• Basic Info
• Top Questions
• Clinical Info

What is this medicine?
CARBIDOPA;LEVODOPA (kar bi DOE pa; lee voe DOE pa) is used to treat the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.

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What is the price of this medication and similar alternatives?

This pricing information is subject to change at the sole discretion of DS Pharmacy. This pricing information was updated 09/2009. For the most current and up-to-date pricing information, please visit www.drugstore.com. Actual costs to patients will vary depending on the use of specific retail or mail-order locations and health insurance copays.

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What side effects may I notice from receiving this medicine?
Side effects that you should report to your doctor or health care professional as soon as possible:

• allergic reactions like skin rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue
• anxiety, confusion, or nervousness
• fast or irregular heartbeat
• hallucinations
• mood changes like aggressive behavior, depression
• stomach pain
• trouble passing urine
• uncontrolled movements of the mouth, head, hands, feet, shoulders, eyelids or other unusual muscle movements

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your doctor or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):

• headache
• loss of appetite
• muscle twitches
• nausea, vomiting
• nightmares, trouble sleeping
• unusually weak or tired

This list may not describe all possible side effects. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

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How should I use this medicine?
Take this medicine by mouth with a glass of water. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Take your doses at regular intervals. Do not take your medicine more often than directed. Do not stop taking except on the advice of your doctor or health care professional.

Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.

Overdosage: If you think you have taken too much of this medicine contact a poison control center or emergency room at once.
NOTE: This medicine is only for you. Do not share this medicine with others.

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What if I miss a dose?
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Do not take double or extra doses.

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What may interact with this medicine?
Do not take this medicine with any of the following medications:

• isoniazid, INH
• medicines called MAO Inhibitors like Nardil, Parnate, Marplan, Eldepryl
• procarbazine
• reserpine

This medicine may also interact with the following medications:

• droperidol
• iron supplements
• medicines for depression, anxiety, or psychotic disturbances
• medicines for high blood pressure
• metoclopramide
• papaverine
• phenytoin

This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.

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Who should NOT use this medication?

• Concomitant use with a nonselective MAO inhibitor. (See Specific Drugs and Foods under Interactions.)
• Angle-closure glaucoma.
• Known hypersensitivity to levodopa, carbidopa, or any ingredient in the formulation.
• Malignant melanoma, history of melanoma, or suspicious undiagnosed skin lesions.

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What should I watch for while using this medicine?
Visit your doctor or health care professional for regular checks on your progress. It may be several weeks or months before you feel the full benefits of this medicine. Continue to take your medicine on a regular schedule. Do not take any additional medicines for Parkinson's disease without first consulting with your health care provider.

You may experience a wearing of effect prior to the time for your next dose of this medicine. You may also experience an on-off effect where the medicine apparently stops working for anything from a minute to several hours, then suddenly starts working again. Tell your doctor or health care professional if any of these symptoms happen to you. Your dose may need to be changed.

A high protein diet can slow or prevent absorption of this medicine. Avoid high protein foods near the time of taking this medicine to help to prevent these problems. Take this medicine at least 30 minutes before eating or one hour after meals. You may want to eat higher protein foods later in the day or in small amounts. Discuss your diet with your doctor or health care professional or nutritionist.

You may get drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how this drug affects you. Do not stand or sit up quickly, especially if you are an older patient. This reduces the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Alcohol can make you more drowsy and dizzy. Avoid alcoholic drinks.

If you are diabetic, this medicine may interfere with the accuracy of some tests for sugar or ketones in the urine (does not interfere with blood tests). Check with your doctor or health care professional before changing the dose of your diabetic medicine.

This medicine may discolor the urine or sweat, making it look darker or red in color. This is of no cause for concern. However, this may stain clothing or fabrics.

There have been reports of increased sexual urges or other strong urges such as gambling while taking some medicines for Parkinson's disease. If you experience any of these urges while taking this medicine, you should report it to your health care provider as soon as possible.

You should check your skin often for changes to moles and new growths while taking this medicine. Call your doctor if you notice any of these changes.

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What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:

• asthma or lung disease
• depression or other mental illness
• diabetes
• glaucoma
• heart disease, including history of a heart attack
• irregular heart beat
• kidney or liver disease
• melanoma or suspicious skin lesions
• stomach or intestine ulcers
• an unusual or allergic reaction to levodopa, carbidopa, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
• pregnant or trying to get pregnant
• breast-feeding

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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
As a general rule, you should always take your medications exactly as prescribed and do not change the dosage or stop taking the medication without first discussing it with your healthcare provider.

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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.

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Where can I get more information?
More Information

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