Warning over anti-sickness drug metoclopramide after long-term use leaves grandmother disabled 

A UK grandmother now uses a wheelchair and lives with lifelong vision, speech and movement problems after she was prescribed a medication, only intended for short-term use for eight years.

Petra Walker-Barrera was given long-term doses of metoclopramide after struggling with nausea as a result of ulcerative colitis, with GPs continuing to issue prescriptions of the anti-sickness drug despite NHS advice that it is only prescribed for a five-day course, unless in exceptional circumstances.  

A warning for metoclopramide was issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in 2013 against GPs issuing repeat prescriptions, but Petra who was prescribed the drug in 2008 continued to receive it until 2016, with five different GPs re-issuing her medication 30 times in total.  

Despite returning to the Pencester Surgery in Dover numerous times to report her symptoms which included problems with her eyes and vision, inability to control her jaw and weakness in her feet and legs, she was allowed to remain on metoclopramide, with the link between the medication and her symptoms not being connected and her concerns being dismissed as anxiety.

Now, after more than eight years of metoclopramide use, 68-year-old Petra lives with movement disorders tardive dystonia and dyskinesia, and uses a wheelchair. She was even left fighting for life after her difficulty in eating and swallowing led to her choking on her food, causing pneumonia and sepsis.  

Muscle weakness in her face means she cannot smile, her speech is slurred, and her attempts to walk have resulted in numerous falls, which have seen her lose several teeth.  

Petra is committed to warning others, both healthcare professionals and patients of the dangers of long-term use of metoclopramide, with the grandmother believing there are many others in the UK who are still being given the medication on repeat prescription.  

Petra was initially prescribed metoclopramide to help with the nausea she experienced from ulcerative colitis and took the medication irregularly until late 2016. Her medication was stopped at one point in 2014 – at a time when her only symptoms were eye problems – but treatment was restarted again by her GP.

When Petra tried to seek help for her symptoms, she faced many barriers, from 10-minute time constraints in appointments at her GP practise which only allowed one symptom to be discussed at a time, to being told her symptoms were from anxiety, with one GP telling her daughter they were "all in her head".

Petra explained: "There was one appointment where I went with my daughter, and the GP told her it was all in my head. After my diagnosis, she has struggled badly with the guilt of not believing my symptoms were as bad as they were, because of what she had been told by the GP. "

In 2013, a warning was issued to GPs for the long-term prescription of metoclopramide, advising that: "Metoclopramide should only be prescribed for short‐term use (up to a maximum of 5 days)." This is to, "minimise the risks of neurological and other adverse reactions". However, in Petra's case she was kept on the medication long-term three years after the warning from health regulators warned GPs against its long-term use.

It wasn't until 2019, that the link between metoclopramide and Petra's symptoms were connected by experts at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen’s Square, in London.  The grandmother had been living with the symptoms for nine years.

Following her diagnosis, Petra has been fitted with a Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) device, which has improved some of her symptoms, and she is soon to have surgery on her feet to help her chances of walking, but the impact to her identity has been particularly difficult.  

Clinical negligence specialist, Kelly Lloyd Davies, who is supporting Petra taking action against the five GPs who prescribed her metoclopramide explained: "Like most patients, Petra put her trust in medical professionals and believed their advice and reassurances. This has, very sadly, resulted in her being left with conditions which restrict almost every aspect of her life."

Kelly continues: "This case raises serious questions around the process of issuing repeat prescriptions, and ensuring patient welfare is not put at risk through failing to properly listen to their concerns and carrying out appropriate and timely reviews of their medication. This has failed badly in Petra’s case.  

"We very much echo her message of asking questions of medical professionals if something doesn’t feel right and would urge people to seek appropriate support if they feel they have experienced sub-standard medical care." 

Petra is hoping that by sharing her story she will raise awareness of the dangers of long-term metoclopramide use and so she can get the news "out there to other people" that the medication should only be prescribed for short‐term use. Petra also emphasised the importance of accessing GP reviews for repeat prescriptions, which didn't happen with her case.

She is also hoping to reconnect with a lady from Glasgow, who she met on a cruise in August 2022 who was also prescribed metoclopramide long-term and was experiencing similar symptoms.

The former Travel and Tourism Planner explained: "Despite warnings about the long-term use of metoclopramide, I was kept on it for years. I went to see the GP so many times but was dismissed as having anxiety. Because of this, my life is in ruins.

"People need to know what metoclopramide can do. Having spoken to patients across the country in person and on social media, I have heard it is still being prescribed long-term. It is too easy to access repeat prescriptions, and the necessary checks by GPs are not being made, but they really need to be.  We cannot allow what has happened to me happen to even one other person – it is ruining lives."

What is metoclopramide?

Metoclopramide is an anti-sickness medicine (known as an antiemetic). It's used to help stop you feeling or being sick. According to the NHS, it is often prescribed after radiotherapy or chemotherapy, with nausea due to migraines, if you've had an operation or for palliative care.

Updated guidance in 2013 advised that Metoclopramide should only be prescribed for short‐term use (up to a maximum of 5 days) in order to minimise the risks of neurological and other adverse reactions.

Sarah McCann is a Trends Writer for NationalWorld who specialises in stories around TV, Film and Health. If you liked this article you can follow Sarah on X (Twitter) here. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.