GERD And Reglan Tardive Dyskinesia Problems

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by: Smith Gary
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Date: Thu, 8 Apr 2010 Time: 12:26 AM

Do you have frequent heartburn? Acid reflux? A frequent burning sensation in the chest may be caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. GERD can be a chronic condition that, if untreated, can lead to more serious illnesses. Unfortunately, some patients who have used the Reglan drug for an extended period of time, also referred to as metoclopramide, have suffered Reglan tardive dyskinesia problems.

What Is GERD?

When you eat, swallowed food goes down your throat and travels down the esophagus and then enters the stomach. As part of the digestive process, acids in the stomach break down the food so it can be absorbed.

Sometimes, food that enters the stomach backs up into the esophagus. This may happen when a valve between the esophagus and stomach may relax more than it should, allowing a mixture of food and acid to re-enter the esophagus. The acids can create that burning feeling that is thought of as heartburn.

Without treatment, the repeated exposure of acids in the esophagus can lead to irritation and inflammation of the organ, making swallowing difficult. It can also lead to esophageal ulcers and may increase the risk of esophageal cancer.

Causes of GERD

Certain foods may be more likely than others to trigger heartburn. Foods high in acid, spice, fat, garlic and onion, as well as caffeinated and alcoholic beverages can lead to and exacerbate heartburn.

Treatment and Concerns

Eliminating heartburn may be as simple as tweaking your diet and reducing the trigger foods. Avoiding smoking, eating small, frequent meals and eating at least three hours before bedtime often help reduce the symptoms of heartburn.

Over the counter medications such as antacids or acid-blockers may help provide immediate relief. However, if your symptoms persist more than twice a week, you may need medication that works full-time. Doctors may suggest prescription medicines such as histamine blockers or proton pump inhibitors to decrease acid production.

Reglan, known generically as metoclopramide, is a different type of medicine for GERD. It helps speed up the rate of digestion by increasing muscle contraction in the digestive tract. Reglan, however, has some extremely serious side effects. When used for more than about three months, which is not unusual for the treatment of a chronic condition, Tardive Dyskinesia, which is a movement disorder.

People with Reglan Tardive Dyskinesia may have uncontrolled, repetitive and non- productive movement in different parts of their bodies. It may be small muscle movement as in repeated eye blinking, finger tapping or tongue movement. It may involve larger muscle groups such as the arms, shoulders, neck, legs or torso.

Sometimes symptoms of Tardive Dyskinesia can be reversed or lessened by discontinuing Reglan. However, some symptoms do not appear until after the medicine has been stopped. Unfortunately, while there are additional medicines that may reduce the symptoms of Tardive Dyskinesia, there is no cure.

If you have been diagnosed with GERD and have been prescribed Reglan or metoclopramide, talk with your doctor about possible side effects. Should you have any symptoms of Tardive Dyskinesia, contact an attorney to discuss your legal options.

About the Author

David Whitney is the author of this article on Reglan side effects. Find more information about Reglan tardive dyskinesia here.

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