Drug Notes

Apomorphine (By injection)

Apomorphine (a-poe-MOR-feen)

Treats loss of muscle movement control from Parkinson disease.

Brand Name(s):

Apokyn

When This Medicine Should Not Be Used:

How to Use This Medicine:

Injectable

• Your doctor will prescribe your exact dose and tell you how often it should be given. This medicine is given as a shot under your skin. Do not inject this medicine into a vein.
• Read and follow the patient instructions that come with this medicine. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
• You may be taught how to give your medicine at home. Make sure you understand all instructions before giving yourself an injection. Do not use more medicine or use it more often than your doctor tells you to. Use a new needle each time you inject your medicine.
• You will be shown the body areas where this shot can be given. Use a different body area each time you give yourself a shot. Keep track of where you give each shot to make sure you rotate body areas.
• If you store this medicine at home, keep it at room temperature, away from heat and direct light.
• Throw away used needles in a hard, closed container that the needles cannot poke through. Keep this container away from children and pets.
• Ask your pharmacist, doctor, or health caregiver about the best way to dispose of any leftover medicine, containers, and other supplies. Throw away old medicine after the expiration date has passed.

Drugs and Foods to Avoid:

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

• Do not take apomorphine together with ondansetron, granisetron, dolasetron, palonosetron, or alosetron.
• Some medicines and foods can affect how apomorphine works. Tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following:
  • Blood pressure medicine, such as atenolol, hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), lisinopril, metoprolol
  • Carbidopa/levodopa
  • Fluoxetine
  • Metoclopramide
  • Nausea medicine, such as alosetron, ondansetron, dolasetron, palonosetron, or granisetron
• 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, have a history of heart, liver, or kidney disease, are allergic to sulfa medicines, or are being treated for a mental health problem.
• This medicine may cause nausea and vomiting. Your doctor may give you another medicine to help control these side effects.
• This medicine may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive or do anything that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you. Stand up slowly from sitting or lying to help prevent dizziness.
• This medicine may cause hallucinations (seeing or hearing something that does not exist), especially in older adults. If you have questions or concerns about this, talk with your doctor.
• Do not stop using this medicine suddenly. Your doctor will need to slowly decrease your dose before you stop it completely.
• Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve or if they get worse.
• 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, fast or uneven heartbeat, or a very slow heartbeat (50 heartbeats or fewer a minute)
• Dizziness or severe sleepiness
• Fainting
• Severe nausea or vomiting
• Shortness of breath, swelling in your feet or lower legs

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

• Depression
• Headache, or pain in your arms, legs, back, joints
• Increased sweating
• Redness, pain, or swelling where the shot is given

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