Promethazine oral is an antihistamine. It blocks the effects of the naturally occurring chemical histamine in your body.

Promethazine oral is used to treat allergy symptoms such as itching, runny nose, sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, hives, and itchy skin rashes.

Promethazine oral also prevents motion sickness, and treats nausea and vomiting or pain after surgery. It is also used as a sedative or sleep aid.

Promethazine oral may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor.

Take each dose with a full glass of water.

You can take promethazine oral with or without food.

To be sure you get the correct dose of promethazine oral syrup, measure the liquid with a marked measuring spoon or medicine cup, not with a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one..

Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following medicines:

• sedatives or anxiety medicines such as alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), temazepam (Restoril), or triazolam (Halcion);

• antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), doxepin (Sinequan), nortriptyline (Pamelor), fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), or paroxetine (Paxil);

• narcotic pain medicines such as meperidine (Demerol), morphine (MS Contin, MSIR), propoxyphene (Darvon, Darvocet), hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodin), oxycodone (Percocet, Percodan), fentanyl (Duragesic), codeine (Fiorinal, Fioricet, Tylenol #3);

• phenobarbital (Luminal), amobarbital (Amytal) and secobarbital (Seconal);

• an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), phenelzine (Nardil), or selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam); or

• atropine (Donnatal, and others), belladonna, clidinium (Quarzan), dicyclomine (Bentyl), glycopyrrolate (Robinul), hyoscyamine (Anaspaz, Cystospaz, Levsin, and others), methscopolamine (Pamine), and scopolamine (Transderm-Scop).

There may be other drugs not listed that can affect promethazine oral. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Promethazine oral can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

Avoid drinking alcohol, which can increase some of the side effects of promethazine oral.

Avoid using other drugs that make you sleepy (such as alcohol, cold medicine, pain medication, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety).

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

Symptoms of a promethazine overdose may include severe drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, large pupils, flushing, nausea, vomiting, shallow breathing, and fainting.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

Call your doctor immediately if you experience uncontrollable movements of your eyes, lips, tongue, face, arms, or legs. These could be early signs of dangerous side effects.

Promethazine oral should not be given to a child younger than 2 years old. Promethazine oral can cause severe breathing problems or death in a child younger than 2. Carefully follow your doctor’s instructions when giving this medicine to a child of any age.

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Symptoms of a promethazine overdose may include severe drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, large pupils, flushing, nausea, vomiting, shallow breathing, and fainting.

Promethazine oral can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

Avoid drinking alcohol, which can increase some of the side effects of promethazine oral.

There may be other drugs not listed that can affect promethazine oral. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Promethazine oral should not be given to a child younger than 2 years old. Promethazine oral can cause severe breathing problems or death in a child younger than 2. Carefully follow your doctor’s instructions when giving this medicine to a child of any age.

Do not use promethazine oral if you have asthma or other lung disease.

Before taking promethazine oral, tell your doctor if you have:

• epilepsy or another seizure disorder;

• sleep apnea (breathing stops during sleep);

• glaucoma;

• a stomach ulcer or digestive obstruction;

• bone marrow disorder;

• problems with urination;

• high blood pressure or heart disease; or

• liver disease.

If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use promethazine oral, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

It is not known whether promethazine oral passes into breast milk or if it could harm an unborn baby. Do not use promethazine oral without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

If you are over 60 years of age, you may be more sensitive to the side effects of promethazine oral.

Your pharmacist has more information about promethazine oral written for health professionals that you may read.

Promethazine oral is available with a prescription under the brand name Phenergan. Other brand or generic formulations may also be available. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about this medication, especially if it is new to you.

• Phenergan 12.5 mg—orange, round, scored tablets

• Phenergan 25 mg—white, round, scored tablets

• Phenergan 50 mg—pink, round, scored tablets

• Phenergan Syrup Plain 6.25 mg per 5 mL (1 teaspoon)— clear, green solution

• Phenergan Syrup Fortis 25 mg per 5 mL (1 teaspoon)— clear, light-straw-colored solution