Thorazine

It's an oldie but a goodie.

Thorazine has intense side effects that are expected, not just possible, so it's not used much nowadays. However, it works quickly for schizophrenic symptoms, and is inexpensive. It will put someone who is out of control, behaviorally, to sleep, or calm him/her down, as well. Also, if someone has been on it and it has worked, without bad side effects, it would be silly to switch.

I can't say I've seen it used in the past few years, except for someone who has a history of using it with good effects, and then not much.

I have seen a doctor give it for hiccups...Has anyone seen this?

Yes we have a patient who had hiccups for a very long time and was prescribed Thorazine and it worked quickly!

I've seen it given for hiccups too.

In the old days, we used to call it Vitamin T. You have to monitor closely for side effects and make sure patients don't get overheated during the summer, but for some folks it works wonders.

I'm seeing it a bit more to manage terminal agitation and behavioral dyscontrol in my hospice patients, especially when haldol or ativan seem to be producing paradoxical reactions.

I have seen a doctor give it for hiccups...Has anyone seen this?

Yes, tried Lorazepam without relieve. Thorazine did the trick.

My hospital doesn't even stock it anymore....

In the peds ED, we used to give it as a sedative,a "DPT" (Demerol, Phenergan and Thorazine), very useful with orthopedic injuries that needed to be reduced prior to casting. There was something for pain, nausea, and a little Thorazine to allow you no memory of the fun reducing procedure. This was 18-20 years ago, and I don't see that protocol being used for sedation any longer.

12.5mg IV in the ED for vomiting after zofran and ativan did not help (perf'ed bowel). Not to mention the behavorial benefits in this particular case. We closely montored for EPS.

We have a couple of residents who used to be in on it a long time ago. Occasionally, one of them will ask for it. I asked one gentleman what he liked about it and he said it helped him to sleep better. Good stuff, I guess.