Gimoti Side Effects

Generic name: metoclopramide

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Dec 26, 2024.

Note: This document provides detailed information about Gimoti Side Effects associated with metoclopramide. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply specifically to the brand name Gimoti.

Applies to metoclopramide: nasal spray.

Other dosage forms:

• oral solution, oral tablet, oral tablet disintegrating
• solution

Important warnings This medicine can cause some serious health issues

Nasal route (solution)

Metoclopramide can cause tardive dyskinesia, a serious movement disorder that is often irreversible.

The risk of developing tardive dyskinesia increases with duration of treatment and total cumulative dosage.

Discontinue metoclopramide in patients who develop signs or symptoms of tardive dyskinesia.

Avoid treatment with metoclopramide (all dosage forms and routes of administration) for longer than 12 weeks because of the risk of developing tardive dyskinesia with longer-term use.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

This medicine may cause tardive dyskinesia (a movement disorder). Check with your doctor right away if you have lip smacking or puckering, puffing of the cheeks, rapid or worm-like movements of the tongue, uncontrolled chewing movements, or uncontrolled movements of the arms and legs. The risk of tardive dyskinesia is higher if you use this medicine for longer than 8 weeks or if you take other medicines containing metoclopramide (the active ingredient contained in Gimoti) for more than 12 weeks. Treatment for longer than 12 weeks should be avoided in all but rare cases.

Tell your doctor right away if you have inability to move the eyes, increased blinking or spasms of the eyelid, trouble with breathing, speaking, or swallowing, uncontrolled tongue movements, uncontrolled twisting movements of the neck, trunk, arms, or legs, unusual facial expressions, or weakness of the arms and legs.

Check with your doctor right away if you have seizures, difficulty with breathing, fast heartbeat, high fever, high or low blood pressure, increased sweating, loss of bladder control, severe muscle stiffness, unusually pale skin, or tiredness. These could be symptoms of a serious condition called neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS).

Metoclopramide may cause some people to be agitated, irritable, or display other abnormal behaviors. It may also cause some people to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies or to become more depressed. Also tell your doctor if you have sudden or strong feelings, such as feeling nervous, angry, restless, violent, or scared. If you or your caregiver notice any of these side effects, tell your doctor right away.

Your blood pressure might get too high while you are using this medicine. This may cause headaches, dizziness, or blurred vision. You might need to measure your blood pressure at home. If you think your blood pressure is too high, call your doctor right away.

This medicine may increases your risk of having fluid retention (swelling) and volume overload, especially if you have cirrhosis (liver disease) or heart failure. Check with your doctor right away if you have a decrease in the amount of urine, noisy, rattling breathing, swelling of the fingers, hands, feet, or lower legs, trouble breathing at rest, or weight gain.

This medicine may increase prolactin blood levels if used for a long time. Check with your doctor if you have breast swelling or soreness, unusual breast milk production, absent, missed, or irregular menstrual periods, stopping of menstrual bleeding, loss in sexual ability, desire, drive, or performance, decreased interest in sexual intercourse, or an inability to have or keep an erection.

Check with your doctor before using this medicine with alcohol or other medicines that affect the central nervous system (CNS). The use of alcohol or other medicines that affect the CNS with metoclopramide may worsen the side effects of this medicine, such as dizziness, poor concentration, drowsiness, unusual dreams, and trouble with sleeping. Some examples of medicines that affect the CNS are antihistamines or medicine for allergies or colds, sedatives, tranquilizers, or sleeping medicines, medicine for depression, medicine for anxiety, prescription pain medicine or narcotics, medicine for attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, medicine for seizures or barbiturates, muscle relaxants, or anesthetics, including some dental anesthetics.

This medicine may make you dizzy, drowsy, or have trouble with thinking or controlling body movements. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Common side effects of Gimoti

Some side effects of metoclopramide may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common side effects

• change in or loss of taste
• drowsiness
• loss of strength or energy
• muscle pain or weakness
• unusual weak feeling

Incidence not known

• absent, missed, or irregular menstrual periods
• decreased interest in sexual intercourse
• inability to have or keep an erection
• loss in sexual ability, desire, drive, or performance
• unexpected or excess milk flow from breasts

Serious side effects of Gimoti

Along with its needed effects, metoclopramide may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking metoclopramide:

Less common side effects

• changes in behavior
• discouragement
• feeling sad or empty
• irritability
• lack of appetite
• loss of interest or pleasure
• thoughts of killing oneself
• tiredness
• trouble concentrating
• trouble sleeping

Incidence not known

• agitation
• black, tarry stools
• bluish-colored lips, fingernails, or palms
• blurred vision
• chest pain or tightness
• chills
• clay-colored stools
• confusion
• cough
• dark urine
• decreased urine output
• diarrhea
• dilated neck veins
• dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
• fast or slow heartbeat
• fever
• fluid-filled skin blisters
• general feeling of tiredness or weakness
• headache
• hoarseness
• inability to move the eyes
• inability to sit still
• increased blinking or spasms of the eyelid
• increased need to urinate
• increased sweating
• irregular breathing
• itching, skin rash
• large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or genitals
• lip smacking or puckering
• loss of balance control
• loss of bladder control
• lower back or side pain
• mask-like face
• nausea
• need to keep moving
• nervousness
• noisy, rattling breathing
• overactive reflexes
• painful or difficult urination
• pale skin
• passing urine more often
• poor coordination
• pounding in the ears
• pounding, slow heartbeat
• puffing of the cheeks
• rapid or worm-like movements of the tongue
• restlessness
• seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there
• seizures
• sensitivity of the skin to the sun
• severe muscle stiffness
• shivering
• shuffling walk
• slowed movements
• slurred speech
• sore throat
• sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
• sticking out of the tongue
• stomach pain or tenderness
• swelling of the breasts or breast soreness in both females and males
• swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs
• talking or acting with excitement you cannot control
• thinning of the skin
• tic-like (jerky) movements of the head, face, mouth, and neck
• trembling and shaking of the fingers and hands
• trouble in breathing, speaking, or swallowing
• trouble breathing at rest
• twitching
• uncontrolled chewing movements
• uncontrolled movements of the arms and legs
• uncontrolled twisting movements of the neck, trunk, arms, or legs
• unusual bleeding or bruising
• unusual facial expressions
• vomiting
• weight gain
• yellow eyes or skin

For healthcare professionals

Applies to metoclopramide: compounding powder, injectable solution, nasal spray, oral concentrate, oral syrup, oral tablet, oral tablet disintegrating.

General adverse events

The incidence of side effects correlates with dose and duration of metoclopramide (the active ingredient contained in Gimoti) therapy.^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Very common (10% or more): Drowsiness (up to 70%), acute dystonic reaction (up to 25%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Akathisia, dizziness, extrapyramidal disorders, headache, parkinsonism, somnolence
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Depressed level of consciousness, dyskinesia, dystonia
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Bradykinesia, convulsion, dystonic reaction, tremor
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
• Frequency not reported: Acute dyskinesia, acute dystonia/acute dystonic reaction, altered consciousness, autonomic instability, bulbar type of speech, choreoathetotic movements, cogwheel rigidity, convulsive seizures, extrapyramidal symptoms, facial grimacing, facial muscle spasm, fatal dystonic reaction, foot tapping, inability to sit still, involuntary movements of the extremities/face/jaw/mouth/tongue/trunk, mask-like facies, motor restlessness, opisthotonos, pacing, parkinsonian syndrome, rhythmic tongue protrusion, serotonin syndrome, syncope, tardive dyskinesia, tetanus-like reaction, unnatural position of head and shoulders^[Ref]

Drowsiness, decreased level of consciousness, confusion, and hallucinations have higher incidences with higher doses.

Convulsive seizures have been reported, especially in patients with epilepsy; however, there is no obvious association with use of this drug.

Dystonic reactions typically presented as upper airway obstruction with stridor and dyspnea.

Parkinsonian symptoms may be related to usual/excessive doses and/or decreased renal function and includes tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and akinesia.^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Common (1% to 10%): Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Bowel disturbances
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Supraglottic dystonia
• Frequency not reported: Glossal edema^[Ref]

Other

• Common (1% to 10%): Asthenia, fatigue, lassitude
• Frequency not reported: Effects on the ability to drive/operate machinery, hyperpyrexia, hyperthemia, jitteriness^[Ref]

Psychiatric

• Common (1% to 10%): Depression, restlessness
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hallucination, insomnia
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Acute depression, confusional state
• Frequency not reported: Agitation, anxiety, confusion, delirium, mania, mental depression with suicidal ideation, nervousness, obsessive rumination, severe dysphoria, suicidal ideation, suicide^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Common (1% to 10%): Hypotension
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Bradycardia
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Cardiac conduction abnormalities, heart block
• Frequency not reported: Acute congestive heart failure, acute hypertension, atrial fibrillation, atrioventricular (AV) block, cardiac arrest, edema, electrocardiogram QT prolonged, fatal cardiorespiratory arrest, hypertension, palpitation, possible AV block, shock, sinus arrest, supraventricular tachycardia, tachycardia, Torsade de Pointes, transient facial/upper body flushing, transient increase in blood pressure, ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia^[Ref]

Hypotension, bradycardia, shock, and other abnormalities or cardiac conduction occurred most frequently with IV formulations.

Cardiac arrest occurred shortly after IV administration, and may have been subsequent to bradycardia.

Sinus arrest and transient facial/upper body flushing occurred, particularly with IV administration. Flushing typically occurred without alterations in vital signs following high dose IVs.

Edema/fluid retention may be secondary to a transient increase in aldosterone levels.

Acute hypertension has occurred in patients with pheochromocytoma.

Hypertension has occurred in patients with/without pheochromocytoma.^[Ref]

Genitourinary

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Amenorrhea
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Galactorrhea
• Frequency not reported: Breast enlargement, impotence, priapism, sexual dysfunction, urinary frequency, urinary incontinence^[Ref]

Impotence may be secondary to hyperprolactinemia.^[Ref]

Endocrine

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hyperprolactinemia
• Frequency not reported: Endocrine disorders, gynecomastia, transient aldosterone elevation^[Ref]

Amenorrhea, galactorrhea, and gynecomastia occurred secondary to hyperprolactinemia during prolonged treatment.^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hypersensitivity
• Frequency not reported: Anaphylactic reaction, anaphylactic shock, angioedema^[Ref]

Anaphylactic reaction/shock typically occurred with the IV formulation.^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Dyspnea, laryngospasm, stridor, upper airway obstruction
• Frequency not reported: Acute asthmatic symptoms, bronchospasm, laryngeal edema, respiratory failure, wheezing^[Ref]

Bronchospasm, wheezing, and dyspnea typically occurred in patients with a history of asthma.

Respiratory failure occurred secondary to dystonic reactions.^[Ref]

Hepatic

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Altered liver function tests, hepatotoxicity, jaundice^[Ref]

Hepatotoxicity occurred with concurrent use of other potentially hepatotoxic drugs and was characterized by findings such as jaundice and altered liver function tests.^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Rigidity
• Frequency not reported: Fluid retention, generalized muscle tone increase, increased creatinine phosphokinase (CPK), muscle rigidity, muscle spasms, torticollis, trismus^[Ref]

Hematologic

• Frequency not reported: Agranulocytosis, blood disorders, leukopenia, methemoglobinemia, neutropenia, sulfhemoglobinemia^[Ref]

Leukopenia, neutropenia, and agranulocytosis typically did not have a clear-cut relationship with this drug.

Methemoglobinemia and sulfhemoglobinemia occurred with high doses of this drug. Methemoglobinemia may be related to NADH cytochrome b5 reductase deficiency or overdose, particularly in neonates. Sulfhemoglobinemia usually occurred in adults with concomitant use of high doses of sulfur-releasing products.^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Frequency not reported: Angioneurotic edema, maculopapular rash, rash, urticaria^[Ref]

Rash and urticaria typically occurred in patients with a history of asthma.^[Ref]

Ocular

• Frequency not reported: Extraocular muscle spasm, oculogyric crisis, visual disturbances^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Frequency not reported: Fluid retention, porphyria^[Ref]

See also:

Further information

Gimoti side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.

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