Avomine

What is Avomine?

Avomine is an anti-sickness treatment (known as an anti-emetic) which treats nausea and vomiting caused by motion sickness. It is often used to prevent travel sickness or vertigo but it can be used to treat nausea and vomiting caused by other factors.

How does Avomine work?

Promethazine is the active ingredient in Avomine. It is an antihistamine which prevents a part of the body called the vestibular apparatus, known as the middle ear, from carrying a message to the vomiting centre in the brain.These signals that are picked up as a disturbance by the middle ear are often caused by movement, such as travelling in a plane, ferry or car. The medicine stops nausea and vomiting from occurring as a result of this. 

Active ingredients

The active ingredient in Avomine is Promethazine which is an antihistamine.

Inactive ingredients

The other ingredients in this medicine are lactose, sodium metabisulphite, dextrin, microcrystalline, cellulose, potato starch, stearic acid and magnesium stearate. If you are lactose intolerant, you may want to check with a pharmacist to find out if Avomine is suitable for you.

Avomine dosage

For adults and children over the age of 10, take one tablet either the night before or a few hours before travelling. Children aged 5-10 should be given just half a tablet. If you are experiencing sickness caused by something else, such as vertigo, then take one tablet up to three times a day. Children under 10 should get half a tablet no more than three times a day. See your doctor if you are using Avomine for longer than seven days. 

How to take Avomine

To prevent travel sickness, Avomine is best taken at bedtime the night before you travel. For a short journey, take it 1-2 hours before you travel. During travel, take one tablet when you start to feel sick (children under ten should be given half a tablet.) Then take a second tablet in the evening, and one again the next evening if necessary. 

Avomine side effects

Avomine affects everyone differently and there are a number of different side effects associated with it. You may experience:

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Feeling restless
• Headaches
• Blurred vision 
• Confusion or disorientation 
• Nightmares
• Dry mouth 
• Having trouble passing urine
• Photosensitivity 
• Lack of appetite 
• Heart palpitations 
• Low blood pressure or arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeats)
• Twitching or tremors 
• A blood disorder 

Avomine is available without a prescription so if you are concerned about any of the side effects then speak to a pharmacist or doctor.  

Contraindications

Avomine should not be taken if you have central nervous system depression, have taken monoamine oxidase inhibitors (a form of antidepressant) within the past 14 days or if you are allergic to any of the ingredients. It’s not suitable for children under 5 or for people with galactose intolerance or glucose-galactose malabsorption. 

Drug interactions

Avomine should be avoided by anyone taking MAOI antidepressants (monoamine oxidase inhibitors)

Taking Avomine alongside the following medicines increases the likelihood of drowsiness:

• tricyclic antidepressants
• Antipsychotics
• Benzodiazepines
• Antihistamine tablets that cause a sedative effect
• Sleeping tablets
• Strong painkillers

Additional side effects such as confusion, constipation and urination difficulties can arise when taking Avomine in conjunction with: 

• Parkinson’s treatment 
• Hyoscine
• Other antihistamines or anti-sickness medicines
• Treatment for incontinence
• Muscle relaxers  

Will Avomine make me drowsy?

Avomine can cause drowsiness, dizziness and disorientation. This means that you shouldn’t drive until you know what effect the medicine has on you. Some people are not affected by this however.

Avomine and pregnancy

Avomine should be avoided if possible during pregnancy and should only be taken if absolutely necessary. In particular, you shouldn’t take it in the last two weeks of your pregnancy.

Driving while taking Avomine

You should not plan to drive if you are taking avomine for the first time. It can cause you to feel dizzy, drowsy and disoriented. Only drive if you are confident that Avomine will not affect you in this way.

How to prevent travel sickness

For a long journey, you should take Avomine the night before you travel and once each night during the journey. If it’s a short journey, Avomine can be taken an hour or two before you travel.

Alternatives to Avomine

Other medicines available to treat travel sickness are Hyoscine tablets, which can also be prescribed as a patch and acupressure wristbands- although these don’t work for everyone. Ginger is often used as a herbal remedy to ease the stomach although this might not be enough to prevent vomiting during travel. 

Sources

• Patient Information Leaflet
• NHS > Motion Sickness