Compazine and Allergic Reaction: What Users Say

• Eve...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 7, 2021

For Anxiety "I went to the ER twice for migraines, and both times they gave me Compazine. The worst experience of my life. I felt like I was going to tear the walls down, I just wanted to tell everyone to shut up. I couldn’t stand the noise or the talking. I couldn’t even stand my phone ringing, and me having to answer, I didn’t even want to text. Now I suffer from severe anxiety, and I have never felt so restless, agitated, and anxious. I thought I was going to pull my hair out. Since I drove myself to the ER, I had to drive myself back, which I made it home, but while home, I wanted to just jump out of my window. I took one Benadryl, and it didn’t help, it just made me feel more restless. I had to take Ativan, and it helped to the point where I was able to sleep, but even in my sleep, I was jittery and still a bit anxious, shaking. My husband doesn’t believe me, and it is hard to explain, but now that I read these stories, I know now I’m allergic to Compazine."

• Cat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 2, 2020

For Anxiety "I should not have been given this drug in the emergency room. As soon as it was given, an extreme heat went through me. I immediately felt panicked, like the walls were closing in. I didn't feel like I was in my body. I kept begging for a reversal. I kept saying I was allergic. My skin felt like it needed to be taken off. I heard voices in my head and couldn't stop moving. I was crying and screaming for help. This medication made me feel like it was the end of me, like everyone was trying to hurt me. This didn't go away in an hour. It took days. I am still scared and frightened."

• Nau...
• August 18, 2014

For Nausea/Vomiting "Read the side effects carefully. I had a severe dystonic reaction and had to spend the day in the emergency room after just 1 pill. I have been advised by my doctor to never even take anything in this family of medicines."

• Me2...
• January 22, 2021

For Nausea/Vomiting "I went to the doctor because of my dizziness and nausea. The doctor had prescribed Compazine to me for my nausea, which didn’t even work. Jump forward a few days, and I go to the ER to see if they can do something about it when I noticed I started having seizure-like attacks, where my body would stay in one position and my eyes would roll to the back of my head. The doctor said it was because I was allergic to the drug, even though I didn’t know. But isn’t Compazine supposed to no longer be sold?"

• Nat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 29, 2023

"I went to the ER with the worst headache of my life. After a spinal tap, the doctors determined I had encephalitis. The pain I felt from that and the spinal tap were bad enough, but even that wasn’t as bad as the pure dread that Compazine made me feel. Prior to administering it, my nurse warned me that some people can have a bad reaction to the drug, but she said Benadryl typically counteracted those negative side effects. I wish I’d had the sense to ask more questions first! Within five minutes of taking it, I felt like I needed to crawl out of my own skin. I’m a pretty calm person with a good grip on my emotions, but I felt like I lost all control in that moment. I screamed at my nurse and told her to get it out of me. Knowing now that they could’ve given me Ativan to calm me down irritates me a little because they made me lay there and suffer through it for hours. Luckily, the side effects didn’t last more than a few hours, but it felt like an eternity."

• NoG...
• February 7, 2020

For Nausea/Vomiting "I was given Demerol and Compazine to combat migraine and experienced severe agitation. The doctor recognized phenothiazine-induced akathisia and countered it with Benadryl and Ativan. Years later, I was again treated for HA. I double-checked the doctor knew I couldn't take Compazine. He ordered chlorpromazine and Valium. Unfamiliar with the generic, I didn't realize it was Thorazine (in the same class as Compazine). Another bad reaction. I pulled the IV out, fled, and paced at home for 15 hours. Surely, the doctor knew I'd react negatively. A couple years later, back to the ER for the first time since the Thorazine. I explained my reactions in detail. This time I was given Reglan. Again, I ripped out the IV and was headed for the door when the nurse caught me. Repeated doses of an antidote worked. I learned, subsequently, it's common to react badly to Reglan if you reacted to Compazine. Either the doctor was poorly informed or simply willing to risk my well-being. I've suffered at home in silence ever since."

• Bea...
• August 9, 2019

For Nausea/Vomiting "My doc gave me this medication over 20 years ago for nausea. I ended up having an allergic reaction. I had anxiety, and I couldn’t relax all day. I went to the hospital because of dystonia. Awful day. It also induced OCD, which I have been dealing with ever since. Has this terrible medication triggered OCD in others?"

• Anonymous
• August 17, 2018

For Nausea/Vomiting "Went to the ER for migraine and Lyme disease joint pain. I was given Compazine and immediately had a dystonic reaction!! My whole jaw locked up and my body was twitching and restless legs. The doctor ordered Benadryl stat, and eventually, the symptoms slowed down. They kept me overnight due to the reaction I had. I will never ever have this drug again. Everywhere I go, I say I’m highly allergic to Compazine (prochlorperazine). Be careful with this drug."

• Anonymous
• August 17, 2018

For Nausea/Vomiting "Went to the ER for migraine and Lyme disease joint pain. I was given Compazine and immediately had a dystonic reaction!! My whole jaw locked up and my body was twitching and restless legs. The doctor ordered Benadryl stat, and eventually, the symptoms slowed down. They kept me overnight due to the reaction I had. I will never ever have this drug again. Everywhere I go, I say I’m highly allergic to Compazine (prochlorperazine). Be careful with this drug."

• Pse...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 21, 2017

For Nausea/Vomiting "Look up 'dystonic reaction' before taking this med and be prepared to go to the ER if your muscles start freezing up. Taking this med led to one of the scariest experiences of my life. It definitely worked for the nausea, but at the cost of becoming a squawking, paralyzed contortionist. I must have looked like I needed an exorcism by the time I arrived at the ER, but I only took an ambulance ride and several IV shots of both benztropine and Valium to get me back to normal."

• Mom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 13, 2019

For Nausea/Vomiting "Given Compazine with Benadryl and wow, the Compazine caused a bad reaction! Felt like a 100+ worst nightmare from anxiety! Nurse seemed uncaring and didn't know this causes those side effects! This will go on my med list and I will stick with my Zofran. Still feel bad some 12+ hours later. Never again. I can relate to the others!"

• Pet...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 13, 2018

For Nausea/Vomiting "Went to the emergency for a cluster migraine headache; given Compazine by injection and had an immediate allergic reaction. Felt like I wanted to jump outside my skin; intense burning sensation and panic mode. Woke up the next day with catastrophic tinnitus. Health went downhill with side effects of neutropenia. Wasted away from 150 lbs to 110 lbs. RATING 1."

• Kel...
• March 31, 2022

For Nausea/Vomiting "This is not the first time this happened to me, this is just the first time I found out what the drug was called. In the last 10 years, I have been to the ER for a severe headache and was given something in my IV. Every single time, within seconds, I felt panicked. I have explained this to the ER personnel each time, but they gave it to me anyway. This time was the worst! I wanted to pull my skin off, scream, leave everything. I couldn't stay still, and my boyfriend watched in horror as I sobbed. He tried to rub my back as comfort, and I yelled at him to please stop touching me and talking (I felt so bad). I truly think I must be allergic to this medicine. When I begged her to reverse it, she said she couldn't but some more Benadryl, which may dull the effects. It didn't work. Now I am scared to death of any medications. It has been 3 months, and even now, when I think about it, I get panicked. So traumatizing."

• Gra...
• March 12, 2021

For Nausea/Vomiting "I went to the ER for a migraine with nausea and vomiting, and the nurses told me I would be getting an IV migraine cocktail to relieve my symptoms, which I didn’t question and just let them hook me up. Everything seemed fine until the next day when my body started to contort and I couldn’t control my muscles. I was so shocked; I thought it was something really serious. I didn’t think a drug could cause such a scary reaction. The doctor at the ER told me it’s a dystonic reaction that can happen with the Compazine that was in my drug cocktail. They gave me an injection of Benadryl, and my body immediately relaxed. The doctor told me, however, to avoid this drug and similar drugs in the future as these muscle movements may become permanent! So please ask yourself before receiving this drug: would you rather have temporary nausea or potentially permanent uncontrollable muscle movements? The experience was so frightening, I developed a phobia of new drugs and hospitals."

• Alm...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 1, 2021

For Nausea/Vomiting "I was prescribed this junk after having my gallbladder removed. Long story short, I had a severe allergic reaction that caused lockjaw, nausea, and my throat to close. I was on my deathbed two nights in a row. Literally sucking in as much air as I could as my throat was closing. ER saved my life. Worst meds ever!"

• Bra...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 26, 2022

For Nausea/Vomiting "I had a migraine for about 7 days that increased in severity each day. It got so bad I figured my brain tumor was probably growing again, so I went to the ER. They gave me Compazine, and the migraine went away, but within 10 minutes I felt like my heart was going to explode, and I wanted to panic really bad. They gave me 2 Benadryl, which just made me so tired I could barely open my eyes. I had to do a brain MRI, and it lasted over 30 minutes. I was just holding in my panic attack the whole time. I went home and went to sleep to wake up to the anxiety still there for the next 3 days! It was a terrible experience that I struggled through and found out I am definitely allergic to Compazine."

• 175...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 27, 2016

For Nausea/Vomiting "Had a severe allergic reaction to Compazine, which was given to me to treat nausea. Unable to breathe, throat closed, had to be rushed to the hospital, and it didn't stop the vomiting."