Drug Notes

Ropinirole (By mouth)

Ropinirole (roe-PIN-i-role)

Treats Parkinson disease and restless legs syndrome (RLS).

Brand Name(s):

Requip, Requip XL

When This Medicine Should Not Be Used:

How to Use This Medicine:

Tablet, Long Acting Tablet

• Take your medicine as directed. Your dose may need to be changed several times to find what works best for you.
• Swallow the extended-release tablet whole. Do not crush, break, or chew it.
• Read and follow the patient instructions that come with this medicine. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
• Missed dose:
  • Parkinson disease: Take a dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then and take a regular dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.
  • RLS: Skip the missed dose, and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not use extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.
• Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.

Drugs and Foods to Avoid:

Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.

• Some foods and medicines can affect how ropinirole works. Tell your doctor knows if you are using any of the following:
  • Ciprofloxacin, levodopa, metoclopramide, thiothixene
  • Birth control pills, or estrogen to treat menopausal symptoms
  • Phenothiazine medicine (such as chlorpromazine, perphenazine, prochlorperazine, promethazine, thioridazine)
• Tell your doctor if you use anything else that makes you sleepy. Some examples are allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, and alcohol.

Warnings While Using This Medicine:

• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have kidney disease, liver disease, a sleep disorder, high or low blood pressure, heart disease, heart rhythm problems, lung disease, dyskinesia, or a history of skin cancer or mental health problems. Tell your doctor if you smoke or drink alcohol.
• This medicine may cause the following problems:
  • Unusual changes in mood or behavior, compulsive behaviors, hallucinations
  • Increased risk for skin cancer
• This medicine may make you dizzy or drowsy. It may even cause you to fall asleep without warning. Tell your doctor right away if you learn that this has happened. Do not drive or do anything that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you. Stand up slowly if you are dizzy.
• Do not stop using this medicine suddenly. Your doctor will need to slowly decrease your dose before you stop it completely.
• Your doctor will check your progress and the effects of this medicine at regular visits. Keep all appointments.
• Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve or if they get worse. For RLS, the symptoms might get worse in the early morning, start earlier in the afternoon, or spread to your arms.
• Keep all medicine out of the reach of children. Never share your medicine with anyone.

Possible Side Effects While Using This Medicine:

Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:

• Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing
• Chest pain, trouble breathing, fast or slow heartbeat
• Confusion, unusual changes in mood or behavior, behaviors you cannot control
• Extreme sleepiness or drowsiness
• Fever, sweating, muscle stiffness
• Lightheadedness, dizziness, fainting
• Seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not really there
• Skin changes or growths
• Twitching or muscle movements you cannot control (either new or worse than usual)

If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:

• Headache
• Nausea, vomiting, constipation, stomach upset
• Tiredness

If you notice other side effects that you think are caused by this medicine, tell your doctor

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088

Last Updated: 1/27/2017