Thiethylperazine (Oral, Intramuscular, Rectal)

Thiethylperazine is a Phenothiazine antiemetic. It is used to treat nausea and vomiting.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

If you will be taking this medicine for a long time, your doctor should check your progress regularly, especially during the first few months of treatment. This will help adjust your dosage if needed to fit your needs.

Thiethylperazine will increase the effects of alcohol and other CNS depressants (medicines that make you feel sleepy or less alert). Some examples of CNS depressants are antihistamines or medicines for hay fever, other allergies, or colds; sedatives, tranquilizers, or sleeping medicines; prescription pain medicines or narcotics; barbiturates; medicines for seizures; muscle relaxants; or anesthetics, including some dental anesthetics. Check with your doctor before taking any of these while using this medicine.

This medicine may cause some people to have blurred vision or feel dizzy, lightheaded, drowsy, or less alert than usual. Be sure you know how you react to this medicine before driving, using machines, or doing anything that could be dangerous if you feel dizzy or are not alert or able to see well.

Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting may happen, especially when you stand up from lying or sitting down. Getting up slowly may help. If the problem continues or worsens, consult your doctor.

When using thiethylperazine regularly, make sure your doctor knows if you are taking large amounts of aspirin or other salicylates at the same time (like for arthritis or rheumatism). Too much aspirin can cause effects, such as ringing in the ears, that may be hidden by this medicine.

Thiethylperazine may cause dryness of the mouth, nose, and throat. For temporary relief of dry mouth, you can use sugarless candy or gum, melt bits of ice in your mouth, or use a saliva substitute. However, if your mouth continues to feel dry for more than 2 weeks, check with your medical doctor or dentist. Ongoing dry mouth may increase the risk of dental disease, including tooth decay, gum disease, and fungal infections.

In deciding to use a medicine, you and your doctor should consider the risks of taking it against the potential benefits. For this medicine, keep the following in mind:

Allergies

Inform your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also, let your healthcare professional know about any other allergies you may have, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, carefully read the label or package ingredients.

Pediatric

Children are generally more sensitive than adults to the effects of phenothiazine medicines like thiethylperazine. Certain side effects, such as muscle spasms in the face, neck, and back, tic-like movements, inability to move the eyes, twisting of the body, or weakness in the arms and legs, are more likely to occur in children, especially those who are severely ill or dehydrated.

Geriatric

Elderly patients are typically more sensitive to the effects of phenothiazine medicines like thiethylperazine. Confusion, difficulty or pain while urinating, dizziness, drowsiness, feeling faint, or dryness in the mouth, nose, or throat may be more likely to happen in elderly patients. Additionally, nightmares or unusual excitement, nervousness, restlessness, or irritability may also be more common in elderly patients. Uncontrolled movements may occur more frequently in elderly patients taking thiethylperazine.

Breast Feeding

There are no adequate studies in women to determine the risk to infants when using this medication during breastfeeding. Consider the potential benefits and risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with Medicines

Some medicines should not be used together at all, while in other cases, two different medicines may be taken together even if an interaction might happen. In these situations, your doctor may adjust the dose, or other precautions may be needed. When taking this medicine, it is important for your healthcare professional to know if you are using any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected based on their potential significance and are not necessarily a complete list.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may choose not to treat you with this medication or change some of your other medicines.

• Saquinavir

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be necessary in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may adjust the dose or how often you take one or both of the medicines.

• Alfentanil
• Alprazolam
• Amifampridine
• Apomorphine
• Benzhydrocodone
• Bromazepam
• Buprenorphine
• Bupropion
• Butorphanol
• Calcium Oxybate
• Cannabidiol
• Cannabis
• Cetirizine
• Clobazam
• Clonazepam
• Codeine
• Daridorexant
• Dexmedetomidine
• Dihydrocodeine
• Donepezil
• Doxylamine
• Duloxetine
• Epinephrine
• Esketamine
• Fentanyl
• Flibanserin
• Gabapentin
• Gabapentin Enacarbil
• Gatifloxacin
• Hydrocodone
• Hydromorphone
• Ibutilide
• Isradipine
• Ketamine
• Lacosamide
• Lemborexant
• Levocetirizine
• Levorphanol
• Lofexidine
• Loxapine
• Magnesium Oxybate
• Meperidine
• Methadone
• Metoclopramide
• Metrizamide
• Morphine
• Morphine Sulfate Liposome
• Nalbuphine
• Octreotide
• Olanzapine
• Oxycodone
• Oxymorphone
• Pentamidine
• Pentazocine
• Periciazine
• Phenobarbital
• Porfimer
• Potassium Oxybate
• Pregabalin
• Primidone
• Procarbazine
• Remifentanil
• Remimazolam
• Ropeginterferon Alfa-2b-njft
• Sodium Oxybate
• Sufentanil
• Tapentadol
• Topiramate
• Tramadol
• Zolpidem
• Zuranolone

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may increase the risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Aminolevulinic Acid
• Belladonna
• Belladonna Alkaloids
• Betel Nut
• Evening Primrose
• Phenylalanine

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used around mealtime or with certain foods due to possible interactions. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also lead to interactions. The following interactions have been selected based on their potential significance and are not necessarily a complete list.

Using this medicine with any of the following may increase the risk of certain side effects, but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or provide special instructions regarding food, alcohol, or tobacco use.

• Ethanol

Other Medical Problems

Having other medical conditions may affect how you use this medicine. Be sure to inform your doctor if you have any other medical issues, especially:

• Alcohol abuse—Taking this medicine with alcohol may lower blood pressure and cause CNS depressant effects, such as severe drowsiness.

• Asthma attack or
• Other lung diseases—Thiethylperazine may thicken secretions, making it difficult to cough them up, especially during an asthma attack.

• Blood disease or
• Heart or blood vessel disease—This medicine may lead to more serious health issues.

• Difficult urination or
• Enlarged prostate—This medicine may worsen urinary problems.

• Glaucoma—This medicine may increase pressure inside the eye.

• Liver disease—Thiethylperazine may build up in the body, raising the risk of side effects like muscle spasms.

• Parkinson's disease or
• Seizure disorders—The risk of thiethylperazine causing seizures or uncontrolled movements is higher when these conditions are present.

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. While not everyone may experience these side effects, those that do may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:

Less common or rare

• Abdominal or stomach pains
• aching muscles and joints
• blurred vision, change in color vision, or difficulty seeing at night
• confusion (especially in the elderly)
• convulsions (seizures)
• difficulty speaking or swallowing
• fast heartbeat
• fever and chills
• inability to move eyes
• lip smacking or puckering
• loss of balance control
• mask-like face
• muscle spasms (especially of face, neck, and back)
• nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
• nightmares (continuing)
• nosebleeds
• puffing of cheeks
• rapid or fine, worm-like movements of tongue
• shuffling walk
• severe skin itching
• sore throat and fever
• stiffness of arms or legs
• swelling of arms, hands, and face
• tic-like or twitching movements
• trembling and shaking of hands and fingers
• twisting movements of body
• uncontrolled chewing movements
• uncontrolled movements of arms or legs
• unusual bleeding or bruising
• unusual excitement, nervousness, restlessness, or irritability
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• weakness of arms and legs
• yellow eyes or skin

Symptoms of overdose

• severe confusion
• convulsions (seizures)
• severe dizziness
• severe drowsiness
• severe dry mouth
• hyperextension of neck and trunk
• inability to move eyes
• loss of consciousness
• spasms of face and neck
• stuffy nose
• troubled breathing

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Your health care professional may also provide ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue, are bothersome, or if you have any questions about them:

More common

• Dizziness
• drowsiness

Less common or rare

• Constipation
• dizziness or lightheadedness, especially when getting up from a lying or sitting position
• dryness of mouth, nose, and throat
• fainting
• fever
• headache
• ringing or buzzing in ears
• skin rash

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

In the U.S.

• Torecan

Pharmacologic Class: Phenothiazine

Chemical Class: Piperazine (class)

Thiethylperazine is used only to relieve or prevent nausea and vomiting. Use it only as directed. Do not use more of it and do not use it more often than your doctor ordered. To do so may increase the chance of side effects.

For patients taking this medicine by mouth:

• This medicine may be taken with food or a full glass (8 ounces) of water or milk to reduce stomach irritation.

For patients using the suppository form of this medicine:

• To insert suppository: First, remove foil wrapper and moisten the suppository with cold water. Lie down on your side and use your finger to push the suppository well up into the rectum. If the suppository is too soft to insert, chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or run cold water over it before removing the foil wrapper.
• Wash your hands with soap and water.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

• For nausea and vomiting: For oral dosage form (tablets): Adults—10 milligrams (mg) one to three times a day. Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor. For injection dosage form: Adults—10 mg one to three times a day, injected into a muscle. Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor. For rectal dosage form (suppositories): Adults—10 mg one to three times a day. Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.