Description

Domperidone(dom-PER-i-done) is a medicine that increases the movements or contractions of the stomach and bowel. Domperidone is also used to treat nausea and vomiting caused by other drugs used to treat Parkinson's Disease.

Domperidone is to be given only by or under the immediate supervision of your doctor. It is available in the following dosage forms:

Before Receiving This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For domperidone the following should be considered:

AllergiesTell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to domperidone.

PregnancyPregnancydomperidone has not been studied in pregnant women. However, domperidone has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in animal studies.

Breast-feeding Breast-feedingDomperidone passes into the breast milk, but it is not known if domperidone will cause unwanted effects in the newborn. It may be necessary for you to take another medicine or to stop breast-feeding during treatment. Be sure you have discussed the risks and benefits of the medicine with your doctor.

ChildrenChildrenStudies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of domperidone in children with use in other age groups.

Older adultsMany medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing the use of domperidone in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicinesAlthough 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. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine, especially:

• Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (furazolidone [e.g., Furoxone], phenelzine [e.g., Nardil], procarbazine [e.g., Matulane], selegilene [e.g., Eldepryl], tranylcypromine [e.g., Parnate])

Other medical problemsThe presence of other medical problems may affect the use of domperidone. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Bleeding from the stomach or other problems involving the bowels
• Pituitary (brain) tumor
• Liver disease
• Medicine sensitivity to domperidone

Proper Use of This Medicine

DosingThe dose of domperidone 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 domperidone.If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The number of tablets of 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 taking domperidone.

• Fororal dosage form (tablets):
• Treatment of gastrointestinal motility disorders:
• Adults10 milligrams (mg) three to four times daily. Some patients may require higher doses up to 20 mg three or four times daily.
• Nausea and vomiting:
• Adults20 milligrams (mg) three to four times daily.

Missed doseIf you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

StorageTo store this medicine:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.

Side Effects of This Medicine

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Symptoms of overdose

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

Difficulty in speaking; disorientation; dizziness; fainting; irregular heartbeat; light-headedness ; loss of balance or muscle control

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

Less common

Loss of balance or muscle control; swelling of the mouth

Rare

Fast, irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat or pulse; swelling of face, hands, lower legs, or feet

. Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. However, check with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome.

Less common

Breast milk flowing from the nipple; dry mouth; swelling of the breast in the male; headache; hives; hot flashes; itching of skin; itching, redness, pain, or swelling of eye; menstrual irregularities; pain in the breast

Rare

Change in need to urinate; change in appetite; constipation; diarrhea; burning, difficult, or painful urination ; difficulty in speaking ; dizziness; drowsiness; heartburn; irritability; lack or loss of strength; leg cramps; mental dullness; nervousness; palpitations; sluggishness; stomach cramps; thirst; tiredness; weakness

What is the shelf life of the pills?

• The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.

Other Useful Information:

Calcium: A mineral found mainly in the hard part of bones, where it is stored. Calcium is added to bones by cells called osteoblasts and is removed from bones by cells called osteoclasts. Calcium is essential for healthy bones. It is also important for muscle contraction, heart action, nervous system maintenance, and normal blood clotting. Food sources of calcium include dairy foods, some leafy green vegetables such as broccoli and collards, canned salmon, clams, oysters, calcium-fortified foods, and tofu. According to the National Academy of Sciences, adequate intake of calcium is 1,200 milligrams a day (four glasses of milk) for men and women 51 and older, 1,000 milligrams a day for adults 19 through 50, and 1,300 milligrams a day for children 9 through 18. The upper limit for calcium intake is 2.5 grams daily.

Cavities: Holes in the two outer layers of a tooth called the enamel and the dentin. The enamel is the outermost white hard surface and the dentin is the yellow layer just beneath enamel. Both layers serve to protect the inner living tooth tissue called the pulp, where blood vessels and nerves reside. Small cavities may not cause pain, and may be unnoticed by the patient. Larger cavities can collect food, and the inner pulp of the affected tooth can become irritated by bacterial toxins, foods that are cold, hot, sour, or sweet - causing toothache.

Naturopathy: A system of therapy based on preventative care, and on the use of heat, water, light, air, and massage as primary therapies for disease. Some naturopaths use no medications, either pharmaceutical or herbal. Some recommend herbal remedies only. A few who are licensed to prescribe may recommend pharmaceuticals in those cases where they feel their use is warranted.

Naturopathy is an American healthcare profession. It was founded in the US as a formal healthcare system at the turn of the 20th century by medical practitioners from various natural therapeutic disciplines. By the early 1900s, more than 20 naturopathic medical schools existed, and naturopathic physicians were licensed in most States. Today there are more than 1,000 licensed naturopathic doctors in the US.

As practiced today, naturopathic medicine integrates traditional natural therapeutics -- including botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, homeopathy, acupuncture, traditional oriental medicine, hydrotherapy, and naturopathic manipulative therapy -- with modern scientific medical diagnostic science and standards of care. The medical research base of naturopathic practice consists of empirical documentation of treatments using case history observations, medical records, and summaries of practitioners' clinical experiences.

At present, the two accredited naturopathic medical schools in the US have active research departments. Naturopathic researchers have investigated the pharmacology and physiological effects of nutritional and natural therapeutic agents, and naturopathic physicians have been active in the investigation of new homeopathic remedies and in the natural treatment of women's health problems. The most recently completed naturopathic study in women's health tested the clinical and endocrine effects of a botanical formula as an alternative to estrogen replacement therapy.

Blood: The familiar red fluid in the body that contains white and red blood cells, platelets, proteins, and other elements. The blood is transported throughout the body by the circulatory system. Blood functions in two directions: arterial and venous. Arterial blood is the means by which oxygen and nutrients are transported to tissues while venous blood is the means by which carbon dioxide and metabolic by-products are transported to the lungs and kidneys, respectively, for removal from the body.

Blood pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is produced primarily by the contraction of the heart muscle. It's measurement is recorded by two numbers. The first (systolic pressure) is measured after the heart contracts and is highest. The second (diastolic pressure) is measured before the heart contracts and lowest. A blood pressure cuff is used to measure the pressure. Elevation of blood pressure is called "hypertension".

Brain: That part of the central nervous system that is located within the cranium (skull). The brain functions as the primary receiver, organizer and distributor of information for the body. It has two (right and left) halves called "hemispheres."

Disease: Illness or sickness often characterized by typical patient problems (symptoms) and physical findings (signs). Disruption sequence: The events that occur when a fetus that is developing normally is subjected to a destructive agent such as the rubella (German measles) virus.

Doctor: In a medical context, any medical professional with an MD, a PhD, or any other doctoral degree. The term doctor is quite nonspecific. A doctor may, for example, be a physician, psychologist, biomedical scientist, dentist, or veterinarian. In a nonmedical context, a professor of history might be addressed as doctor, an eminent theologian might be named a doctor of a church, and a person awarded an honorary doctorate by a college or university might also be called a doctor.

The word "doctor" comes from the Latin "docere" meaning to teach. A doctor was a teacher, especially a learned or authoritative one.