Meclizine oral disintegrating tablets

What is this medicine?

MECLIZINE (MEK li zeen) is an antihistamine. It is used to prevent nausea, vomiting, or dizziness caused by motion sickness. It is also used to prevent and treat vertigo (extreme dizziness or a feeling that you or your surroundings are tilting or spinning around).

How should I use this medicine?

Take this medicine by mouth. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Leave the tablet in the sealed blister pack until you are ready to take it. With dry hands, open the blister and gently remove the tablet. If the tablet breaks or crumbles, throw it away and take a new tablet out of the blister pack. Place the tablet in the mouth and allow it to dissolve, and then swallow. While you may take these tablets with water, it is not necessary to do so. If you are using this medicine to prevent motion sickness, take the dose at least 1 hour before travel. If it upsets your stomach, take it with food or milk. Take your doses at regular intervals. Do not take it more often than directed. Do not stop taking except on your doctor's advice.

Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. While this drug may be prescribed for children as young as 12 years for selected conditions, precautions do apply.

What side effects may I notice from receiving this medicine?

Side effects that you should report to your doctor or health care professional as soon as possible:

• feeling faint or lightheaded, falls

• fast, irregular heartbeat

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your doctor or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):

• constipation

• headache

• trouble passing urine or change in the amount of urine

• trouble sleeping

• upset stomach

What may interact with this medicine?

Do not take this medicine with any of the following medications:

• MAOIs like Carbex, Eldepryl, Marplan, Nardil, and Parnate

This medicine may also interact with the following medications:

• alcohol

• antihistamines for allergy, cough and cold

• certain medicines for anxiety or sleep

• certain medicines for depression, like amitriptyline, fluoxetine, sertraline

• certain medicines for seizures like phenobarbital, primidone

• general anesthetics like halothane, isoflurane, methoxyflurane, propofol

• local anesthetics like lidocaine, pramoxine, tetracaine

• medicines that relax muscles for surgery

• narcotic medicines for pain

• phenothiazines like chlorpromazine, mesoridazine, prochlorperazine, thioridazine

What if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Do not take double or extra doses.

Where should I keep my medicine?

Keep out of the reach of children.

Store between 20 and 30 degrees C (68 and 86 degrees F). Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date.

What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:

• glaucoma

• lung or breathing disease, like asthma

• problems urinating

• prostate disease

• stomach or intestine problems

• an unusual or allergic reaction to meclizine, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives

• pregnant or trying to get pregnant

• breast-feeding

What should I watch for while using this medicine?

Tell your doctor or healthcare professional if your symptoms do not start to get better or if they get worse.

You may get drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how this medicine affects you. Do not stand or sit up quickly, especially if you are an older patient. This reduces the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Alcohol may interfere with the effect of this medicine. Avoid alcoholic drinks.

Your mouth may get dry. Chewing sugarless gum or sucking hard candy, and drinking plenty of water may help. Contact your doctor if the problem does not go away or is severe.

This medicine may cause dry eyes and blurred vision. If you wear contact lenses you may feel some discomfort. Lubricating drops may help. See your eye doctor if the problem does not go away or is severe.