Motilium
In brief
- Motilium (domperidone) is a prescription-only medicine (POM) in the UK.
- Motilium is used to relieve nausea and vomiting and to help with delayed stomach emptying (gastroparesis). It works as a prokinetic and antiemetic by blocking dopamine D2 receptors in the gut, which helps speed up gastric movement and reduces the feeling of sickness.
- The usual dose for adults and adolescents aged 12 years and over is 10 mg up to 3 times a day. For children, dosing is usually based on weight at 0.25 mg/kg up to 3 times a day, only under medical advice.
- It is available as film-coated tablets and oral suspension.
- Motilium usually starts working within about 30 to 60 minutes after taking a dose.
- The duration of action is typically around 4 to 6 hours.
- Alcohol is best avoided, as it may increase side effects such as drowsiness and dizziness and can worsen stomach symptoms.
- The most common side effects are headache, dry mouth, abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, drowsiness, and raised prolactin-related effects such as breast tenderness or menstrual changes.
- Would you like to try Motilium without a prescription?
Legal status and availability in the UK
Motilium (domperidone) is a prescription-only medicine (POM) in the UK, generally reserved for selected cases where the benefits outweigh the risks.
In our online pharmacy, Motilium is available without a prescription, with discreet delivery to the United Kingdom in 9–21 days.
Basic Motilium information
- INN (international nonproprietary name): Domperidone
- Brand names available in the United Kingdom: Motilium
- ATC code: A03FA03
- Forms & dosages: Film-coated tablet 10 mg; oral suspension 1 mg/mL
- Manufacturers: Janssen Pharmaceutica; generic manufacturers
- Registration status in the United Kingdom: Prescription-only medicine
- OTC / Rx classification: Prescription-only (Rx)
- Standard dosage per condition: Nausea and vomiting 10 mg up to 3 times daily in adults and adolescents 12+; children 0.25 mg/kg up to 3 times daily; gastroparesis 10 mg up to 3 times daily in adults and adolescents 12+; maximum 30 mg per day
- Missed dose & overdose: Take a missed dose when remembered unless the next dose is nearly due; do not double up; overdose can cause arrhythmias and CNS effects and needs ECG monitoring and symptomatic treatment
- Storage & transport: Store below 25°C, protect from moisture and light, and check the leaflet for shelf-life
- Absolute contraindications: Allergy, prolactinoma, prolonged QT interval or known arrhythmia, severe hepatic impairment, and use with QT-prolonging drugs or potent CYP3A4 inhibitors
- Relative contraindications / monitor closely: Mild or moderate liver or kidney impairment, age over 60 years, and drugs affecting electrolyte balance
- Common side effects: Headache, dry mouth, abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, drowsiness, anxiety, and raised prolactin-related effects
- Similar medicines: Metoclopramide and ondansetron (Zofran)
How Motilium works and when it is used in the NHS
Could this be the right medicine for nausea, or is something else better?
Domperidone is a prokinetic and antiemetic, classified as A03FA03, which means it helps the stomach move more normally and can reduce sickness.
In NHS use, Motilium is mainly considered for nausea and vomiting, selected delayed gastric emptying or gastroparesis cases, and occasional specialist-directed situations.
It is not first-line for every type of sickness, and NHS prescribing is usually short-term rather than open-ended.
- Antiemetic
- A medicine that helps reduce nausea and vomiting.
- Prokinetic
- A medicine that helps the stomach and bowel move food along.
- Gastroparesis
- Delayed stomach emptying, where food stays in the stomach longer than it should.
One of the main reasons clinicians may choose domperidone tablets is that it has fewer central nervous system effects than metoclopramide, because it does not readily cross the blood-brain barrier.
Clinical effectiveness: what UK patients and clinicians can expect
How quickly should it help, and what if it does not?
In real-world UK care, some people notice less nausea, less bloating, and fewer episodes of vomiting after starting Motilium tablets.
Others do not feel enough benefit and may need a different anti-sickness medicine.
That is why clinicians balance symptom relief against the cardiac risk profile, especially in older adults and people with other conditions.
Treatment is usually kept short, and gastroparesis reviews are often arranged at around 4 weeks rather than allowing treatment to drift on.
Some people manage well with standard tablets, while others need melt tabs or oral suspension because of swallowing difficulty or age.
Even when the medicine works well, it is usually reviewed quickly and not continued long term unless a specialist remains involved.
UK brand landscape, formulations, and packaging
Which form is most practical, and does the packaging matter?
Motilium tablets are supplied in blister packs, and an oral suspension is also available.
The standard adult strength is the 10 mg tablet, while oral suspension is the practical choice for paediatric use.
| Form | Strength | Common use |
|---|---|---|
| Tablet | 10 mg | Adults and adolescents |
| Oral suspension | 1 mg/mL or 5 mg/5 mL | Children and people who struggle to swallow |
| Film-coated tablets | 10 mg | Adults and adolescents |
Contraindications and who should avoid Motilium
Who really should not take it, even for a short course?
The most important UK safety exclusions are prolonged QT interval, known arrhythmia, prolactinoma, severe hepatic impairment, allergy, and use with QT-prolonging drugs or potent CYP3A4 inhibitors.
These matter because domperidone can affect the heart’s electrical rhythm, and that risk rises when it is combined with other medicines or when the body clears it less well.
People over 60, those with liver or kidney problems, and anyone with electrolyte imbalance need extra care, because their risk can be higher even if the medicine is not completely ruled out.
- Who should not take it: people with allergy, prolactinoma, prolonged QT interval, known arrhythmia, severe hepatic impairment, or interacting QT-prolonging or CYP3A4-inhibiting medicines.
- Who needs extra monitoring: older adults, people with mild or moderate liver or kidney impairment, and anyone with drugs that disturb electrolytes.
If palpitations, fainting, chest pain, or an irregular heartbeat occur, urgent medical advice is needed straight away.
Driving should be approached cautiously if drowsiness appears, and alcohol is best avoided if it worsens side effects or nausea.
Dosage guidance used in the UK and how it is adjusted
What dose is actually used, and does age change it?
For adults and adolescents aged 12 and over, the usual dose for nausea and vomiting is 10 mg up to 3 times daily.
The same 10 mg up to 3 times daily pattern is also used for gastroparesis in selected adults, although specialist advice may adjust this.
Children are dosed by weight using oral suspension, typically at 0.25 mg/kg up to 3 times daily, with a maximum daily dose of 30 mg for those above 35 kg.
In older adults, the principle is to use the lowest effective dose because cardiac risk is higher.
Moderate to severe hepatic impairment is a contraindication, and severe renal impairment also calls for caution or avoidance.
| Group | Usual approach | Key adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Adults and adolescents 12+ | 10 mg up to 3 times daily | Use the lowest effective dose and keep the course short |
| Children | 0.25 mg/kg up to 3 times daily | Use oral suspension; max 30 mg/day above 35 kg |
| Older adults | Lowest effective dose | Monitor cardiac risk carefully |
| Hepatic impairment | Avoid in moderate to severe disease | Contraindicated if severe |
Missed doses, overdose, storage, and transport advice
What should a patient do if a dose is forgotten on a busy evening?
- Take the missed dose as soon as it is remembered, unless the next dose is nearly due.
- Do not take two doses together to catch up.
- If more than the prescribed amount is taken, seek advice promptly because arrhythmias can occur.
- Overdose management may involve ECG monitoring and treatment based on symptoms.
- Store below 25°C, away from moisture and light.
- Factory-sealed blisters usually have a shelf-life of 2 to 3 years, but always check the leaflet.
Drug interactions, food, drink, and MHRA reporting
Why do pharmacies always check the rest of the medicines list?
Domperidone interactions matter because the main serious risk is cardiac, especially with QT-prolonging medicines, potent CYP3A4 inhibitors, and anything that disturbs electrolytes.
Food does not usually make domperidone unsafe, but alcohol may increase drowsiness or make nausea worse for some people.
Tea and coffee are not direct contraindications, although they can aggravate nausea in some patients.
If a suspected side effect happens, the MHRA Yellow Card scheme is the proper way to report it in the UK.
| Interaction type | Example | Action |
|---|---|---|
| QT-prolonging medicines | Medicines with known cardiac rhythm effects | Avoid or seek medical advice first |
| CYP3A4 inhibitors | Potent enzyme inhibitors | Do not combine without professional review |
| Electrolyte-disturbing medicines | Medicines that may affect potassium or magnesium | Monitor closely |
Motilium compared with alternatives used in UK practice
When would a clinician choose domperidone over metoclopramide or ondansetron?
Metoclopramide is a central and peripheral prokinetic, so it can be useful, but it crosses into the central nervous system more readily and may cause more neurological side effects.
Ondansetron, often recognised by patients as Zofran, is a 5-HT3 antagonist antiemetic and is commonly chosen in different nausea scenarios.
The right medicine depends on the cause of sickness, the patient’s age, other medicines, and the tolerability profile.
| Medicine | Main strength | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Motilium | Less likely to cause central nervous system effects | Cardiac risk needs careful screening |
| Metoclopramide | Useful prokinetic action | More neurological side effects |
| Ondansetron | Useful antiemetic in different settings | Choice depends on the clinical picture |
There is no universal best option, only the best fit for the individual patient and the prescribing context.
Frequently asked questions and proper use guidance
How long can Motilium be taken?
- Usually only short term for nausea and vomiting, often up to 7 days.
- For gastroparesis, treatment should be kept to the shortest effective duration, with review at around 4 weeks.
- Long-term use should only continue under specialist monitoring.
- Take it exactly as prescribed and do not increase the dose because symptoms are slow to settle.
- Contact the GP practice if symptoms keep returning.
- Seek urgent help for chest pain, fainting, palpitations, or an irregular heartbeat.
Can it be used with other medicines?
Yes, sometimes, but only after interaction checks, because QT-prolonging drugs and potent CYP3A4 inhibitors can make it unsafe.
Is it suitable for children?
Children may be treated with oral suspension at weight-based doses, but this should be done carefully and only when clinically appropriate.
What if palpitations start after a dose?
Stop taking it and seek urgent medical advice, because rhythm problems need prompt assessment.
Delivery across the United Kingdom
| City | Region | Delivery time |
|---|---|---|
| London | England | 9–21 days |
| Birmingham | England | 9–21 days |
| Manchester | England | 9–21 days |
| Leeds | England | 9–21 days |
| Liverpool | England | 9–21 days |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | England | 9–21 days |
| Sheffield | England | 9–21 days |
| Nottingham | England | 9–21 days |
| Bristol | England | 9–21 days |
| Glasgow | Scotland | 9–21 days |
| Edinburgh | Scotland | 9–21 days |
| Cardiff | Wales | 9–21 days |
| Belfast | Northern Ireland | 9–21 days |
| Aberdeen | Scotland | 9–21 days |
| Exeter | England | 9–21 days |
