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:

Radiation: 1. Rays of energy. Gamma rays and X-rays are two of the types of energy waves often used in medicine. 2. The use of energy waves to diagnose or treat disease.

Replantation: 1. Literally, the act of planting again. 2. In surgery, the restoration of any part of the body to its original site. Also known as reimplantation.

The Chinese surgeon Zhong Wei Chen (1929-2004) was the "father of replantation." Dr. Chen was the first to reattach a severed hand with success which he did in 1963. Dr. Chen also developed many microsurgical procedures including techniques for preserving severed extremities, reattaching amputated fingers and thumbs, reconstructing muscles and repairing nerves and blood vessels.

Rheumatism: Rheumatism is an older term, used to describe any of a number of painful conditions of muscles, tendons, joints, and bones.

Rheumatism conditions have been classified as either localized, regional, or generalized. Localized rheumatism conditions include bursitis and tendinitis. Regional rheumatism conditions include chest wall pain, temporomandibular joint pain, and myofascial pain syndromes. Generalized rheumatism conditions include fibromyalgia.

Another category of rheumatism is psychogenic rheumatism. With this term it is understood that the patient is reporting inconsistent pains of muscles and joints that do not correspond to true anatomy and physiology. The patient is felt to have underlying psychological causes for the symptoms.

Rheumatology: A subspecialty of internal medicine that involves the non-surgical evaluation and treatment of the rheumatic diseases and conditions. Rheumatic diseases and conditions are characterized by symptoms involving the musculoskeletal system. Many of the rheumatic diseases and conditions feature immune system abnormalities. Therefore, rheumatology also involves the study of the immune system. Classical rheumatology training includes 4 years of medical school, 1 year of internship in internal medicine, 2 years of internal medicine residency, and 2 years of rheumatology fellowship. There is a subspecialty board for rheumatology certification. The American College of Rheumatology is the official organization acting on behalf of the field of rheumatology in the United States.

T cell: A type of white blood cell that is of key importance to the immune system and is at the core of adaptive immunity, the system that tailors the body's immune response to specific pathogens. The T cells are like soldiers who search out and destroy the targeted invaders.

Immature T cells (termed T-stem cells) migrate to the thymus gland in the neck, where they mature and differentiate into various types of mature T cells and become active in the immune system in response to a hormone called thymosin and other factors. T-cells that are potentially activated against the body's own tissues are normally killed or changed ("down-regulated") during this maturational process.

There are several different types of mature T cells. Not all of their functions are known. T cells can produce substances called cytokines such as the interleukins which further stimulate the immune response. T-cell activation is measured as a way to assess the health of patients with HIV/AIDS and less frequently in other disorders.

T cell are also known as T lymphocytes. The "T" stands for "thymus" -- the organ in which these cells mature. As opposed to B cells which mature in the bone marrow.

Teleology: The study of the ultimate purpose of the design of something in nature.

For example, "what is the true purpose of the nose?" is a teleological question and, to say that all evolutionary changes occur for a definite purpose is a teleological explanation of evolution.

"Teleology" comes from ancient Greek roots but it (and teleological) did not enter English until the 18th century. It is a compound of the Greek "tele-, telos," meaning "end or purpose" + the ending "logos" meaning "the science or study of" = the study of the ends or purposes.

Testosterone: A "male hormone" -- a sex hormone produced by the testes that encourages the development of male sexual characteristics, stimulates the activity of the male secondary sex characteristics, and prevents changes in them following castration. Chemically, testosterone is 17-beta-hydroxy-4-androstene-3-one.

Testosterone is the most potent of the naturally occurring androgens. The androgens cause the development of male sex characteristics, such as a deep voice and a beard; they also strengthen muscle tone and bone mass.

High levels of testosterone appear to promote good health in men, for example, lowering the risks of high blood pressure and heart attack. High testosterone levels also correlate with risky behavior, however, including increased aggressiveness and smoking, which may cancel out these health benefits.

Testosterone may be given to treat medical conditions, including female (but not male) breast cancer, hypogonadism (low gonadal function) in the male, cryptorchism (nondescent of the testis into the scrotum), and menorrhagia (irregular periods).