Patient/caregiver was educated on precautions to be exercised while taking Requip as follows:
- Requip only helps by affecting the fine balance between the chemical neurotransmitters in the brain and might not be a permanent cure for Parkinson’s or restless leg syndrome. So, continue taking Requip, even if your symptoms are well-controlled. Discontinuing the medication abruptly can result in disruption of this chemical balance in the brain, resulting in reverting of symptoms. Also, abrupt discontinuation of Requip intake can result in development of withdrawal symptoms and individuals can present with increasing akinesia, rigidity, tremors, and/or leg pain. Discontinuation with Requip intake can be gradual and only on your physician recommendation.
- As the balance between the chemicals in the brain has to be finely regulated to help relieve the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and restless leg syndrome, the dose of Requip also needs to be finely regulated, in order to accomplish this goal. Your physician could change the dose of Requip, based on the response and side-effects developed. Maintain compliance with follow-up physician appointments and be accommodative to the plan of dose changes, until you show an optimum response.
- Notify your doctor of any unresolved and worsening akinesia, rigidity, and tremor, if Requip is being used for control of Parkinson’s symptoms. Notify your doctor of any unresolved and worsening pain in the legs, while at rest, if Requip is being used for restless leg syndrome. Also, notify your doctor regarding exacerbation of depressive symptoms, if any, or any other continuing unpleasant side-effects, so that, an alternative plan of care could be considered.
