Generic Name: Phenergan (promethazine)
For Sedation "My partner was prescribed 25mg to take each night as he wasn't sleeping. The first night he took one, it wiped him out, and he was soaking with sweat. I had to help him get undressed and into bed, he was that drowsy. The next day he looked drugged up. Then the second night he took another and never woke up, he passed away in his sleep. I thought he was just sleeping until I found him. The post-mortem came back unascertained, and I have been told it will take anywhere between 6-8 months to get an answer. However, this is the only new medication he had taken. His other meds he took regularly, so I blame this. Please be careful with this drug."
For Sedation "Please be careful with these. About 3 years ago, I took some to get a few hours of sleep. I had to ask the pharmacist for them as they were kept behind the counter. I got the 25mg tablets and had no idea how strong they were. I’m embarrassed and still feel humiliated by what happened. I took 2 at first, I honestly thought they would just give me a few hours of sleep and nothing else. I was hallucinating! I won’t go into great detail, but I thought my family were in the house with me, they weren’t. My family and neighbor told me some of the things I did. They ended up calling an ambulance. I wrote to the company and also did a long internet search which I discovered that one rare side effect was, in fact, hallucinating. Please be careful with them. A big lesson learned, always take as prescribed."
For Sedation "This stuff is garbage for sleep. My doctor put me on this & took me off Zolpidem, which worked great. Why screw with what works? Promethazine may work for people with mild sleeping issues, but for those of us with severe insomnia, it's like taking a skittle candy. Doesn't do a thing!"
For Sedation "I suffer from PMS and insomnia. I tried all types of herbs and supplements for sleep aids, even Melatonin, which worked for me for a couple of nights, but I'd be back to the same thing - waking up at 3 am or not sleeping more than 3 hours a night. My GP told me about Phenergan. I took the 25mg dose 2 hours before bed for 5 nights, and it 100% worked. I am able to carry on month by month with great sleep. Wonder drug, thank you Phenergan, my friend."
For Sedation "I took 25mg Phenergan to help me sleep. It worked! I've been taking it for almost 2 years but only recently realized, when I stopped taking it, that it was causing me to have a low mood and a REALLY dry mouth to the point where I needed a drink with me at every meeting because it would affect my speech. When I stopped taking it, I woke up 4-5 times in the night, which is normal given I've got small children, but woke in the morning feeling a lot more clear-headed, less headaches, and didn't have the need to guzzle glasses of water! Pharmacists only ever warned of drowsiness but not these side effects so wanted to share them with everyone! This medicine will get you to sleep, but it comes with a significant cost!"
For Sedation "I found half a 25mg tablet good for sleep. Can take hours before it starts working. The first time you take it, it works wonderfully. Be mindful it is an old antipsychotic and has a long half-life, so what that means is it builds up in your body. Always start on a low dose of 10mg and increase when needed. High doses can give you restless leg syndrome as it drops your dopamine level. It can also suppress breathing - not ideal! Best taken an hour before bed as its plasma peak is approx. 2 to 3 hours (the most effect) although that time level is dependent on your rate of metabolism. I am horrified reading how many people double the max recommended dose when they take the first time, not knowing how it affects you."
For Nausea/Vomiting "I have panic disorder, so when stressed out I get very nauseous and frequently throw up. The pandemic made my episodes more frequent, so I went to my doctor. Zofran had no effect on me, so they prescribed this pill. It totally cures the nausea. I do get a bit drowsy, but since I take it when I’m hyped on adrenaline anyway, it’s usually a relief. I only need 1/4 of a pill, which I take an hour or so before eating or if I feel like a panic attack is coming on. I gave it 9 just because it doesn’t help if I take it right when I feel like I’m going to throw up, you need to take it preemptively. But despite this, I would recommend this to anyone who gets nauseous due to anxiety! I love that it has no side effects and it has helped so much in my recovery."
For Sedation "I've used Phenergan, which is sold over the counter, as a sleeping aid for about one year now. Taken one hour before bedtime, it rarely fails to put me to sleep. The wondrous thing is that I have kept the same dose, and there are no withdrawal symptoms if you stop using the drug for a week or two. Definitely the best substitute for any prescription sleep aid that I've ever tried. Highly recommended as a sleep aid."
For Sedation "Although I have fairly high blood pressure - for which I take medication, and use asthma inhalers to prevent asthma, I have found Phenergan to be absolutely marvelous for insomnia - I have an overactive mind! I find it's best to take it about four hours before I go to bed - then it knocks me out for the night. Sometimes I still feel a bit drowsy in the mornings and have discovered I only need the lowest dose to get a good night's sleep. I only take it the night following a sleepless night. Hope this is helpful."
For Sedation "I took 3x 25mg Phenergan to help me sleep. The next morning, I woke up covered in bumps & bruises. Apparently, I had a grand mal seizure during the night. I haven't had a seizure in 9 years. The chemist failed to tell me that this drug can bring on seizures. I just want other people to know about this as I was unaware... Thanks."
For Sedation "I took two to get some sleep as I suffer from insomnia, and we had a family gathering the following day. Still hadn't fallen asleep by 5 AM, so I took another one. Family turned up, I don't remember. I thought there were worms crawling in my carpet, I was talking to a mop, which I thought was a person, thought I saw millions of baby spiders on the walls. I lost track of about 36 hours and was hallucinating the entire time! After doing an internet search, I found out they can cause hallucinations! They should have it on the box. I wrote to the company but never heard back. I was so embarrassed and felt humiliated in front of my family. At one stage, they phoned for an ambulance. PLEASE be careful with them."
For Light Sedation "Almost magic, treating insomnia, it works better than my Ambien, and after waking up, I won't discover I have emptied the cookie jar or fridge like has happened on Ambien a few times. The downside of Phenergan is how long it works. Yes, the next morning there is some lingering fatigue, but it fades, and coffee clears that fast. For nausea, which I get a lot, it also helps without giving you the gift of constipation like Zofran does. Phenergan gets an 'A' rating in my book."
For Sedation "Has anyone had weight gain with Phenergan 25mg? I've put on 5 kilos quickly since using this & another drug, Valdoxen. Valdoxen helps with your melatonin receptors, is also an antidepressant, & says you do not put weight on. Not sure which one it is! Phenergan does say it can cause weight gain, especially in females, but they are not sure why. Though they state it's thought it can make you hungry thus you eat more. This isn't the case for me. I've been eating & exercising normally so something is going on. It's fabulous for sleep though, I finally get a great sleep. Confused!!"
For Sedation "I have no problem falling asleep, but wake in the night and sometimes cannot fall back to sleep. I take one half tablet 12.5 mg of Phenergan and even if my sleep is disturbed, I fall back to sleep easily and wake up refreshed."
For Nausea/Vomiting "I have Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome. Believe me, I tried EVERYTHING for my nausea. Zofran, Omeprazole, Dramamine, etc. You name it, I've tried it. Nothing could stop my violent vomiting episodes. Phenergan suppositories are the only thing that could ever put a stop to my nausea and vomiting. The only problem is, it makes me very, very tired, so I can hardly function in classes if I have to take it during the day. But I'll take being a little 'out of it' over being so sick any day!"
For Sedation "I only take 6 mg (1/4 of a 25 mg tablet) at night before I have to work the next day, i.e., Sun to Thurs night. The first time I took a whole pill, never again as it knocked me out, but the next morning I had to stay home as I was so drowsy! I prefer this to taking Lorazepam."
For Nausea/Vomiting "I was suffering with nausea caused by panic disorder, anxiety, and depression. My physician prescribed me Zofran at first, but I did not like the side effect of major constipation. Thus, I told my doctor, 'Is there any other meds for nausea?' He prescribed me Phenergan, and it's a miracle drug. My nausea is now barely present."
For Sedation "This medicine helped sedate me when I was having back pain. I had two herniated discs, and it calmed me down before and after the surgeries. It is not habit-forming and was a plus with all the other medicines I was on."
For Sedation "Took one 25mg to help me sleep, however, the next day I felt awful. Like I'd been drugged, just couldn't wake up. This lasted all day. I won't be taking them again. My wife, on the other hand, takes them every night with no problems."
For Nausea/Vomiting "I'm going through chemo (Taxol and Carboplatin) for ovarian cancer, and Phenergan is great. I sometimes also take Zofran with it because they affect two totally different receptors, causing the nausea, and both together usually stop the ever-present nausea."
For Sedation "I got these over 4-5 months. I started with 25 mg and ended up taking 2 every evening before bed. I started getting restless legs to the point where I had to wander around in my flat for hours like a zombie, and I sometimes only got a few hours of sleep. Also, I began to get a bloody nose. Every morning I had to clean my nose with tissues, and the paper was always bloody. And the weight gain. I gained 15 kilos in that time. Right before I quit taking them, I was miserable. Almost every night I had restless legs, and I didn’t get much sleep. I have been off Phenergan since the beginning of August - I lost 7.6 kilos, my nose is just fine, and I haven’t had one second with restless legs since. I’m back to having trouble falling asleep, but I definitely prefer that to all the horrible side effects."
For Nausea/Vomiting "I have used this medication many times for nausea. It always helps quickly and completely. The only reason it does not get a perfect score is that it knocks me out! I'll be groggy for the rest of the day even with only one dose."
For Nausea/Vomiting "I was diagnosed with H. pylori, and I was throwing up and nauseated every day for an entire month. Finally, I was hospitalized, and they gave me Phenergan, and God bless the person who created this drug. Even now, when I feel the slightest bit of nausea, I take it, and it knocks me out, and I wake up feeling great."
For Nausea/Vomiting "I have chronic pancreatitis and often have persistent nausea and vomiting. I have tried Zofran and a couple of other medications for this, but none are as effective as Phenergan. Whether orally or I.V., it takes away the nausea. I have a GJ tube for enteral nutrition. Vomiting can cause the tube to twist and slide out of place, so it's imperative to keep it under control. Phenergan does that for me. It also helps with the side effects from the painkillers I must take every day (oxycodone and Dilaudid). I don't know where I would be without it. Phenergan may be old school, but it works for me better than any newer medicine."
For Opiate Adjunct "I am on opiate pain medication for a back injury from a car accident, and the opiates make me nauseated and vomit. My pain doctor put me on 25mg of Promethazine 3 times a day and it works wonders! It will make you a little sleepy, but once you get used to it, that feeling goes away. I've tried Tigan (Trimethobenzamide) which made the nausea worse. I also tried Zofran (Ondansetron) which I hated because it tastes nasty, and that doesn't help when you are nauseated. I would HIGHLY recommend Promethazine for ANYONE who SUFFERS from nausea due to opiates or chronic nausea!"
Promethegan, Phenadoz, Antinaus 50
Promethegan
