Side Effects: Scopolamine | The Results Will Surprise You

Why is this drug given to the patient? Side Effects: Scopolamine, let's know. Scopolamine is given to patients to avoid motion sickness and nausea and vomiting induced by drugs used during surgical procedures.

Scopolamine is considered to be an antimuscarinic, which is a type of drug. The effects of a particular naturally occurring chemical (acetylcholine) on the central nervous system are negated due to its use.

How Should You Take This Medication Exactly?

Scopolamine is administered through a patch that is adhered to the smooth skin behind the ear. When the patch is being applied to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by motion sickness, it should use its effects at least four hours before they are needed, and the patch should be left in place for up to three days. If therapy is required for more than three days to prevent nausea and vomiting by motion sickness, remove the patch behind one ear and replace it with a fresh patch placed behind the other. If the patch is to be used to prevent nausea and vomiting from drugs used during surgery, it must be applied as instructed by your physician, and it must be left in place for a total of twenty-four hours following the procedure. Carefully follow advice on the label of your medication, and if there is anything on the brand you do not understand, ask your physician or pharmacist to clarify it. Apply the scopolamine patch following the instructions provided.

Follow these procedures to apply the patch successfully:

• After cleaning the area behind the ear, make sure that the region is arid by patting it with a tissue that is both clean and dry. You should avoid applying it to any areas of your skin that are bleeding, in pain, or sensitive.
• Take the patch out of the bag that is protecting it. Please remove the clear plastic protective strip and throw it away. Your fingertips should not come into contact with the exposed adhesive layer.
• Put the side that has the glue on it to the skin.
• You should thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water once you have placed the patch behind your ear.
• Avoid cutting the patch in any way.
• Reduce your time in the pool or beach to prevent the patch from becoming detached from its backing. If the scopolamine patch comes off, throw it away and replace it with a new one on the bald spot behind the other ear.
• When the scopolamine patch is no longer required, remove it, fold it in half with the adhesive side facing together, and then throw it away. If you want to get rid of any scopolamine that could be on your hands or in the area behind your ear, you should thoroughly wash those areas with soap and water. If a new patch has to be put on, place the new one on the shaved region behind your other ear. This area is not affected by hair.

• If you have used scopolamine patches for several days or longer, you may experience withdrawal symptoms that could start as much as 24 hours or more after you remove the patch. These symptoms may include trouble maintaining balance, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, sweating, confusion, muscle weakness, slow heart rate, or low blood pressure. Scopolamine patches are available over-the-counter in the United States. If your symptoms worsen, you should get in touch with your healthcare provider as soon as possible.
• You can obtain a copy of the manufacturer's information for the patient by asking your pharmacist or your doctor for it.
• Other use for this drug also exist.

Scopolamine drug is occasionally recommended for other reasons; consult your doctor or pharmacist for additional information about this medication's possible side effects and potential applications.

What Specific Safety Measures Am I Expected To Take?

Before using scopolamine patches, you should first:

• If you have an allergy to scopolamine, other belladonna alkaloids, other drugs, or any of the components that make up scopolamine patches, make sure to inform your doctor and pharmacist. To find a list of the ingredients, consult your physician or pharmacist, look at the label on the packaging, or look in the Medication Guide.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about the prescription and over-the-counter drugs, essential vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal items you are taking or intend to use in the future. Make sure you bring up at least one of the following: muscle relaxants, sedatives; sleeping pills; tranquilizers; tricyclic antidepressants such as desipramine (Norpramin), and clomipramine (Anafranil), imipramine (Tofranil), and trimipramine. Antihistamines such as meclizine (Antivert, Bonine, and others); medications for anxiety, irritable bowel disease, motion sickness, pain, Parkinson's disease, seizures, or urinary problems; muscle relaxants (Surmontil). It is essential to inform your doctor about all the drugs you are currently taking, including those that do not appear on this list, because the scopolamine patch may also interact with many other medications.
• Notify your doctor if you have angle-closure glaucoma (a condition where the fluid is suddenly blocked and unable to flow out of the eye, causing a quick, severe increase in eye pressure which may lead to a loss of vision). Your physician will likely advise you against using the scopolamine patch to protect your eyesight.
• Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had open-angle glaucoma (increase in internal eye pressure that damages the optic nerve); seizures; psychotic disorders (conditions that cause difficulty telling the difference between things or ideas that are real and things or ideas that are not real); stomach or intestinal obstruction; difficulty urinating; preeclampsia (condition during pregnancy with increased blood pressure, high protein levels in the urine, or organ problems); or heart, liver, or kidney disease.

• You should inform your doctor if you are nursing, pregnant, or planning to become pregnant shortly. If you find out you are pregnant while using scopolamine patches, you should contact your physician as soon as possible.
• Notify your surgeon or dentist that you are using scopolamine patches if you are going to undergo any surgical procedure, including dental surgery.
• You must be aware that the scopolamine patch might cause you to feel sleepy. Do not go behind the wheel of a vehicle or operate any machinery until you have determined how the effects of the scopolamine patches will impact you. It is essential to exercise caution if you participate in water sports while taking this medication because it has the potential to cause disorientation.
• While taking this medicine, you should discuss with your doctor whether or not it is safe to drink alcoholic drinks. Consuming alcohol may exacerbate the adverse effects that scopolamine patches already induce.
• If you are 65 or older, you should discuss the potential downsides and upsides of taking scopolamine with your primary care physician. Scopolamine is not as safe or effective as other drugs that may use to treat the same illness, and as a result, older persons are not typically advised to take it to treat their symptoms.

What Should I Do If I Realize That I Have Forgotten A Dose?

When you realize you forgot a patch, immediately put it on. Putting on more than one patch at a time is not recommended.

What might potential adverse effects be brought on by using this medication?

There is a potential for adverse consequences while using scopolamine patches. Inform your physician if any of the following symptoms persist for an extended period or are particularly severe:

1. Disorientation
2. The dry Mouth
3. Drowsiness
4. Dilated pupils
5. Dizziness
6. Sweating
7. Throat irritation

Some of the adverse effects may be rather significant. Remove the patch immediately and make an appointment to see a medical professional if you suffer any of the following symptoms:

• Rash
• Redness
• Symptoms such as eye irritation, redness, or discomfort; blurry vision; seeing halos or colorful pictures
• Agitation
• Having hallucinations, such as seeing things or hearing voices that are not there (hallucinating)
• Confusion
• Believing ideas that are not following reality
• Having a lack of confidence in other people or the impression that other people wish to injure you
• A tough time communicating
• Seizure
• Discomfort or difficulty urinating
• Gastrointestinal distress in the form of nausea or puking

There is a possibility that scopolamine patches will induce further adverse effects. Please consult your primary care physician if you have any odd side effects while using this medicine.

What information should I be aware of regarding the proper storage and disposal of this medication?

Keep this medication in the container it came in, make sure the lid is on firmly, and store it somewhere that children cannot get it. Keep it at average temperature, away from excessive heat and moisture sources, and retrieve it as needed (not in the bathroom). When not in use, should store patches in an upright posture; they should not be bent or rolled.

It is essential to store all medications somewhere that children cannot access or see since many containers, including those used for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers, are not designed to be child-resistant. It means that even young children may readily open these containers. Locking the safety caps and storing the medicine in a secure area as soon as possible is the best approach to prevent young children from accidentally ingesting poison. This location should be out of their sight and out of their reach. 

Medications that are no longer required should be disposed of in a particular manner so that animals, children, and other people cannot accidentally ingest them. It would be best if you did not dispose of this drug by flushing it down the toilet. Instead, you might consider participating in a program that offers a take-back service for unused or expired medications.

In The Event Of A Crisis Or An Overdose

Call your local poison control center at the toll-free number 1-800-222-1222. If someone takes too much scopolamine or if they swallow a scopolamine patch, if the victim has passed out or is not breathing, dial 911 to reach the nearest emergency services in your area.

The following are some of the possible symptoms of an overdose:

• Dry skin
• The dry Mouth
• Urinary retention and incontinence
• A rapid or erratic beating of the heart
• Tiredness
• Drowsiness
• Confusion
• Agitation
• Having hallucinations, such as seeing things or hearing voices that are not there (hallucinating)
• Seizure
• A shift in one's vision
• Coma

What Additional Information Is Essential For Me To Have?

Maintain your scheduled appointments with your primary care physician and the laboratory.

Inform your primary care physician and the people working in the laboratory that you will be undergoing testing and are currently using a scopolamine patch.

Before undergoing a magnetic resonance imaging scan, be sure the scopolamine patch has been removed (MRI).

Do not allow anyone else to use your medicine. Talk to your pharmacist about any concerns or questions you have regarding the process of getting your prescription refilled.

You must maintain a written record of all the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medications and other items, including vitamins, minerals, and other dietary supplements, that you are currently taking. It is highly recommended that you take this list with you if you go to the hospital or see a doctor for any reason, and it would be best if you remembered to bring this information with you in an emergency.