INDICATIONSLevodopa is transformed into a chemical called dopamine (DOE pa meen) in the brain. Symptoms of Parkinson's disease could be a result of 'abnormal' amounts of dopamine inside the brain.
Carbidopa stops the breakdown of levodopa before it could attain the brain and work.
The mix of carbidopa and levodopa can be used to help remedy Parkinson symptoms for example muscle stiffness, tremors, spasms, and poor muscle control. This medication is also used to help remedy Parkinson symptoms caused by deadly carbon monoxide poisoning or manganese intoxication.
Carbidopa and levodopa may also be used for other purposes unlisted in this medication guide.
INSTRUCTIONS
If you happen to be already taking levodopa (Larodopa, Dopar), you need to stop taking it at the very least 12 hours before you start taking carbidopa and levodopa.
Take exactly as prescribed from your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts and over recommended. Follow the directions on the prescription label.
Carbidopa and levodopa could be taken with or without food. Take your doses at regular intervals to maintain a stable volume of the drug in your body at all times.
Do not crush, chew, or break an extended-release tablet. Swallow the pill whole. Breaking or opening the pill may cause excessive drug to be released at once.
The regular tablet could be broken or crushed as required to make it easier to swallow.
To make orally disintegrating tablet (Parcopa):
Keep named in its blister pack until you are ready to make medicine. Open the package and peel back the foil from these days blister. Do not push a tablet through the foil or perhaps you may harm these days.
Using dry hands, remove the tablet and put it within your mouth. It will start to dissolve straight away.
Do not swallow these days whole. Allow it to dissolve inside your mouth without chewing. Swallow several times as the tablet dissolves.
It may take around a few months of utilizing carbidopa and levodopa before your symptoms improve. For best results, keep while using the medication as directed. Talk with your doctor if your symptoms don't improve after a few weeks of treatment. Also educate doctor if the results of prescription drugs seem to wear off quickly between doses.
To be certain this drugs are helping your trouble and is not causing harmful effects, your blood will need to be tested often. Your heart, liver, and kidney function could also must be tested. Visit your medical professional regularly.
This medication could cause unusual results with certain lab tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you might be using carbidopa and levodopa.
STORAGE
Store at room temperature faraway from moisture, heat, and light.
MORE INFO:
Active Ingredient: Carbidopa and Levodopa
You may observe that your sweat, urine, or saliva appears dark in color, for example red, brown, or black. This is not a harmful complication, however it could potentially cause staining of your respective clothes or bedsheets.
Get emergency medical help for those who have all of these signs of a hypersensitive reaction: hives; breathlessness; swelling of your respective face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call a medical expert simultaneously in case you have these serious unwanted effects:
restless muscle movements inside your eyes, tongue, jaw, or neck;
worsening of tremors (uncontrolled shaking);
high fever, stiff muscles, sweating, fast or uneven heartbeats, rapid breathing, feeling like you might faint;
seizure (convulsions);
painful or difficult urination;
severe nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea;
uneven heart rate or fluttering with your chest;
confusion, hallucinations, anxiety, agitation, depressed mood, thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself;
chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading for the arm or shoulder.
Less serious side effects can sometimes include:
mild nausea, dry mouth, loss of appetite, heartburn, diarrhea, constipation;
headache, dizziness, drowsiness, blurred vision;
sneezing, stuffy nose, cough, or another cold symptoms;
sleep problems (insomnia), strange dreams;
muscle pain, numbness or tingly feeling; or
skin rash or itching.
This is not a complete set of side effects while others may occur. Call your medical professional for medical advice about unwanted side effects.
Do not take carbidopa and levodopa when you have used an MAO inhibitor like isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past fourteen days. Serious, life-threatening negative effects can occur invest the carbidopa and levodopa prior to the MAO inhibitor has cleared from a body.
You must not take medicines if you are allergic to carbidopa (Lodosyn) or levodopa (Larodopa), or if you have:
narrow-angle glaucoma;
unusual skin lesions which have not been checked by a doctor; or
a reputation malignant melanoma (skin cancer).
If you have these other concerns, you might need a dose adjustment or special tests:
heart disease, hypertension, coronary heart, a heart rhythm disorder, or possibly a prior heart attack;
asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or other breathing disorder;
liver or kidney disease;
an endocrine (hormonal) disease;
a stomach or intestinal ulcer;
wide-angle glaucoma; or
depression or another mental illness.
Carbidopa and levodopa might cause you to get to sleep during normal daytime activities like working, talking, eating, or driving. You may go to sleep suddenly, even after feeling alert. Tell your doctor in case you have any issues with daytime sleepiness or drowsiness.
You could have increased sexual urges, unusual urges to gamble, or another intense urges while taking carbidopa and levodopa. It is not known whether the medicine actually causes this effect. Talk with your physician if you feel you've got any intense or unusual urges while taking carbidopa and levodopa.
Some people taking medicines for Parkinson's disease have developed cancer of the skin (melanoma). However, people who have Parkinson's disease could have a the upper chances than a lot of people for developing melanoma. Talk to a medical expert about your specific risk and what skin symptoms to view for. You may need to have regular skin exams.
FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether carbidopa and levodopa will harm an child. Tell a medical expert if you might be pregnant or intend to conceive while using the this medication. Carbidopa and levodopa may pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use medicines without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
The disintegrating tablet (like Parcopa) may contain phenylalanine. Talk to your medical professional before using this form of carbidopa and levodopa if you have phenylketonuria (PKU).
If you missed the dose go whenever you remember. Skip the missed dose when it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make inside the missed dose.
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