What should I watch for?
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 effect of this medicine. Continue to take your medicine on a regular schedule.
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. If you find that you have sudden feelings of wanting to sleep during normal activities, like cooking, watching television, or while driving or riding in a car, you should contact your health care professional.
Your mouth may get dry. Chewing sugarless gum or sucking hard candy, and drinking plenty of water may help. Contact your health care provider if the problem does not go away or is severe.
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.
Talk with your doctor if you have posture changes you cannot control. These may include your neck bending forward, your spine bending forward at the waist, or tilting sideways when you sit, stand, or walk.
Some patients notice a tablet residue, which may resemble a tablet or pieces of a tablet, in their stool. If this occurs, contact your health care provider. Your medication may need to be changed. Do not stop your medicine except on the advice of your health care provider.
Common and Rare Side Effects
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
More common
Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting, especially when standing up suddenly from a sitting/lying position
drowsiness
hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there)
trouble sleeping
twitching, twisting, or other unusual body movements
unusual tiredness or weakness
Less common
Confusion
difficulty with swallowing
double vision or other changes in vision
falling asleep without warning
fearfulness, suspiciousness, or other mental changes
memory loss
muscle or joint pain
muscle weakness
restlessness or need to keep moving
swelling of the body
tightness in the chest
troubled breathing
writhing, twisting, or other unusual body movements
Rare
Abnormal thinking
bloody or cloudy urine
difficult, burning, or painful urination
dizziness
frequent urge to urinate
loss of bladder control
swelling of the arms or legs
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
