Diclegis® Review
One of the most common side effects of pregnancy is suffering from nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP). Better known as “morning sickness”, this condition is debilitating, disruptive, and can significantly impact a woman’s life.
Up until now, there was no way to effectively treat or manage morning sickness other than to let it run its’ course. However, a drug called Diclegis is now available once again and it is clinically proven to help relieve morning sickness.
What is Diclegis®?
Diclegis is the only FDA-approved medicine for NVP, also known as morning sickness. Diclegis is a delayed-release formulation designed to manage the symptoms of morning sickness in pregnant women.
Pyridoxine and doxylamine are the two chemical compounds found in Diclegis. Doxylamine is an antihistamine that reduces the amount of the natural chemical histamine in the body. Pyridoxine is a form of vitamin B6, although it’s mechanism of action is not entirely known.
How to Take Diclegis®
How you take Diclegis depends on your healthcare provider’s direction and assessment of your symptoms. However, in most cases, Diclegis is taken on the following schedule:
— Take Two Tablets At Bedtime Every Night.
— If Symptoms Persist After Two Days, Add One Tablet Every Morning On Day Three
— If Symptoms Still Persist, Add One Tablet In The Afternoon Starting On Day Four
Keep in mind, you should not go over the recommend dosage as this can have unwanted effects. If you experience any sudden change in your health, you should stop taking Diclegis and call your doctor immediately.
Is Diclegis® Safe?
Diclegis has been studied in pregnant women and is remarkably safe. The chemical compounds in Diclegis may transfer into breast milk, so women breast feeding should not take Diclegis, although it safe in pregnant mothers.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Diclegis has a “pregnancy category A” status, which is the best rating available. By definition, a drug with a pregnancy category A status is a drug which “studies in pregnant women have shown that the medicine or drug does not present an increased risk to the baby.”
In other words, clinical studies have shown that Diclegis has no negative impact on the health of the baby.
Adverse Effects of Diclegis®
According to the manufacturer, there is really only one somewhat common adverse effect. In roughly 14% of users, drowsiness may occur, mostly as a result of the anti-histamine effect. However, serious side effects are very rare and reported cases of these severe side effects are few and far between.
It is still recommended that patients taking Diclegis to do so at night before bed. It is especially important to use caution when taking Diclegis before driving or operating machinery.
How to Buy Diclegis®
Diclegis is available as a prescription drug and you can find it at your local pharmacy. It normally costs around $550-600 for 100 tablets, although there is a generic version that may cost less. In some cases, your insurance may cover a portion of the costs, although this is not always the case. If your insurance will not cover your prescription, then seeking the generic version may be a viable option.
Have you taken Diclegis for your morning sickness? We want to hear about it. Or you may try the popular alternative in taking Unisom and B6 combination for morning sickness.
