bromocriptine vs metoclopramide
Side-by-side comparison of bromocriptine and metoclopramide. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
Compounds in these categories result in a decreased efficacy of bromocriptine mesylate: phenothiazines, haloperidol, metoclopramide, and pimozide.
Recommendation: Avoid taking these two drugs together, as one can stop the other from working correctly.
Cycloset
Reglan
Bromocriptine (Cycloset) is a medicine that acts like dopamine in your body. It is used to treat conditions caused by hormone imbalances, acromegaly, and Parkinson's disease.
Metoclopramide is a drug that helps with stomach problems. It can help food move faster through your stomach and reduce nausea.
This medicine can treat problems caused by too much prolactin, a hormone. These problems include irregular periods, lack of periods, infertility, and low sex hormone levels. It can also treat tumors that produce prolactin. Bromocriptine can also treat acromegaly (a condition where the body produces too much growth hormone) and Parkinson's disease.
This medicine treats heartburn caused by acid reflux when other treatments don't work. It also helps with symptoms of slow stomach emptying in people with diabetes, like nausea, vomiting, and feeling full. This medicine is for adults and should not be used for more than 12 weeks.
Bromocriptine works by acting like dopamine, a natural substance in the brain. It helps to lower the amount of prolactin and growth hormone in your body. In Parkinson's disease, it helps improve motor control.
Metoclopramide helps your stomach muscles move faster. This helps food empty from your stomach more quickly. It also blocks a chemical in your brain that causes nausea.
- • Nausea
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
- • Fatigue
- • Lightheadedness
- • Restlessness
- • Drowsiness
- • Fatigue
- • Feeling tired
- Feeling sick to your stomach 46
- Pain in your head 35
- Throwing up 33
- Feeling unsteady or lightheaded 31
- Fever 29
- Uncontrollable muscle movements 13,205
- Movement problems 11,628
- Problem with the brain or nerves 7,175
- Muscle spasms 6,661
- Pain 4,665
This medicine may cause low blood pressure. Tell your doctor if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, are sensitive to ergot alkaloids, or are allergic to bromocriptine or any of the ingredients in the tablets. If you are taking this medicine for high prolactin and become pregnant, talk to your doctor about whether to continue taking it.
Metoclopramide can cause a serious movement disorder called tardive dyskinesia. This may not go away even after you stop taking the medicine. The risk of tardive dyskinesia increases with long-term use and high doses. Call your doctor right away if you have uncontrolled muscle movements.
If you are taking bromocriptine for high prolactin and become pregnant, talk to your doctor. They will help you decide whether to continue taking it. If you are taking this medicine for acromegaly, prolactinoma, or Parkinson’s disease and become pregnant, discuss with your doctor whether the therapy is still medically necessary.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if this medicine will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this medicine while breastfeeding.
How to Read This bromocriptine vs metoclopramide Comparison
bromocriptine is classified in the Dopamine Agonist (Diabetes) drug class, while metoclopramide sits within the Prokinetic / Antiemetic class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, bromocriptine has 174 submissions while metoclopramide has 43,334. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to metoclopramide blocks the same spots in the brain that bromocriptine needs to reach. this prevents the bromocriptine from working as well as it should.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between bromocriptine and metoclopramide - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.