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OPICAPONE (oh PI ca pone) treats the symptoms of Parkinson disease in people who are taking Carbidopa; Levodopa. It works by increasing the amount of dopamine in your brain, a substance which helps manage body movements and coordination. This reduces the symptoms of Parkinson, such as body stiffness and tremors.
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This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.
COMMON BRAND NAME(S): Ongentys
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
Take this medication by mouth with a glass of water. Take it as directed on the prescription label. Take this medication on an empty stomach. Do not eat for 1 hour before and for at least 1 hour after taking this medication. Keep taking it unless your care team tells you to stop.
Talk to your care team about the use of this medication 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.
If you miss a dose, skip it. Take your next dose at the normal time. Do not take extra or 2 doses at the same time to make up for the missed dose.
Do not take this medication with any of the following:
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This medication may also interact with the following:
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.
Visit your care team for regular checks on your progress. Tell your care team if your symptoms do not start to get better or if they get worse.
Do not suddenly stop taking this medication. You may develop a severe reaction. Your care team will tell you how much medication to take. If your care team wants you to stop this medication, the dose may be slowly lowered over time to avoid any side effects.
This medication may affect your coordination, reaction time, or judgement. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you. Sit up or stand slowly to reduce the risk of dizzy fainting spells. Drinking alcohol with this medication can increase the risk of these side effects.
When taking this medication, you may fall asleep without notice. You may be doing activities, such as driving a car, talking, or eating. You may not feel drowsy before it happens. Contact your care team right away if this happens to you.
There have been reports of increased sexual urges or other strong urges, such as gambling while taking this medication. If you experience any of these while taking this medication, you should report this to your care team as soon as possible.
Your mouth may get dry. Chewing sugarless gum or sucking hard candy and drinking plenty of water may help. Contact your care team if the problem does not go away or is severe.
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
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Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report these to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
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.
Keep out of the reach of children and pets.
Store at room temperature below 30 degrees C (86 degrees F). Get rid of any unused medication after the expiration date.
To get rid of medications that are no longer needed or have expired:
NOTE: This sheet is a summary. It may not cover all possible information. If you have questions about this medicine, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider.
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Note: Introduction and Additional Common Questions written and medically approved by Cleveland Clinic professionals.