Is it safe to take Promethazine long-term?

[Anon54]

Ive edited this post from "is it OK to take Promethazine long-term?" (I got a infringement. One of the reasons was for giving unnecessary info when starting a new thread. So iI'm hoping the following information & question isn't doing that. OK, Ive finished complaining, sorry about that...


Ive ran out of quetiapine (seroquel) prescribed off label for anxiety/insomnia which is helping me to sleep) my dr won't give me more than 50mg a night. I've been taking 75mg promethazine (phenergan) cuz the seroquel has ran out

phenergan is apparently a weak antipsyoctic & anithistamine. seroquel is a Antihistamine in low doses & an antipsychotic iin larger doses. The pharmacist told me not to take it for more than 2 night

So im always gunna run out cuz I take 200-300mg meaning I'll need to take promethazine for 2 weeks whenever my script runs out

btw the 75mg of phenergan seemed as strong as 200mg of seroquel... at least last night. I think I read 75mg phenergan equals 100mg seroquel & it's fucking otc!

I actually slept better than I than usual & I woke up earlier. this is a good slep aid. Seroquel is potentially stronger cuz ya can dose higher but compared to Seroquel in just its antihistamine range I'm questioning weather phenergan is better, after all 'm only taking seroquel in it's high end antihistamine dose. pherngergan imo is atleast the best sedative antihistamine.

Im starting to get off track from my question so I better stop. hope someone can help.

 

[holyservant]

Promethazine is a very old and well-tested compound that seems relatively harmless, especially in the dose you're talking about. The only real concern I have for you is daytime lethargy. Promethazine has a half-life of 10-19 hours. After a few days or weeks of taking it you may find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning or have excessive fatigue during the day. Also using it long-term (for years) might not be great for your liver, but that's true of almost any drug.

I've personally taken it hundreds of times for all sorts of different reasons (anti-nausea, potentiating opiods, reduce amphetamine induced anxiety, induce sleep, etc) and never really noticed any negative effects, except some lethargy when taking it in large doses (over 150mg).

I am referring to oral promethazine, however. Once in a hospital I was given IV promethazine and it totally kicked my ass! I felt like I was on a cloud & then I passed out and woke up about 3 hrs later. That was neat =P

 

[pally pete]

Yeah whenever i go into a pharmacy to buy any OTC medication i will always ask for Promethazine and a lot of the time the Pharmacists will look at each other puzzled and eventually after some one will pop up from behind the counter with a pack of 56 x 25 mg Phenergan and then proceed to ask me for a £8!!! To which i will ask for a cheaper brand as Phenergan is by far the most expensive!

Well from what i know Promethazine is the best (all roung (IMO/IME) 1st generation antihistamine.

Good for Sedation, good for Nausea and ok for Itchiness.

 

[tokenname]

off topic...again..
wondering why this isn't otc in US...

 

[Jabberwocky]

there aren't any real long-term studies that state whether or not promethazine can be using long term... i've used it infrequently for quite a while to help me get to sleep but i find the sedating nature of it does wear off rather quickly, and at higher dosages personally its pretty uncomfortable... at higher doses it causes delerium and is extremely unpleasant but if used responsibly at threshold level 25-75mg i don't see why it could cause problems

i sometimes have quite a nasty hangover in the morning, and a dry mouth if i'm taking 75mg, but for the majority of people that isn't really a problem

if you take 200-300mg of promethazine be prepared for auditory and visual hallucinations, dysphoria, restless legs, cotton mouth, muscle stiffness, a plethora of horrible side effects basically which can really mess your head up for a good while as it has a long half life.

i think thats probably one of the reasons as why its not sold otc, some people might believe that taking a handful will make them more sleepy while in reality it will do the opposite and mess with your head, and dosage wise it's actually not that difficult to take one too many if you have the 25mg tablets.

 

[HEI1234]

I use promethazine almost 9 years as opiates booster,
Except makes my skin looks pale, haven't show any problem

 

[TheNana]

Re: This particular medication is commonly used for nausea among other complaints. Its primary function relaxes the nerves & muscles connected to the digestive system, subsequently subduing the gauge reflex. It is a highly sedative medication. Due to its sedative properties the prolonged daily use of Promethaxine tablets of 2 years or more, may cause or contribute to disease of the cardiovascular system, given it's close proximity to the digestive system. With prolonged daily use of 2 or more years, it is possible for an individual to develop mild to severe issues such as a heart murmur, gallop, irregular heart rythmn, lethargy & intense fatigue, labored breathing, impaired 02 absorbtion and couldn't contribute to the developement if more serious conditions such as COPD, or congestive heart disease. It may be prudent to switch to a low dose of Zofran tablets periodically to lessen the possibility of this occurring. The use of Promethazine should not exceed 50mg per dose & should not exceed 100mg per day, except under the care of a physician. Anyone with family history or a predisposition to the afore mentioned conditions should seek the advice from a medical professional prior to and during the usage of this medication.

 

[Lorne???]

You can take it frequently with no problems anytime soon

However, 75mg is a dose; reserve that for occasional use, otherwise 25-50mg is fine- it has a slow to intermediate peak, so keep that in mind; a couple hours before bed, will reduce the possibility of daytime grogginess, which can usually be shaken off especially with a bit of coffee

 

[Larimar]

Isn?t that what they call lean in the US?

 

[Keif' Richards]

Isn?t that what they call lean in the US?

"Lean" is Codeine/Promethazine syrup. I see that OP is no longer with us, but what the hell. Promethazine (Phenergan) is not a dangerous or toxic drug. It's an antihistamine and you shouldn't have anything to worry about taking it long term. A lot of people use antihistamines to induce sleep at night. There should be no issues concerning dependency or withdrawal. The worst you will get is maybe some difficulty getting to sleep without it once you stop taking it.