Welcome to
Together is a new resource for anyone affected by pediatric cancer - patients and their parents, family members, and friends.
Learn MoreSupportive Care
Promethazine (also called Phenergan®) is a medicine called an antiemetic. It is used to treat nausea and vomiting. Promethazine topical gel is a way of giving your child this nausea medicine. When the gel is put on your child's skin, a small amount of the medicine is absorbed through the skin.
The best thing about giving medicine this way is your child will receive this medicine without having to swallow it, have an intramuscular (IM) injection, or have an intravenous (IV) line.
This gel is not available commercially, but the St. Jude Pharmacy will compound (custom-make) your child’s correct dosage. Your child will have the dosage of ________. You will need to reapply the gel every 4–6 hours as needed or as directed by your child’s doctor.
Do not swallow promethazine topical gel.
All medicines have side effects. Some mild side effects of promethazine gel include:
Side effects that need to be reported quickly to the doctor include:
Some side effects need emergency medical care right away:
If your child has any of these side effects, call 911.
Not all patients who take promethazine topical gel will experience these side effects. Common side effects are listed, but there may be others. Please report all suspected side effects to your doctor or pharmacist.
Find more information on side effects.
Be sure to discuss all questions and instructions with your doctor or pharmacist.