Patient/caregiver was educated on precautions to be exercised while taking ropinirole as follows:
- Ropinirole can also induce extreme dry mouth and constipation. Sucking on a sugar free hard candy can help with symptomatic relief of dry mouth. Proper hydration measures and compliance with daily fluid intake recommendations can help with relief from constipation. If you experience any further bothersome constipation, report it to your physician for a recommendation on laxative/stool softener use. Observing compliance with fiber intake recommendations in the diet can also help with preventing episodes of constipation with the medication.
- Ropinirole interacts with a lot of other medications, thus compromising the beneficial effects and resulting in many cross reactions and side-effects. If you are being newly started on ropinirole, discuss with your physician regarding all your current medications and their safety with ropinirole. Also, notify your physician regarding any current ropinirole intake, if you are being started on any new medications and discuss their safety with ropinirole.
- Ropinirole carries the risk of inducing/aggravating tremors and abnormal and uncontrolled body movements, such as, uncontrolled tongue movements, lip smacking, and eye blinking. Dyskinesias could be due to side-effects of various other medications intake or secondary to movement disorders, such as, Parkinson’s disease. Irrespective to the cause of dyskinesias, individuals with history can be at increased risk to present with aggravation of the condition, secondary to ropinirole intake. Report to your physician and other health care personnel, regarding any uncontrolled dyskinesias, for any change in plan of care to be considered.
