Experiences with
Cyclizine

Cyclizine is an anti-sickness medicine. It's an antihistamine that is used to help stop you feeling or being sick (nausea or vomiting).

It works by blocking a chemical called histamine in your brain that can make you feel sick.

You can take cyclizine to treat morning sickness, vertigo and motion sickness.

You can also take it to treat sickness caused by general anaesthetics after surgery, cancer treatment or other medicines, and some inner ear problems such as Ménière's disease.

Cyclizine is available on prescription and to buy from pharmacies. It comes as tablets and is also available as an injection.

Who can take cyclizine

Most adults and children aged 6 years and over can take cyclizine.

Who may not be able to take cyclizine

Cyclizine is not suitable for some people. To make sure it's safe for you, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you:

have ever had an allergic reaction to cyclizine or any other medicine
have an eye condition called glaucoma
have problems peeing or emptying your bladder
have a condition that can lead to bowel obstruction, such as Crohn's disease, diverticulitis, hernias or colon cancer
have liver problems
have epilepsy or any condition that causes seizures or fits
have high blood pressure or heart failure
have a tumour called phaeochromocytoma
have a serious blood disorder called porphyria
are due to have an allergy test – cyclizine can affect your results, so you may need to stop taking it a few days before your test. Check with the clinic you're going to before you go

Dosage and strength

Cyclizine comes as 50mg tablets and 50mg injections.

The usual dose is:

adults and children aged 12 and over – 50mg
children aged 6 to 11 years – 25mg
motion sickness – 25mg

Doses for children

For motion sickness, give a 25mg dose. If you have the 50mg tablet, it has a score line so you can break it in half into 2 equal doses.

How to take it

You can take cyclizine with or without food.

You can usually take it when you need it, up to 3 times a day, as long as it is 8 hours apart.

For motion sickness, take cyclizine 1 to 2 hours before travel. If you're going on a long journey, you can take another dose after 8 hours, and 1 more after another 8 hours if needed.

How long to take it for

How long you take cyclizine for depends on why you're taking it.

For motion sickness or after surgery, you may only need to take cyclizine for a couple of days.

You may need to take cyclizine for longer if you're taking it to prevent symptoms – for example, to stop sickness after cancer therapy or if you have inner ear problems, such as Ménière's disease.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure how long you need to take cyclizine for.

If you forget to take it

For motion sickness, take it as soon as you remember. For anything else, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the usual time.

Never take 2 doses at the same time. Never take an extra dose to make up for a forgotten one.

If you take cyclizine every day and you often forget doses, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine.

If you take too much

Too much cyclizine can be dangerous for you or your child.

you or your child take more than the usual dose of cyclizine and:

feel very sleepy
have a very fast, irregular or pounding heartbeat (palpitations)
have breathing problems

Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111

you or your child take too much cyclizine and:

have a fit or seizure
have uncontrolled movements, especially in the hands or feet
see or hear things that are not there (hallucinations)

If you need to go to A&E, do not drive. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.

Bring the cyclizine packet or leaflet inside it, any remaining medicine, and any other medicines you take.

Common side effects

These common side effects of cyclizine happen in more than 1 in 100 people. They're usually mild and go away by themselves. There are things you can do to help cope with them:

Do not drive, cycle or use tools or machinery if you're feeling this way. Do not drink alcohol, as it'll make you feel more tired. If this does not help, talk to your doctor. They may suggest a different anti-sickness medicine.

Do not drive, cycle or use tools or machinery while this is happening. If it lasts for more than 2 days, speak to your doctor.

Try chewing sugar-free gum or sucking sugar-free sweets.

Rest and drink plenty of fluids. You can take an everyday painkiller like paracetamol or ibuprofen. Talk to your doctor if the headaches are severe or last longer than a week.

Get more fibre into your diet, such as fresh fruit and vegetables and cereals. Try to drink several glasses of water or another non-alcoholic liquid each day. If you can, it may also help to increase your level of exercise.

Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if the advice on how to cope does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects are rare and happen in less than 1 in 10,000 people.

Call your doctor or call 111 now if:

you get muscle stiffness or shaking, or unusual face or tongue movements
you get severe bleeding or bleeding that you cannot stop, such as cuts or nosebleeds that do not stop within 10 minutes
the whites of your eyes turn yellow, or your skin turns yellow although this may be less obvious on brown or black skin – these can be signs of liver problems

Serious allergic reaction

In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to cyclizine.

Meds New IA (H4) - serious allergic reaction

These are not all the side effects of cyclizine. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.

Cyclizine and pregnancy

Cyclizine is commonly used to treat pregnancy sickness and there is no evidence that it can harm your baby.

Cyclizine and breastfeeding

If your doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, you can take cyclizine while you're breastfeeding, but it's best to only take occasional doses, or for a short time.

It is not known how much cyclizine passes into breast milk, but it is unlikely to cause side effects in your baby. However, if taken for longer periods of time, it might make your baby sleepy.

Talk to your doctor, as other medicines might be better while you're breastfeeding.

If your baby is not feeding as well as usual, seems unusually sleepy, or seems irritable, or if you have any other concerns about your baby, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, health visitor or midwife.

Cyclizine and fertility

Cyclizine does not affect fertility in either men or women.

Cautions with other medicines

Some medicines can affect the way cyclizine works and increase the chance of having side effects.

Tell your pharmacist or doctor if you're taking:

a type of antidepressant called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, such as phenelzine
any medicine that makes you drowsy, gives you a dry mouth or makes it difficult for you to pee – taking cyclizine might make these side effects worse