# Domperidone alternative to Zelnorm



## 16789 (Mar 26, 2007)

My doctor is writing me a prescription for domperidone(Motilium) and I want know if anyone has had success with it. I read all about it and don't understand why the even gave me zelnorm in the first place... my main symptom is indigestion and nausea. I am hoping it will work very well..Please share your stories if you've been on it.


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## lorilou (May 9, 2003)

thats great... its like reglan which is a motility drug, but its not fda approved here in the states so my dr. wont write it. reglan is good but has some bad side effects and many doctors refuse to give it. I wish the fda would get it to us here - where are you?


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## 16789 (Mar 26, 2007)

Austin Texas, they are calling it into a "compounding pharmacy". I'm really really looking forward to trying it cause it's not supposed to cause side effects. Also my first diagnosis was gastroparesis....then they said it might be IBS....so whatever it is, it could be my answer


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## 21198 (Dec 10, 2006)

STOP TAKING ZELNORM !! The FDA is about to recall Zelnorm from use permanently very soon !! It has been linked to strokes in patients here in the USA


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

> quote:The analysis included more than 11,600 patients treated with Zelnorm and over 7000 patients treated with placebo. The data showed that the risk of serious cardiovascular adverse events (e.g., angina, heart attacks, and strokes) associated with use of Zelnorm is higher than with placebo treatment. Thirteen Zelnorm-treated patients (or 0.1%) had confirmed cardiovascular ischemic events, and only 1 placebo-treated patient (or 0.01%) with an event.


It is still a very very very small risk. Every medication has some side effects in some patients, even deadly ones, almost all of those are allowed to be on the market.IMO, IBS drugs are being held to a different standard, but your mileage may vary.It has been recalled already (not very soon), but they are open to re-releasing it after the review, and given the patient response we will probably see something like what happened with Lotronex when it was re-released.Ali--There were some studies indicating Zelnorm can work on the stomach as well as the colon so that may have been why it was prescribed. No drug has one and only one effect on the body. That is because the body uses the same receptors and signal molecules over and over.


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## 16789 (Mar 26, 2007)

First of all, they started me on the zelnorm for gastroparesis..it is being studied in gastroparesis patients. Then I started having symptoms more like IBS-C, so they think my motility is sluggish from my stomach all the way through my intestines. Second, my doctors said that as long as I am comfortable with it, they think I am at such a small risk that finishing my zelnorm prescription is safe, and if the domperidone doesn't work they will write me a prescription to get it from Europe. I'm part of the population that would rather die of a heart attack than live in the misery that I was in before zelnorm. I know that sounds bad, but my doctors think that my benefits outweigh the risk and I agree with them. Now does anyone have experience with domperidone?


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## 14486 (Mar 20, 2007)

I don't have any experience with doperimidine, but I am curious as to if it is just used in patients who have been proved to have gastroparesis. I have had 3 gastric emptying scans. The first one was normal, second one delayed, and third one normal. My current GI doctor is convinced that anxiety medicines slow down my entire system at times and that is why I get this pain in my left side after almost everything I eat. I had a little bit of success with Zelnorm, had a dystonic reaction to Reglan and now my doctor is insisting that I just try foods that relieve constipation. I move my bowels several times a day and still get blocked up with pain on my left side. I've had so many tests done and nothing shows up. I would like to know more about doperimidine and if it might be something for me even though my doctor is convinced I don't have gastroparesis. Please share advice with me. Thanks.


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## 16789 (Mar 26, 2007)

Which anxiety meds can slow your system down? I've heard xanax can cause some constipation but could it cause gastroparesis?


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## 14486 (Mar 20, 2007)

The ones that have slowed my system down so far have been Seroquel, Klonapin, Pamelar and Cymbalta. They can cause gastroparesis, which, when stopping the medicines, can reverse itself. I have had some pain relief at times, when in between trying different anxiety meds, but then the effects are that I can't sleep at night and my anxiety is sky high.


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## lorilou (May 9, 2003)

I got a e-mail from the fda concerning domperidone- i had asked them last week why it had not been approved- no answer there but they said that compounding pharmacies had been warned it is illegal to make- if a dr wants you on it he must do an IND so Im surprised you can obtain it...Id like to try it instead of reglan b/c of reglan side effects. did your dr. discuss domperidone side effects wtih you?are there any serious ones?Lori


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## 16789 (Mar 26, 2007)

Doctor said no side effects, unless I'm allergic to it.I'm getting it from a compounding pharmacy.If it works, and the pharmacy decides to stop selling it, it is over the counter in europe so I will probably order it. I'm starting it Friday and I will definately report my experience on here.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

good luck Ali--hope it works for you. thanks for keeping us posted. what's a compounding pharmacy?


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## 23620 (Jan 25, 2006)

Ali, I also live in Austin. Would you mind giving the name of your doctor? I have tried domperidone and I liked it but I really didn't use as directed. I used with zelnorm and I think it increased motility too much. I still have some and will probably try it again when the zelnorm is all gone that I have now. I was told that the domperidone is safe. Peoples pharmacy stopped filling my script and I had to get it from a pharmacy in San Marcos, it was a hassel to drive there which is another reason I quit taking it.


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## 16789 (Mar 26, 2007)

I was told not to say the name but private message me and I will let you know.


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## 16789 (Mar 26, 2007)

Today was my first day of the domperidone, it was also probably my worst day ever of IBS...Maybe because no zelnorm? But I'm also really stressed. I'll give it more than a day to work....


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## fizzixgal (Apr 6, 2007)

Hi, Ali,It's true that the FDA warned compounding pharmacies not to make it. Seehttp://www.fda.gov/cder/news/domperidone.htmUnless something changed since June 2004, they are breaking the law and it might be better not to post their name on a public forum.


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## Katrina (Jan 13, 2005)

My doc tried me on it..I did not like it, or should I say it did not like me..he has me down as having adverse Central Nervous System reaction to it.I am in Canada so it is available here..wondering if a Canadian pharmacy might be an option for some of you?I know it is used here more for its side effects then for its effects..the main side effect is for nursing if you give birth and your milk does not come in, it can be used to help you produce milk..one thing you want to keep an eye on and report to the doc right away.It is more used for CF patients as a motility regulator and a motility regulatory is its offical classification but for me, I am not going anywhere near it..did nothing for the IBS but turned me into a B*** big time.


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:he has me down as having adverse Central Nervous System reaction to it.


was almost certainly *not* due to domperidone. A major feature of domperidone is that doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier and have these effects. I'm more likely to believe the drug you took was something other than domperidone before I'd believe you such an effect (and what effect is that exactly?).OTOH, domperidone is really not workable as asubstitute for Zelnorm. Domperidone works mainly on the stomach and small bowel motility, not in the colon.


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## 16789 (Mar 26, 2007)

> quote:OTOH, domperidone is really not workable as asubstitute for Zelnorm. Domperidone works mainly on the stomach and small bowel motility, not in


I am taking it because the doctors believe in addition to IBS I might have a less serious case of gastroparesis. Plus I have nausea-predominate IBS-C and domperidone is an anti-emetic.


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## 14486 (Mar 20, 2007)

ThatchickAli,How are you doing on the Domperidone? I convinced my doctor on the phone yesterday to try me on it. Has it worked for you? Is it expensive? Even though my doctor has told me that my motility is only slow because of my anxiety meds, both prescription and natural laxatives have only increased bowel movements for me - have not decreased stomach and abdominal pain, bloating and incredible gas. Yesterday I called him after lying on the couch for three hours all because I ate a chicken sandwich for lunch. I had severe pain, bloating and gas so bad I could not stand or sit up. I'm hoping I hear some good news from you. That would make me more hopeful.-Michelle


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## 16789 (Mar 26, 2007)

Hi Michelle, I actually have not seen miraculous results so I called my doctor. I have only been taking 3 doses a day and it is prescribed for 4 times a day. So she wants me to do the 4 times a day for about a week and thinks I should see a difference. This is the first day I'm taking 4 so I think I need a couple more days to let you know.I don't know if you were on Zelnorm but the first few days were awful and I thought it was because I was allergic to the domperidone or something but my doctor thinks it was just a mild withdrawl from zelnorm.. It's gone now, so I would be careful of that.As for the price I paid 95 dollars for 120 pills. (that's a month at 4 times a day) They said I could make a claim to my insurance but I am a little afraid to do that since it's not FDA approved, so I'm scared they will take it away from me, plus my parents are paying for it for me.Good luck and let me know what happens.


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