Hi,i was diagnosed with parkinsons in november,at the age of 49,i am on ropinirole 9mg a day,i wondered wether anyone could tell me if they have had these side effects, headaches like a bad hangover,stomach pains, and bloating, also i seem to be putting on weight,my nurse says she thinks these effects might pass when i am on the right medication,i have been on 9mg for about 4 weeks now, and only just starting to feel sick,thanks for reading any news would be a help,i'm only just starting to except it now.

Hi Beefy,

Welcome to the forum.

Unfortunately most people experience side effects when starting a new medication for Parkinson's disease and sometimes they can be quite frightening and even off putting. Nausea and light headiness are probably the most common side effects and most pwp find they settle down after a short time although each time the dosage is increased it may stir the side effects again. Domperidone is very good at treating the nausea and is available on prescription. You may need to increase the dosage(with consultants consent) or maybe combine it with a another drug to gain control over your symptoms. If the side effects persist then you'll have to consider a another drug. Changes in behaviour effecting the reward seeking parts of our brain can cause impulsive behaviour such as gambling, hyper sexuality, binge eating, impulse shopping and punding. You mentioned weight gain, just wondering if you're binge eating, although you are still on quite a low dose of Ropinerole, bus just be aware of this and other changes in behaviour.

About a year ago i was on Ropinerole. At first i experienced side effects similar to the one's you are but they settled down once i became on the required dose to control the PD. My walking improved dramatically. But after a few months of being on the highest dose of Ropinerole which is 24mg, other side effects started to surface although i wasn't aware at the time how much they was influencing my life and those around me. My behaviour changed, i became extremely hyper-sexual and seeked risk taking behaviour to satisfy my need for euphoria. Sounds good but believe me it wasn't. To cut a long story short i had to withdraw from Ropinerole. I'm now settled on a drug regime that controls my symptoms well. Please don't be alarmed by this because many people go on for years controlling their symptoms with Ropinerole. Just be aware and cautious of the side effects and tell people around you to tell you if your behaviour is changing so you can act on it and probably either lower or change the medication for another type.

Keep a drugs diary and monitor how you are. This will help you to adjust your drug timings to gain better control over your symptoms. If you find your symptoms are returning, lets say a hour before your next dose is due, then adjust the timings and try taking meds a hour earlier. Also note changes in behaviour or how you're feeling and if your sleep patterns changed. Never change the dose of your meds without your consultants advice. Take the drugs diary to your next appointment to help your consultant tailor your meds to your needs.

If you go to the homepage of this site, click on publications and you will see some information sheets and booklets. 'KEEPING A DRUGS DIARY' is one of them.

Cutiepie, hi,
thanks for your info,it helps alot,i will be speaking to my nurse on monday,so i can tell her how i am feeling, to see if she can help,but it's like you say, we are all different,i thankyou again for your help, take care

Hiya Beefy
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis and your experience with Requip.I would, with respect, disagree with Cutie Pie insofar as the commonality of siide effects among PwP. The symptoms manifest in different ways, at different intensities or not at all. When I was on Ropinerole I did not suffer any side effects. But the difference is that you have been started on an agonist (Ropinerole) from dot, whereas I started on Sinemet. Long term use of sinemet causes dyskinesia. BY starting you on Ropinerole your consultant is hoping to avoid the side effect, specifically dyskinesia.

Heed the warning by Cutie Pie concerning a change in your behaviour, it is a very real threat.

take care
Mart

Hi,Check with your P.D nurse or consultant but John found a combination of antisickness drug mentioned above, eating a dry biscuit when taking medication if he could AND SPREADING OUT THE DOSE helped.Thus instead of taking tablets every four hours he took half a dose every two hours.Now he is on the controlled release there are no problems with side effects.(Touch wood) you have to settle on the ordinary Requip before you can move on to the controlled realease ,I believe.Best thing since sliced bread for John.

Hi Martin,

Yes!...no two people with Parkinson’s are exactly the same, and each will have a different combination of symptoms and medication. When i used the word common i meant from all of the side effects, nausea and light headedness are two of the more common side effects that Ropinerole and the dopamine agonists in general can cause. The degree and intensity in which side effects have on us varies immensely. Pramipexole was the first drug i took but unfortunately it caused nausea, visual disturbance and severe light headedness which would not subside. I had to withdraw from it and oral Rotigotine was then introduced but it caused severe nausea and vomiting causing me to lose lots of weight. I then tried Ropinerole which at first caused nausea and light headedness which i was told by my consultant he finds two of the more common side effects. When i was on the dopamine agonists i actually experienced dyskinesia. Since i've been on Sinemet and Selegiline i've had no dyskinesia. So yes,you're right... it just goes to show how different we all are.

Its trial and error until we get the right drug or combination of drugs to control one's symptoms......after all they do say Parkinson's is a designer disease.

Welcome back to the forum Martin. I only joined about a year and half ago now so i wasnt around when you left. Look forward to sharing your posts.

QT

Hi ECG,

I'm glad John's settled on Requip CR. I tried so many different ways of trying to tolerate the dopamine agonists but they just didn't suit me and caused mayor behaviour problems. If i'd of stayed on the agonists i can honestly say i don't think i'd be here now because thats how low they made me. I do so wish they'd suited me because i really didnt want to introduce levadopa. However i have managed in the last few months to more than half the levadopa by introducing Selegiline so i'm quite pleased about that.

Best wishes to both you and John

QT

hi martinC,
thanks for your info, yes a started on 0.25 3 times a day, and now on 3mg 3 times a day, the sickness and stomach pains has only got worse in the last 3 weeks,my nurse does not know why i'm having the stomach pains, said she does not think it's to do with my tablets, but got up this morning and stomach pains a bit worse, so i'll tell nurse in the morning see what she says then take it from
there,thanks and take care. to anyone else who reads this has anyone had stomach pains since starting there medication or is just me, if it is it might be another problem i've got, ah well let's keep smiling,have a nice day

Morning all,

We all know about the individuality of PD and how the drugs we take affect us and the side effects, so i won't go any further there.

My consultant has always stressed the point about medication, low and slow, to allow the body to get used to the drug. To date i have found that instruction to work very well for me, but, need i say it, but not for you. From day one January 06, i started on requip building up to 24mgs by June/July 07, by which time i was suffering hallucinations and the slowness was becoming a problem.

Then in September 07 i reduced the requip to 18mgs for two weeks, then to 12mgs for a further two weeks to eliminate the visions and started on Sinemet at 1/2 a tablet once a day when down to 12mgs of requip, building up to 2 tablets 3 times a day to try and improve the movement and it did although it took about 2 months to get to that stage.

I was then having trouble with on/off and between doses was a nightmare at times, especially outdoors and away from my comfort zone.

Two weeks ago i substituted the requip with 12mgs of requip XL to try and even out the peaks and troughs, and after a shaky start, no pun intended there, i seem to be cantering along quite well now.

When we are struggling with the problems do we tend to get so impatient with the apparent lack of effect of the meds that we don't allow enough time to see if they will work, like taking paracetemol for toothache and hoping it will work right away.

G G

Hi Beefy,

I copied and pasted this information about requip. As you can see i've highlighted 'abdominal pain'. Like Grumpy Gramps says it takes time to settle on a drug regime and its trial and error, no two pwp are the same in the way they respond to treatment. Please keep a drugs diary it will help pin point any problems. I remember having some bizarre dreams when was on the dopamine agonists......i could be in the middle of a dream, wake up go to toilet or get a drink and then continue my dream. I also experienced hallucinations, but this was also due to not sleeping. You are doing the right thing by asking questions and talking with your PD specialist. If the abdominal pain started since starting requip then it maybe there is a link but we have to remember not to put every down to PD. When i first started medication for PD i recall feeling extremely weary and my anxiety levels seemed worse but once i got the right balance of drugs and timings i was fine.

Some pwp settle into a drug regime straight away, some it takes a bit of juggling around over a slow period of time. You'll get there, try not to worry to much because the anxiety will make your symptoms worse. Hopefully soon, once you've settled on a dose that controls your symptoms, the side effects will settle down.

Best wishes
QT
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Most important fact about Requip
Requip is not a cure for Parkinson's disease. However, it does alleviate symptoms of the disease, and it can shorten the "off" periods of immobility that patients on long-term levodopa therapy often begin to experience.

How should you take Requip?
Take 3 doses a day, with or without food. If the drug upsets your stomach, combining it with food may relieve the problem. If you are also taking levodopa, its dosage may be gradually decreased when you start therapy with Requip.

--If you miss a dose...

Take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the one you missed and go back to your regular schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

--Storage instructions...

Store at room temperature away from light.

What side effects may occur?
Side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in intensity, inform your doctor as soon as possible. Only your doctor can determine if it is safe for you to continue taking Requip.

More common side effects may include:
Abdominal pain, abnormal dreaming, abnormal muscle movements, abnormal vision, amnesia, anxiety, arthritis, bronchitis, confusion, constipation, decreased muscle movements, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, eye problems, fainting, falling, fatigue, hallucinations, headache, increased sweating, indigestion, joint pain, leg swelling, nausea, nervousness, pain, paralysis, respiratory tract infection, runny nose, sinus inflammation, skin tingling, sore throat, swelling, tremor, urinary tract infection, viral infections, vomiting, weakness

Why should Requip not be prescribed?
If Requip gives you an allergic reaction, you will not be able to continue using it.

Special warnings about Requip
At the start of Requip therapy and whenever the dose is increased, you face a slightly increased risk of a fainting spell or other symptoms of low blood pressure such as dizziness, nausea, sweating, and light-headedness, particularly when you get up suddenly after sitting or reclining for a prolonged period. To avoid such symptoms, be careful to stand up slowly.

A few patients--especially older ones--also develop hallucinations. Let your doctor know if this occurs. You may have to stop Requip therapy.

Use Requip with caution if you have heart disease. There is also a slight chance of developing respiratory difficulties or problems with your eyesight. If you find it hard to breathe, have any swelling, or develop problems with your vision, alert your doctor at once.

With other Parkinson's medications, a sudden dose reduction has been known to cause high fever, muscle stiffness, and loss of consciousness. Although this has not happened with Requip, be alert for such problems and contact your doctor immediately if they occur.

Requip may cause drowsiness, and some people have reported falling asleep without warning during their daily activities. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how the drug affects you. If you find that Requip makes you sleepy or that you're suddenly falling asleep in the middle of routine activities, tell your doctor; he will probably discontinue the drug.

Requip may also cause darkening of your skin and eye color. Tell your doctor if you notice any change.

Possible food and drug interactions when taking Requip
If Requip is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either can be increased, decreased, or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Requip with the following:

Alcohol
Antidepressants such as Elavil, Pamelor, and Tofranil
Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
Drugs that contain levodopa such as Dopar, Larodopa, and Sinemet
Estrogen medications such as ethinyl estradiol (Estinyl)
Major tranquilizers such as Haldol, Mellaril, Navane, Prolixin, and Thorazine
Metoclopramide (Reglan)
Tranquilizers such as the benzodiazepines Ativan, Librium, Valium, and Xanax

Recommended dosage
ADULTS

Requip is taken 3 times a day. During the first week of therapy, each dose is 0.25 milligram. During the second week, the amount rises to 0.5 milligram. In the third week, it increases to 0.75 milligram, and in the fourth week reaches 1 milligram (3 milligrams daily). If necessary, your doctor will gradually increase the dosage further, up to a maximum of 24 milligrams per day.

If you need to stop Requip therapy, the doctor will discontinue the drug gradually over a 7-day period, reducing the number of doses from 3 to 2 per day for the first 4 days, then to once a day for the remaining 3 days.