advise you on the best course of treatment. The three Prochlorperazine tablets a day regimen might not be suitable for you.

The time it takes for Prochlorperazine to work depends on the condition you’re using it to treat. For most conditions, Prochlorperazine will start to work within 30 to 60 minutes of taking it, but for Ménière’s disease, it might take a few days.

If you’ve been taking Prochlorperazine for a while and have felt no difference in your symptoms, contact our clinician. They can adjust your dose for you if appropriate, or they can recommend alternative treatments for you to try.

If you accidentally take too much Prochlorperazine, you should seek immediate medical assistance. A healthcare professional will need to closely monitor your condition and tackle any adverse effects that might occur. You should take the Prochlorperazine packaging with you to the hospital so you can be treated as quickly as possible. Don’t drive to the hospital yourself; either ask a family member or friend to take you or call for an ambulance to pick you up.