Ropinol 0.25mg Tablets

Ropinirole acts like dopamine, a brain chemical needed to control movement. It is used to treat:

• Parkinson's disease, helping with shaking, stiffness, slow movement and balance
• restless legs syndrome, easing uncomfortable feelings in the legs and the urge to move them, especially at night

Take ropinirole exactly as your doctor or pharmacist tells you. The dose is started low and raised slowly over several weeks.

• Take it at the same times each day, with or without food.
• For restless legs, it is usually taken once a day, 1 to 3 hours before bedtime.
• Swallow extended-release tablets whole.
• If you miss a dose for restless legs, skip it. For Parkinson's, ask your pharmacist what to do. Never take two doses together.
• Do not stop suddenly, as this can cause fever, stiffness, confusion and mood changes. If you stop for a few days, ask your doctor before restarting.

Common side effects include:

• feeling or being sick, heartburn or wind
• headache, weakness or sweating
• sleepiness or confusion
• swollen feet, ankles or lower legs
• dizziness when standing up

Get medical help straight away if you have:

• hallucinations, unusual suspicion, aggression or agitation
• fainting, or a fast or irregular heartbeat
• swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing

Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking it if you:

• have heart, liver or kidney disease
• have low or high blood pressure
• have a mental health condition such as psychosis
• smoke, or plan to start or stop smoking
• are pregnant, planning a baby or breastfeeding
• take other medicines or supplements

Keep it in the original, tightly closed container at room temperature, away from light, heat and moisture (not in the bathroom), and out of the reach of children.

Sudden sleep: ropinirole can make you fall asleep with little or no warning, even while driving. Do not drive or do anything risky until you know how it affects you, and tell your doctor about daytime sleepiness. Alcohol makes this worse.

Strong urges: some people develop urges to gamble, shop, binge eat or have more sex. Tell your doctor if this happens; family may notice it first.