Reglan tardive dyskinesia is an incurable condition (similar to Tourette syndrome) that causes uncontrollable tics and movements, including grimacing, lip smacking and/or puckering, and rapid movement of the extremities and/or eye lids. While Reglan tardive dyskinesia is more likely to affect those who take the medication in high doses and/or for longer than three months, it is also more likely to affect women over 50 years old and those with diabetes. Anyone who develops Reglan tardive dyskinesia may be entitled to compensation from Schwartz Pharma, the manufacturer of Reglan.
FDA Warnings About Reglan Tardive Dyskinesia
Clinical studies have reported that between 10 and 20 percent of those taking Reglan (and other gastrointestinal medications and/or antipsychotic drugs) will develop tardive dyskinesia (TD). As more and more reports of Reglan tardive dyskinesia became public in 2009, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it was going to require a “black box” warning on Reglan. Black box warnings are used to warn consumers that a particular medication has the potential to cause irreversible damages. Black box warnings are the most serious FDA warnings and they tend to precede a nationwide recall.
Diagnosing and Treating Reglan Tardive Dyskinesia
It’s crucial that Reglan patients are aware of the symptoms of Reglan tardive dyskinesia so that they know when to seek medical attention. Given that the symptoms of Reglan TD mimic those of many other neurological conditions (such as Parkinson’s disease), diagnosing this condition can require multiple tests, visits to the doctor’s office, and visits to multiple physicians. Another factor that complicates a conclusive diagnosis of Reglan tardive dyskinesia is the fact that the symptoms of this condition may come and go.
Once diagnosed, Reglan tardive dyskinesia requires immediate treatment to prevent the disease from progressing and becoming more debilitating. Like many incurable diseases, Reglan TD has the best prognosis the earlier it is diagnosed.
Among the most effective treatments for Reglan tardive dyskinesia is discontinuing the use of Reglan medication (or any other brand name drug that is generically referred to as metoclopramide). Other potentially effective treatments for Reglan TD include taking anti-convulsant medication and/or dopamine-antagonizing drugs, which may be prescribed for Parkinson’s disease, as well as tardive dyskinesia.
If you or a loved one used Reglan and suffered from tardive dyskinesia you should contact a Reglan attorney from our firm immediately for a free and confidential case review. You may be entitled to compensation and we can help.
