Has this happened to you?
“When I was given Reglan for my acid reflux, little did I know it would change my life forever. When I heard my doctor say that I had Tardive Dyskinesia, I had no idea what it was… now people stare at me all the time – the rapid eye blinking, my cheeks twitching, my lips quivering. I never want to leave home.”
Reglan is a popular prescription drug used by millions of people to deal with gastrointestinal problems. Unfortunately, the prolonged use of Reglan has been linked to the development of Tardive Dyskinesia.
Tardive Dyskinesia is a serious and often irreversible movement disorder, with involuntary body twitching such as repetitive movement of extremities, facial ticks, constant lip-smacking, unintentional grimacing of the face, tongue protrusion, rapid eye movement or blinking, puckering of the lips and impaired finger movement. People suffering from Tardive Dyskinesia often withdraw from social contact, and can be affected emotionally and psychologically – leading to severe depression.
If you or a loved one has taken Reglan and has been diagnosed with Tardive Dyskinesia, contact Gregory & Swapp to learn how we can help you recover financially from any temporary or permanent side affects related to this dangerous drug. Please contact us immediately by calling toll free at 1-800-404-9000 or by submitting details of your case on-line.
What is Reglan?
Reglan is the trade name for metoclopramide, a prescription drug used to treat gastrointestinal problems in adults, such as diabetic gastropaesis, delayed gastric emptying and GERD (Acid Reflux Disease). Metoclopramide is a dopamine antagonist, which is intended to increase lower esophageal sphincter pressure and thus improving gastrointestinal emptying. The FDA approved Reglan in 1985 for short-term treatment (between 4 and 12 weeks) of these conditions only after other treatment methods have failed.
Reglan is manufactured by Baxter Healthcare Corporation and there are several generic versions manufactured by Wyeth, Pliva, Schwarz Pharma, and Teva Pharmaceuticals.
Recent side effects studies have shown a link between long-term use of Reglan with the development of Tardive Dyskinesia – a serious and often irreversible disorder where the face and extremities make uncontrolled movements, much like those associated with Parkinson’s disease.
Reglan side effects
On February 26, 2009 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that all manufacturers of metoclopramide must add a Black Box Warning about the risk of long-term or high-dose use of this dangerous drug. Reglan (metoclopramide) has been linked to Tardive Dyskinesia, an unpleasant condition which involves involuntary and repetitive movements of the body and face, even after the drug use is discontinued.
Tardive Dyskinesia is a serious and often irreversible movement disorder, with the following characteristics:
- Repetitive movement of the extremities
- Constant lip-smacking
- Unintentional grimacing of the face
- Tongue protrusion
- Rapid eye movement or repetitive blinking
- Puckering or pursing of the lips
- Impaired movement of the fingers
Tardive Dyskinesia can affect a person socially and emotionally. Oftentimes they become reclusive from the embarrassment associated with the disease.
Some evidence indicates that a third of patients taking Reglan were prescribed the drug for longer than 12 weeks. Of those long-term patients, about 20% developed some form of Tardive Dyskinesia. Two million people have taken Reglan or its generic equivalents, and many have taken it longer than 12 weeks and have developed symptoms of Tardive Dyskinesia.
Tardive Dyskinesia typically shows up in women more than men. It is also more evident in older patients. Unfortunately, discontinuing the use of Reglan may not necessarily eliminate the symptoms of Tardive Dyskinesia.
Do I Have a Case?
If you or a loved one have been prescribed Reglan and have developed symptoms of Tardive Dyskinesia (or been diagnosed with Tardive Dyskinesia) – please call Gregory & Swapp right away for a FREE consultation toll-free at 1-800-404-9000 or send us the details of your case online.
Our experienced Reglan litigation attorneys will investigate the details and strengths of your particular case, and outline your legal options.
Because we accept your case on a contingency basis, there is no legal fee unless we recover money for you. Call or email us today, and let’s talk about how we can help you and your family recover financially from any injury caused by this dangerous drug.