Sinemet vs. Requip

• Are Sinemet and Requip the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Sinemet? (Side effects)
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Requip? (Side effects)
• What is Sinemet? (Uses)
• What is Requip? (Uses)
• What Drugs Interact with Sinemet? (Interactions)
• What Drugs Interact with Requip? (Interactions)
• How Should Sinemet Be Taken? (Dosage)
• How Should Requip Be Taken? (Dosage)

Sinemet (carbidopa-levodopa) and Requip (ropinirole) are used to treat Parkinson symptoms such as muscle stiffness, tremors, spasms, and poor muscle control.

Sinemet is also used to treat Parkinson symptoms caused by carbon monoxide poisoning or manganese intoxication.

Requip is also used to treat restless legs syndrome (RLS).

Sinemet and Requip belong to different drug classes. Sinemet is a combination of an inhibitor of aromatic amino acid decarboxylation and an aromatic amino acid and Requip is a non-ergoline dopamine agonist.

Common side effects of Sinemet include:

• dizziness,
• drowsiness,
• blurred vision,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• dry mouth,
• loss of appetite,
• heartburn,
• diarrhea,
• constipation,
• sneezing,
• stuffy nose,
• cough,
• other cold symptoms,
• muscle pain,
• numbness or tingly feeling,
• trouble sleeping (insomnia or strange dreams),
• skin rash,
• itching,
• and headache.

Tell your doctor if you experience unlikely but serious side effects including:

• greatly increased eye blinking/twitching,
• fainting,
• mental/mood changes (e.g., confusion, depression, hallucinations, thoughts of suicide),
• unusual strong urges (such as increased gambling, increased sexual urges),
• or worsening of involuntary movements/spasms.

Common side effects of Requip include:

• nausea,
• vomiting,
• stomach pain,
• loss of appetite,
• worsened RLS symptoms early in the morning,
• diarrhea,
• constipation,
• dry mouth,
• sweating,
• headache,
• dizziness,
• drowsiness,
• sleep problems (insomnia),
• agitation,
• anxiety,
• flushing,
• weakness,
• chest pain,
• leg swelling,
• high or low blood pressure,
• lightheadedness or fainting,
• muscle spasm,
• numbness,
• spinning sensation,
• abdominal pain,
• indigestion,
• gas,
• palpitations,
• fast heart rate,
• sore throat,
• urinary tract infection, or
• vision problems.

Sinemet (carbidopa-levodopa) is a combination of an inhibitor of aromatic amino acid decarboxylation and an aromatic amino acid used to treat Parkinson symptoms such as

• muscle stiffness,
• tremors,
• spasms,
• and poor muscle control.

Sinemet is also used to treat Parkinson symptoms caused by carbon monoxide poisoning or manganese intoxication.

Requip (ropinirole) is a non-ergoline dopamine agonist used to treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease, such as stiffness, tremors, muscle spasms, and poor muscle control. Requip is also used to treat restless legs syndrome (RLS). Requip is available in generic form.

 

Sinemet may interact with metoclopramide, isoniazid, phenytoin, papaverine, antidepressants, or blood pressure medications.

Sinemet may also interact with other Parkinson's medications or medicines to treat psychiatric disorders.

Requip may interact with other Parkinson's medications, metoclopramide, or medicines to treat psychiatric disorders.

Requip may also interact with ciprofloxacin, fluvoxamine, omeprazole, medication used to treat nausea and vomiting, or estrogen.

Do not stop taking Requip suddenly or change your doses, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms such as fever, muscle stiffness, and confusion.

 

Starting dosage is one tablet of Sinemet 25-100 (carbidopa-levodopa) three times a day. Dosage may be increased by one tablet every day or every other day, as necessary, until a dosage of eight tablets a day is reached.

The dose of Requip depends on the condition being treated and the patient's response.