What Is Motilium?
Motilium is a brand of domperidone, a dopamine antagonist. Domperidone works in two ways. It acts on the vomiting centre’s trigger zone, which lies outside the blood-brain barrier, to reduce nausea. It also speeds up the movement of food from the stomach into the intestine (a “prokinetic” effect), which relieves bloating and the heavy, full feeling after meals.
Many domperidone brands are sold in Pakistan, and pharmacy listings show Motilium among them. All contain the same active ingredient in the same strength.
Motilium Tablet Uses
| Use | How Domperidone Helps |
| Nausea and vomiting | Reduces the urge to vomit by acting on the trigger zone |
| Bloating and early fullness | Speeds up gastric emptying |
| Indigestion with slow stomach emptying | Moves food along so it does not sit and ferment |
| Reflux-type symptoms | Improves stomach emptying (it does not reduce acid) |
| Gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying) | Prokinetic effect, under a doctor’s care |
| Nausea from dopamine-agonist medicines (e.g., in Parkinson’s) | Does not cross into the brain much, so it does not worsen movement symptoms |
Important: Motilium does not reduce stomach acid. If heartburn is your main problem, acid-reducing medicine such as Risek (omeprazole) capsules may be the better fit, and a doctor may combine the two.
When to Take Motilium: Before Meals
This is the most-searched practical question, and it matters.
- Take the tablet about 15 to 30 minutes before a meal. This allows it to start speeding up the stomach before food arrives.
- Taking it after food or on a full stomach can reduce its effectiveness.
- If you take it three times a day, space the doses across the day’s main meals.
- If you also take an antacid, take it after meals, as antacids can reduce domperidone absorption when taken before it.
Motilium Dosage for Adults
| Group | Usual Dose | Maximum / Duration |
| Adults and adolescents (12+ years and 35 kg or more) | 10mg up to 3 times daily, before meals | 30mg per 24 hours |
| Children under 35 kg | Weight-based dose (about 0.25mg/kg), prescribed by a doctor | Do not give the adult tablet |
| Treatment duration for nausea/vomiting | Shortest time possible | Generally not more than 1 week without review |
General reference only. Dose and duration are set by your doctor. This tablet is not meant for long-term self-treatment.
These limits follow the European Medicines Agency review of domperidone, which restricted its use because of heart-safety concerns. The lower dose and short duration are deliberate.
Motilium Side Effects
Common or mild
- Dry mouth
- Headache
- Abdominal cramps
- Diarrhoea
- Dizziness or tiredness
Hormone-related (domperidone can raise prolactin)
- Breast tenderness or enlargement
- Milk-like nipple discharge (in men or women)
- Menstrual irregularities
Serious. Stop and get urgent help if you notice
- Fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeat
- Fainting or near-fainting
- Chest pain
- Swelling of the face, lips or throat, or difficulty breathing
- A new rash
The Heart Safety Point Everyone Should Know
Reviews by European regulators found a small increased risk of serious heart rhythm problems, including QT prolongation and, rarely, sudden cardiac death. The risk is higher in:
- People over 60
- Those taking more than 30mg a day
- Those on long-term treatment
- Those taking other QT-prolonging drugs or strong CYP3A4 inhibitors
That is why the lowest dose for the shortest time is the rule.
Who Should Avoid Motilium
- People with known heart rhythm disorders, QT prolongation, heart failure or significant heart disease
- People with moderate or severe liver impairment
- People with low potassium or magnesium, or severe dehydration from vomiting and diarrhoea (ask a doctor)
- Those with stomach bleeding, intestinal blockage or perforation
- Those with a prolactin-secreting pituitary tumour (prolactinoma)
- Anyone taking strong CYP3A4 inhibitors, such as ketoconazole or erythromycin, or other QT-prolonging medicines (some antibiotics, antifungals and antiarrhythmics)
- Children under 12 or under 35 kg, unless prescribed in a suitable paediatric form
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women should only use it on a doctor’s advice
If you have vomiting with severe stomach pain, blood, a high fever, or you cannot keep fluids down, see a doctor rather than taking tablets repeatedly.
Motilium vs Buscopan vs Risek
These three are often mixed up because they all “settle the stomach,” but they target different problems.
| Medicine | Active Ingredient | Targets | Best For |
| Motilium | Domperidone | Slow stomach emptying, nausea | Nausea, bloating, early fullness |
| Buscopan | Hyoscine butylbromide | Gut muscle spasm | Cramping, colicky pain |
| Risek | Omeprazole | Stomach acid | Heartburn, acidity, ulcers |
Cramps with loose motion are usually a spasm problem. Buscopan (hyoscine butylbromide) is for that. For burning in the chest and sour taste, an acid reducer is more suitable. One note: Buscopan slows gut movement while Motilium speeds it up, so they work in opposite directions and are not usually combined without a doctor’s advice.
Motilium Price in Pakistan
| Pack | Approximate Price (PKR) |
| Single tablet (10mg) | Rs. 7 – 11 |
| Strip of 10 tablets | Rs. 70 – 110 |
| Pack of 50 tablets | Rs. 340 – 550 |
Prices vary by brand, pharmacy, and city, and can be revised. Please confirm the current price before buying. This section is reviewed and refreshed quarterly.
FAQs
Before: about 15 to 30 minutes ahead of the meal.
It is not meant for long-term self-medication. For nausea and vomiting, use is generally limited to one week unless your doctor advises otherwise.
It can help when bloating comes from slow stomach emptying and early fullness.
Adults: one 10mg tablet up to three times daily, a maximum of 30mg in 24 hours.
Yes, they are often prescribed together when someone has both reflux and slow emptying, but follow your doctor’s plan.
