Transderm Scop

Transderm Scop is used to prevent nausea and vomiting after anesthesia and surgery. It is also used to prevent nausea and vomiting of motion sickness.

Scopolamine belongs to the group of medicines called anticholinergics. It works on the central nervous system (CNS) to create a calming effect on the muscles in the stomach and intestines (gut).

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription. This product is available in the following dosage forms:

• Patch, Extended Release

Before using Transderm Scop, you must know all about the risks and complications associated with it. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. 

For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies: Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric Population: Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of scopolamine transdermal in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Geriatric Population: No information is available on the relationship of age to the effects of scopolamine transdermal in geriatric patients. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related liver or kidney problems, which may require caution in patients receiving scopolamine transdermal.

Pregnancy: All Trimesters: Category C: Animal studies have shown an adverse effect and there are no adequate studies in pregnant women OR no animal studies have been conducted and there are no adequate studies in pregnant women.

Breastfeeding: Studies in women suggest that this medication poses minimal risk to the infant when used during breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions: Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose or other precautions may be necessary. 

When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

• Potassium

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Bupropion
• Donepezil
• Oxymorphone

Other Interactions: Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems: The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine.

Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Glaucoma, narrow-angle—Should not be used in patients with this condition
• Glaucoma, open-angle (wide-angle) 
• Intestinal or stomach blockage 
• Psychosis, history of 
• Seizures, history of 
• Urinating problems (e.g., urinary tract blockage or trouble urinating)—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse
• Liver disease 
• Kidney disease—Use with caution. Effects may be increased because of slower removal of the medicine from the body

Proper usage of Transderm Scop requires strict adherence to your doctor’s orders. It will only work if applied correctly. To use the patch:

• Wash your hands with soap and water before and after applying a patch. Do not touch your eyes until after you have washed your hands.
• Apply the patch right away after removing it from the protective pouch. Do not cut it into smaller pieces and do not touch the sticky surface of the patch.
• Apply the patch to a clean, dry, and intact skin area behind your ear. Choose an area with little or no hair and free of scars, cuts, or irritation.
• Press the patch firmly in place with your fingertips to make sure that the edges of the patch stick well.
• The patch should stay in place even during showering, bathing, or swimming. Apply a new patch behind the other ear if the first one becomes too loose or falls off.
• Remove the patch after 3 days. If treatment is to be continued for more than 3 days, remove the first patch and apply a new one behind the opposite ear.

Dosing: The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

For transdermal dosage form (skin patch):

• For prevention of nausea and vomiting after anesthesia and surgery:
  • Adults—Apply one patch behind the ear the evening before surgery.
  • Children—Use is not recommended.
• For prevention of nausea and vomiting from motion sickness:
  • Adults—Apply one patch behind the ear at least four hours before the effect is needed.
  • Children—Use is not recommended.

Missed Dose: If you forget to wear or change a patch, put one on as soon as you can. If it is almost time to put on your next patch, wait until then to apply a new patch and skip the one you missed. Do not apply extra patches to make up for a missed dose.

Storage: Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing. Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

After removing a used patch, fold the patch in half with the sticky sides together. Make sure to dispose of it out of the reach of children and pets.

Before using Transderm Scop, there are some precautions you must take. If you use this medicine for several days, it is important that your doctor check your progress to make sure that this medicine is working properly and to decide if you should continue to use it.

This medicine may cause drowsiness, trouble with thinking, or trouble with seeing clearly. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do other jobs that require you to be alert, well-coordinated, or able to think or see well.

If you develop any unusual or strange thoughts and behavior while using scopolamine transdermal, be sure to discuss it with your doctor. Some changes that have occurred in people receiving this medicine are like those seen in people who drink too much alcohol. 

Other changes might be confusion, delusions, hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there), and unusual excitement, nervousness, or irritability.

Tell the doctor in charge that you are using this medicine before having a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Skin burns may occur at the site where the patch is worn during this procedure.

Ask your doctor if the patch should be removed before having an MRI scan. You might need to put on a new patch after the procedure.

Transderm Scop will add to the effects of alcohol and other central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicines that slow down the nervous system, possibly causing drowsiness). 

Some examples of CNS depressants are: 

• antihistamines or medicine for allergies or colds
• sedatives
• tranquilizers or sleeping medicine
• prescription pain medicine or narcotics
• barbiturates or medicine for seizures
• muscle relaxants
• anesthetics, including some dental anesthetics

Check with your doctor before taking any of the above whiles you are using this medicine.

Transderm Scop may cause dry mouth. For temporary relief, use sugarless candy or gum, melt bits of ice in your mouth, or use a saliva substitute. However, if your mouth continues to feel dry for more than 2 weeks, check with your medical doctor or dentist. 

Continuing dryness of the mouth may increase the chance of dental disease, including tooth decay, gum disease, and fungus infections.

As with many medications, there are several potential side effects associated with Transderm Scop. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

• Incidence not known
• Blurred vision
• chest pain or discomfort
• the difficulty with urinating
• dilation of the pupils
• dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up from a lying or sitting position suddenly
• eye pain
• flushing or redness of the skin
• mood or mental changes
• muscle weakness
• nausea or vomiting
• rash
• redness of the white part of the eyes
• restlessness
• seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there
• shortness of breath
• slow or irregular heartbeat
• sweating
• unusual tiredness
• unusually warm skin

Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:

Symptoms of overdose:

• Anxiety
• blurred or loss of vision
• change in consciousness
• the decrease in frequency of urination
• the decrease in urine volume
• difficulty in passing urine (dribbling)
• disturbed color perception
• double vision
• dry mouth
• dry flushed skin
• fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
• halos around lights
• headache
• hyperventilation
• irritability
• loss of consciousness
• nervousness
• night blindness
• the overbright appearance of lights
• painful urination
• pounding in the ears
• seizures
• shaking
• sleepiness
• trouble with sleeping
• tunnel vision
• unusual drowsiness, dullness, tiredness, weakness, or feeling of sluggishness

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.