Requip

Requip

Generic Name: ropinirole (oral) (roe PIN i role)

Brand Names: Requip, Requip XL

What is Requip?

Requip has some of the same effects as a chemical called dopamine, which occurs naturally in your body. Low levels of dopamine in the brain are associated with Parkinson's disease.

Requip is used to treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease, such as stiffness, tremors, muscle spasms, and poor muscle control. Requip is also used to treat restless legs syndrome (RLS).

Requip may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Important information about Requip

Requip may cause you to fall asleep during normal daytime activities such as working, talking, eating, or driving. You may fall asleep suddenly, even after feeling alert. Tell your doctor if you have any problems with daytime sleepiness or drowsiness. If you are unsure of how this medicine will affect you, be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

You may have increased sexual urges, unusual urges to gamble, or other intense urges while taking this medication. Talk with your doctor if you believe you have any intense or unusual urges while taking Requip.

Do not share this medication with another person, even if they have the same symptoms you do. Avoid drinking alcohol, which can increase some of the side effects of Requip. Cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety can add to sleepiness caused by Requip. Tell your doctor if you regularly use any of these other medicines.

Requip may cause hallucinations (the sensation of hearing or seeing something that is not there), most commonly among elderly people. Call your doctor if you experience hallucinations.

Do not stop using Requip or change your dose without first talking to your doctor. You may have side effects such as fever, muscle stiffness, and confusion if you stop the medication suddenly or if you change doses.

Some people taking medicines for Parkinson's disease have developed skin cancer (melanoma). However, people with Parkinson's disease may have a higher risk than most people for developing melanoma. Talk to your doctor about your specific risk and what skin symptoms to watch for. You may need to have regular skin exams.

Before taking Requip

Requip may cause you to fall asleep during normal daytime activities such as working, talking, eating, or driving. You may fall asleep suddenly, even after feeling alert. Tell your doctor if you have any problems with daytime sleepiness or drowsiness. If you are unsure of how this medicine will affect you, be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. You should not use Requip if you are allergic to ropinirole.

If you have certain conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take this medication. Before you take this medication, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

heart disease;

high or low blood pressure;

mental illness or compulsive behaviors;

kidney disease;

liver disease; or

if you smoke.

You may have increased sexual urges, unusual urges to gamble, or other intense urges while taking Requip. It is not known whether the medicine actually causes this effect. Talk with your doctor if you believe you have any intense or unusual urges while taking Requip.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether Requip is harmful to an unborn baby. Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether ropinirole passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby.

See also: Requip pregnancy and breastfeeding warnings (in more detail)

Requip may reduce breast milk production. Do not take Requip without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Requip may cause hallucinations (the sensation of hearing or seeing something that is not there), most commonly among elderly people. Call your doctor if you experience hallucinations.

Some people taking medicines for Parkinson's disease have developed skin cancer (melanoma). However, people with Parkinson's disease may have a higher risk than most people for developing melanoma. Talk to your doctor about your specific risk and what skin symptoms to watch for. You may need to have regular skin exams.

How should I take Requip?

Take Requip exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

The dose and timing of Requip in treating Parkinson's disease is different from the dose and timing in treating RLS.

You may receive Requip in a starting kit that has each pill marked with the day you should take it. Do not mix these pills up because they each contain different amounts of Requip. The pills must be taken in order so that you gradually receive higher doses of the medication.

You may have a brief increase in side effects whenever your dose is changed.

Requip can be taken with or without food. Taking the medicine with food may help prevent nausea, which is a common side effect of Requip. It may take several weeks or months of using this medicine before your symptoms improve. For best results, keep using the medication as directed. Do not stop taking Requip suddenly or change your doses, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms such as fever, muscle stiffness, and confusion. Talk to your doctor about how to avoid withdrawal symptoms when stopping the medication. Do not share this medication with another person, even if they have the same symptoms you do.

Store Requip at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

Overdose symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, weakness, fainting, agitation, confusion, hallucinations, muscle twitching, tingly feeling, and chest pain.

What should I avoid while taking Requip?

Requip can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. Avoid smoking, which can make Requip less effective. Avoid drinking alcohol. It can increase some of the side effects of Requip.

Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly and steady yourself to prevent a fall.

Requip side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

feeling like you might pass out;

fever, stiff muscles, confusion, sweating, fast or uneven heartbeats (especially if you stop taking Requip or use a lower dose);

hallucinations;

tremors (uncontrolled shaking); or

tight feeling in your chest, trouble breathing.

Call your doctor promptly if you fall asleep during a daily activity, if you faint, or if you have hallucinations (hearing or seeing something that is not there). Your doctor may want you to stop taking Requip, or take a lower dose.

Less serious Requip side effects may occur, such as:

mild nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, or loss of appetite;

worsened RLS symptoms early in the morning;

diarrhea or constipation;

dry mouth, sweating;

headache;

dizziness, drowsiness;

sleep problems (insomnia); or

agitation or anxiety.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

See also: Requip side effects (in more detail)

What other drugs will affect Requip?

Cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety can add to sleepiness caused by Requip. Tell your doctor if you regularly use any of these other medicines, or any other Parkinson's medications.

Before taking Requip, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

levodopa;

ciprofloxacin (Cipro);

fluvoxamine (Luvox);

metoclopramide (Reglan);

omeprazole (Prilosec);

a medication used to treat nausea and vomiting or mental illness, such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine), fluphenazine (Prolixin), mesoridazine (Serentil), perphenazine (Trilafon), thioridazine (Mellaril), promazine (Sparine), trifluoperazine (Stelazine), thiothixene (Navane), or haloperidol (Haldol); or

an estrogen such as Premarin, Prempro, Estratest, Ogen, Estraderm, Climara, Vivelle, estradiol, and others.

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with Requip. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

More Requip resources

Requip Side Effects (in More Detail)

Requip Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Drug Images

Requip Drug Interactions

Requip Support Group

20 Reviews for Requip - Add your own review/rating

Requip Prescribing Information (FDA)

Requip Monograph (AHFS DI)

Requip Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information

Requip MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Ropinirole Prescribing Information (FDA)

Requip XL Extended-Release Tablets MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Compare Requip with other medications

Parkinson's Disease

Periodic Limb Movement Disorder

Restless Legs Syndrome

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about Requip.