Domperidone is a medication that makes the stomach and bowels contract more frequently. Domperidone is also used to relieve nausea and vomiting brought on by other Parkinson’s disease medications.
Only your doctor or someone working under their direct supervision should administer domperidone.
Before Using
The benefits of a medicine must be evaluated against the hazards when determining whether to use it. You will decide this along with your doctor. Consider the following when using this medication:
Allergies
If you have ever experienced an unusual or adverse reaction to this or any other medication, let your doctor know immediately. Be sure to inform your healthcare provider if you have allergies to foods, colors, preservatives, or animals. Read the ingredients carefully on the label or container of non-prescription products.
Pediatric/Children
Only adult patients have been studied with this medication, and there is no particular data comparing domperidone use in children with use in other age groups.
Geriatric
Many medications have not been carefully examined in elderly patients. Since older folks may experience different side effects or issues from younger adults, it is unknown whether they function the same way in older adults. No concrete data contrasts domperidone use in the elderly with other age groups.
Breastfeeding
There isn’t enough research on women to assess the risk to the baby of taking this medicine while nursing. Before using this drug during nursing, weigh the potential advantages against the potential drawbacks.
Adverse Drug Reactions
While some medications should never be combined, in other circumstances, two distinct medications may be given together, even if an interaction occurs. Your doctor might wish to adjust the dosage, or additional safety measures could be required. If you take any of the medications listed below, your healthcare provider must be aware of this before administering this medication to you. The following interactions are not necessarily exhaustive but have been chosen because of their potential significance.
Combining this medication with any of the following medications is not advised. This medication may not be prescribed to you, or your doctor may decide to adjust some of your other medications. These may include:
- Bepridil
- Cisapride
- Darunavir
- Dronedarone
- Fluconazole
- Ketoconazole
- Levoketoconazole
- Mesoridazine
- Pimozide
- Piperaquine
- Posaconazole
- Saquinavir
- Sparfloxacin
- Terfenadine
- Thioridazine
- Ziprasidone
Other Interactions
Because there could be interactions, some medications shouldn’t be taken at or close to mealtimes or when consuming specific foods. There could be problems if you combine certain medications with alcohol or smoke. The following interactions are not necessarily exhaustive but have been chosen because of their potential significance.
Although it is often not advised, using this medication alongside any of the following may be unavoidable in specific circumstances. If you take these medications together, your doctor might adjust the dosage or frequency of your medication or give you specific guidelines for consuming food, drink, or cigarettes.
Other Health Issues
The existence of additional health issues could impact the use of this medication. Tell your doctor right away if you experience any further medical issues:
- Bleeding from the stomach or other bowel-related issues
- Brain (pituitary) tumor
- Liver illness
- Sensitivity to domperidone in medicine
Correct Use and Dosing
The dosage of this medication will vary depending on the patient. Observe your doctor’s instructions or the label’s instructions; unless your doctor instructs you otherwise, keep your dose the same as the recommended one.
The strength of the medication determines how much of it you should take. Additionally, the medical condition for which you are utilizing the medication affects the dosage you take each day, the interval between doses, and the duration of treatment.
For tablets used as oral dose forms:
- Adults should take 10 milligrams (mg) three to four times daily to treat gastrointestinal motility issues. Some patients need doses as high as 20 mg administered three or four times daily.
- Adults should take 20 milligrams (mg) three to four times daily for nausea and vomiting.
Missed Doses
Take the missed dose of this medication as soon as you remember. If your next dose is approaching, skip the missed one and resume your regular dosing regimen rather than two doses at once.
Storage
The medication should be kept at room temperature in a closed container away from heat, moisture, and bright light. Prevent freezing. Keep out of children’s reach. Do not store expired or unnecessary medications.
Precautions
Your doctor must regularly assess your development. This will enable your doctor to determine whether the medication is effective and whether you should keep taking it.
Consult your doctor if your symptoms do not subside or worsen within a few days.
A medication may have undesired side effects in addition to the required ones. Even though not all of these side effects are likely to occur, if they do, medical treatment may be required:
- Signs of an overdose
- Speaking is challenging
- Disorientation
- Dizziness
- Irregular heartbeat fainting
- Light-headedness
- Muscular control issues or loss of balance
If you have any of the following side effects, consult your doctor right away:
- Loss of muscular control or balance
- Inflammation of the mouth
- A heartbeat or pulse that is pounding, rapid, irregular, or erratic
- Swelling of the face, hands, feet, or lower legs
Certain potential side effects often do not require medical treatment. During therapy, these side effects could fade away as your body gets used to the medication. Additionally, your healthcare provider can provide information on avoiding or reducing some of these adverse effects.
If any of the following side effects persist, are troublesome, or if you have any questions about them, speak with your doctor:
- Dry tongue and breast milk coming from the nipple
- Headache, hives, and male breast enlargement
- Hot flashes
- Itching of the skin
- Menstruation irregularities
- Redness, discomfort, or swelling of the eyes
- Breast discomfort
- Changing demand for urination
- Alteration in appetite
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Unpleasant, challenging, or scorching urinating
- Having trouble speaking
- Dizziness/drowsiness
- Heartburn
- Irritability
- Lacking or waning strength
- Leg twitches
- Mental drudgery
- Nervousness
- Palpitations
- Sluggishness
- Stomach pain
- Thirst/Tiredness
- Weakness
Gastroparesis
When there is no mechanical restriction of the gastric outlet, the stomach empties more slowly due to the medical condition gastroparesis. The most frequent causes of it are idiopathic, complications from diabetes, or an outcome of abdominal surgery.
Abdominal pain, bloating, early satiety (feeling full before the meal is finished), and nausea are symptoms of the condition. Domperidone can be used to treat gastroparesis by enhancing gastrointestinal peristalsis, which will increase the transit of food through the stomach. Idiopathic and diabetic gastroparesis may benefit from it. However, the accelerated stomach emptying brought on by medications like domperidone only sometimes corresponds well with symptom improvement.
Lactation
Prolactin is a hormone that promotes lactation (production of breast milk). The hypothalamus’s dopamine release inhibits the pituitary gland’s production of prolactin.
Domperidone enhances lactation by acting as an anti-dopaminergic drug, which increases prolactin secretion (that is, it is a galactagogue). Domperidone appears to be safe for short-term usage for this purpose. It moderately enhances the volume of expressed breast milk in moms of premature newborns where breast milk expression is insufficient.
Contacting a Lawyer
Consider speaking with an accomplished class action attorney in your area if you were injured while taking domperidone. You can get compensation for your injuries with the aid of an attorney.