How does prochlorperazine work?
Prochlorperazine belongs to a group of medicines called phenothiazines.
Phenothiazines are thought to work by blocking the action of a chemical called dopamine in the brain. This stops nausea messages from being sent to a part of your brain called the vomiting centre.
The vomiting centre controls when you feel sick or vomit.
When will I feel better?
Prochlorperazine starts to work in around 30 to 60 minutes.
If you're taking it for Ménière's disease, it will take a few days before it reaches its full effect.
Is prochlorperazine addictive?
Prochlorperazine is not usually addictive. However, if you stop taking it suddenly after taking it for a long time, it can cause withdrawal symptoms such as feeling or being sick and problems sleeping.
Talk to your doctor if you want to stop taking prochlorperazine after taking it for a long time. They'll probably want to reduce your dose gradually to stop you having any of these withdrawal symptoms.
How does prochlorperazine compare with other anti-sickness medicines?
Prochlorperazine belongs to a group of medicines known as anti-sickness (anti-emetic) medicines.
There's not enough information available to say whether one is better than another for helping with sickness. You may need to try a few different medicines to find out what works best for you.
There are also other medicines that can help with different types of sickness, such as metoclopramide, ondansetron, domperidone and cyclizine.
Will it affect my contraception?
Prochlorperazine does not affect any type of contraception, including the combined pill and emergency contraception.
But if prochlorperazine is not working for you and you're being sick, your contraceptive pills may not protect you from pregnancy. Look at your pill packet to find out what to do.
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Can I drive or ride a bike?
Do not drive a car or ride a bike if prochlorperazine makes you sleepy or gives you an irregular heartbeat.
This may be more likely when you first start taking prochlorperazine, but could happen at any time, for example, when starting another medicine.
It's an offence to drive a car if your ability to drive safely is affected. It's your responsibility to decide if it's safe to drive. If you're in any doubt, do not drive.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure whether it's safe for you to drive while taking prochlorperazine. GOV.UK has more information on the law on drugs and driving.
Can I drink alcohol while taking prochlorperazine?
It's best not to drink alcohol when taking prochlorperazine.
Drinking alcohol can make side effects worse, such as feeling sleepy or an irregular heartbeat.
Is there any food or drink I need to avoid?
Apart from avoiding alcohol, you can eat and drink normally while taking prochlorperazine.
It's best to take buccal tablets after food so you do not accidentally swallow them before they dissolve.