Ropinirol (other name Requip)

Common use

Requip is used to cover the lack of dopamine and alleviate symptoms such as stiffness, poor muscle control, tremors, muscle spasms in the patients with Parkinson's disease. This medication is also used to treat restless legs syndrome (RLS).

Dosage and direction

Take exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take more than two doses of the medication at once. Do not suddenly stop taking of this medication without approval of your doctor as it may worsen your symptoms such as fever, muscle stiffness, and confusion. It may take a few weeks till this medication starts to work.

Precautions

This medication causes unusual sleepiness while you are working eating, talking or driving. Avoid performing of potentially hazardous activities which require high concentration of attention until you know they way Requip affects you. Inform your doctor if you have daytime sleepiness or drowsiness.
Sleepiness may increase if Requip is taken together with cold or allergy medicine, muscle relaxers, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, a medicine for seizures, anxiety or depression can add to sleepiness caused by Requip.
This medication may cause auditory or visual hallucinations. You may need regular skin exams if you are treated for Parkinson's disease due to increased risk of skin cancer (melanoma).
Check with your doctor about the following conditions you may have as dose adjustment of Requip may be needed: high or low blood pressure, heart disease, mental illness or compulsive behaviors, liver or kidney problems, smoking.

Contraindications

Requip cannot be used in the patients with hypersensitivity to the medication.

Possible side effect

Inform your doctor if adverse reactions named below worsen or become bothersome: drowsiness, nausea, dizziness, headache, trouble sleeping, unusual weakness, stomach upset and pain, constipation, or dry mouth may occur.
If you have dry mouth it is recommended to suck on sugarless hard candy, ice chips, or drink water.
Seek immediate medical help if you have difficulty breathing or moving, hallucinations.

More rare but serious side effects worth to report about to your doctor are confusion, leg or foot swelling, fainting, restlessness, unusually fast or slow heartbeat, twitching, chest pain, muscle pain, severe muscle stiffness, vision problems, fever, sudden irresistible urge to sleep.

Drug interaction

Inform your doctor if you currently take narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, cold or allergy medicine, muscle relaxers, and medicine for depression or anxiety, seizures as concomitant use of Requip may increase drowsiness.
Remember to notify your doctor about taking of other drugs for Parkinson's disease, ciprofloxacin (Cipro), levodopa, metoclopramide (Reglan), levodopa, fluvoxamine (Luvox), omeprazole (Prilosec), estrogens such as Ogen, Vivelle, estradiol, Estraderm, Estratest, Climara, Premarin, Prempro, medications used to treat nausea and vomiting or mental illness including perphenazine (Trilafon), mesoridazine (Serentil), promazine (Sparine), trifluoperazine (Stelazine), thioridazine (Mellaril), chlorpromazine (Thorazine), fluphenazine (Prolixin), thiothixene (Navane), or haloperidol (Haldol).

Missed dose

If you forgot to take your dose in time, please do it as soon as you remember. But do not take if it is too late or almost time for your next dose. Do not increase your recommended dose. Take your usually dose next day in the same regularly time.

Overdose

Signs Requip of overdose include fainting, agitation, confusion, nausea, vomiting, weakness, hallucinations, muscle twitching, chest pain, tingly feeling.

Storage

Store at room temperature, between 59-86 F (15-30 C) in a tight dark container. Save from heat, moisture, and sunlight.