When you discover a new drug medication such as Domperidone on which to write new content, there is always an urge to start from the very beginning and try to explain the various features of the medication so that not only the audience is treated to a new and interesting revelation but you yourself are enlightened about a topic you weren’t aware existed. So it is that we will start content on domperidone with a guide that will help readers fully understand the topic.

What is domperidone?

Domperidone is a medicine used as an anti-sickness treatment, especially when you want to stop feeling sick or you are actually being sick or vomiting.

The drug medication is also known by the brand name Motilium.

It can be used as a tablet or a liquid form that can be taken orally by patients and it’s available only with a prescription.

One of its main features is the ability to increase the supply of breast milk from women. It’s possible for your doctor to formulate a prescription if you have problems breastfeeding your child provided that other methods have failed.

Domperidone may also be used for treating stomach pain while you are given end of life care or palliative care.

Main features of domperidone

The medication is known to have the following main features:

• There are no strict rules surrounding its use which can take place whenever needed for up to three times a day.
• The best time to take domperidone is before you eat your meals.
• Normally a dry mouth is the most common side effect of domperidone
• Domperidone may only be provided on prescription for a short period of time (for about 1 week).

Who may or may not take domperidone

Adults and children of 12 years of age and over are permitted to take domperidone but sometimes it can be given on prescription to younger children by a specialist doctor.

However, domperidone has been regarded as unsuitable for some people.

Prior to taking the drug medication you must inform you doctor or pharmacist if you’ve experienced or is experiencing the following conditions in your life which have led you to:

• become allergic to domperidone or any other drug medication
• have heart issues, heartbeat irregularities, liver or heart problems.
• have Crohn’s disease or diverticulitis
• you’ve just undergone abdominal surgery perhaps for a hernia condition or for a caesarean birth.
• lose weight and is now below 35kg
• have bleeding from your gut or stomach areas.
• Have a tumour growth on your pituitary gland at the base of your brain

You should also note that domperidone has been known to be unsuitable for people who are aged 60 and above due to the occurrence of more serious side effects.

When and how to take domperidone

Before taking domperidone, you are strongly advised to strictly follow the directions given to you by your doctor.

Whenever you notice the appearance of symptoms to your body, you can then start to take the medication.

However, it’s recommended that you should take your domperidone tablet 15 to 30 minutes before you have your meal or snack.

When taking the domperidone tablets, you should take them whole orally with water and swallowing it but do not crush or chew it before taking them.

Domperidone in liquid form should be done with a provided syringe used for accurately measuring your dose. In the absence of a syringe, you should ask your pharmacist for the right spoon.

You should avoid using a spoon from your kitchen as it would most likely give you a wrong measurement and you may not get the correct dose.

The dosages

The normal dose for adults and children of 12 years of age and older, is one 10 mg tablet or if the treatment is given in liquid form, 10ml of liquid.

It’s permissible to take domperidone up to 3 times daily when you need it, but you should space the doses uniformly during the day by at least 8 hours apart between doses.

Forgetting to take your dose

If by any chance you forget to take your dose, you can do so the very moment you remember to take it, but if the missed dose  is about to expire, skip the dose you missed and take the next one in line at the appointed time.

Over dosing on domperidone

It has been found that an overdose of domperidone can be dangerous to your health and can also impact your life.

If you take more than your prescribed dose of domperidone, you may experience heart palpitations or irregular heartbeat.

If you advertently take an overdose of domperidone it’s strongly advisable to immediately call your doctor or the area emergency number.  

If your overdose condition requires you to go to A&E (Accident and Emergency) you should not try and drive yourself. Instead, get someone to drive you or opt to call an ambulance.

Make sure that you take the domperidone packet together with the leaflet in it and the remaining medication on your way to the A&E,

Side effects of domperidone

Like many drug medications domperidone can also have side effects but usually, not everyone taking it becomes affected by them.

The most common side effect of domperidone is that you usually get a dry mouth soon after taking it but it usually dissipates all by itself with time.

Serious side effects

In addition to the mild side effects, Domperidone can sometimes cause serious side effects which rarely occur. Make sure that you consult a doctor if:

• your eyes or muscles start to move in a weird or uncontrollable manner.
• you experience difficulty in urinating.

When you experience these symptoms, immediately call the area emergency number.

Serious allergic reaction

Although It’s very rare to get serious allergic response to domperidone, also known as anaphylaxis, it’s possible for some people to have this kind of reaction after taking the drug medication.

These allergic reactions are given below and If you happen to get them get them when taking domperidone, you should immediately call the area emergency number. Here are some of the main symptoms:

• skin rash accompanied by itchy, red, swollen, blistered or skin that peels away
• wheezing, especially by emitting a low “whistling” noise in rhyme with your breathing
• tightness in the chest or throat
• difficulty in talking or breathing
• swelling of the throat, tongue, lips, face or mouth.

If you want to know the complete list of serious side effects, you should refer to the leaflet inside the medical packet.

Coping with domperidone side effects

To be affected by the side effects of domperidone is fairly simple to deal with since the dryness of the mouth is the only common side effect that usually takes place. So what do you do about it?

Dry mouth – simply chew sugar-free gum or quietly suck on sugar free sweets.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Taking domperidone during pregnancy is not recommended and it’s strongly suggested you find out as much as you can on how domperidone can impact you and your baby during pregnancy from the website. “Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy (BUMPS)

While domperidone can boost the amount of breast milk in a mother’s breast it can also result in irregular heartbeat in a baby. You need to consult your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking domperidone when you are breastfeeding.

Precautions when using domperidone with other medications

Domperidone and other medicines don’t interact well together and it may raise side effects issues.

Let your doctor or pharmacist know if you’re taking:

•  antidepressants or antipsychotic medications
•  fungal infection medications or antibiotics
• malaria-related medications
• HIV related medications
• medications for high blood pressure or heart problems
• cancer related medications

Should you take domperidone with other medicines?

The safest way is to take domperidone on its own when you are feeling sick or when you are actually being sick. If domperidone fails to work for you, speak to your doctor about it and follow their instructions.

Avoid using domperidone with herbal remedies as this may actually exacerbate the side effects.

Bottom line

There’s no denying the fact that a well written guide on a topic, which this time happens to be the drug medication domperidone, tends to result in complete satisfaction to readers who wish to know more about drug medications. Drugs have now become an integral part of the medical landscape and there’s little doubt that those who have taken this medication have experienced timely help, satisfaction and confidence in the types of treatment which are now available for healing patients.