Lodosyn: Uses, indications and cautions when using

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Parkinson's disease is a common disease in the elderly due to a lack of brain dopamine. At that time, your doctor may prescribe Lodosyn to help with Levodopa in the treatment of symptoms of Parkinson's disease. So what does Lodosyn do?

1. What effect does Lodosyn have?

What does Lodosyn do? Lodosyn contains the active ingredient carbidopa, which is often used in combination with other levodopa/carbidopa-containing products to treat Parkinson's disease or Parkinson's-like symptoms (such as tremors, muscle stiffness, difficulty moving).
Carbidopa must be taken with levodopa to be effective because carbidopa alone will not work for Parkinson's disease symptoms.
The mechanism of Parkinson's disease is thought to be a lack of dopamine in the brain. Levodopa, once absorbed, is converted to dopamine in the brain and helps control body movements. Carbidopa has the effect of inhibiting the breakdown of levodopa in the blood, increasing the penetration of levodopa into the brain as well as reducing some of the side effects of levodopa such as nausea, vomiting.

2. How to use Lodosyn

Lodosyn is to be taken orally, with or without food, as prescribed by your doctor. Patients should follow the doctor's instructions carefully when taking Lodosyn. Lodosyn dosage is based on the severity of Parkinson's disease and the patient's response to treatment.
Lodosyn must be used with products containing levodopa, so it is best for patients to avoid a high-protein diet (because it reduces the amount of levodopa absorbed by the body) during treatment, unless other indications of the doctor.
Also, separate Lodosyn as far as possible from the time of any iron supplements or products containing iron in the ingredients (such as multivitamins and minerals) that the patient is taking. . Iron is a factor that reduces the amount of levodopa absorbed by the body.
Patients need to use Lodosyn continuously according to the instructions to help control Parkinson's disease most effectively by creating a habit of taking the drug every day, avoiding forgetting any dose. Some patients may experience "weakness" (worsening of symptoms) before taking their next dose of Lodosyn. An "on-off" effect can also occur, where brief stiffness can occur suddenly. If these effects of Lodosyn appear, the patient should contact the treating doctor to adjust the dose of Lodosyn to help reduce this side effect.
Patients do not stop taking Lodosyn and other levodopa-containing products without consulting their doctor. Your condition may get worse when these medicines are reduced quickly or stopped suddenly. Tell your doctor right away if your Parkinson's disease does not improve or worsens even during treatment with Lodosyn .
MORE: Parkinson's disease drugs

3. Side effects of the drug Lodosyn

Side effects associated with carbidopa are rare and are most often caused by the active ingredient levodopa taken together. Common side effects of Lodosyn include:
Dizziness, lightheadedness; Nausea, vomiting; Anorexia; Difficulty sleeping; Unusual dreams; Headache. If any Lodosyn problem persists or gets worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist right away. Lodosyn may cause saliva, urine, or sweat to turn dark, this effect of Lodosyn is harmless but can cause a person's clothes to turn yellow.
To reduce the risk of dizziness and lightheadedness while taking Lodosyn, the patient should be careful to get up slowly when changing from a sitting or lying position.
Some Lodosyn users complain of sudden drowsiness during their daily activities (eg, drowsiness when talking on the phone, while driving). In some cases, people taking Lodosyn have had a sudden onset of sleep without any prior feeling of drowsiness.
This sedating effect can occur at any time during treatment with carbidopa and levodopa/carbidopa, even if the patient has been using these drugs for a long time. If you feel increasingly drowsy or drowsy during the day, you should not drive or do activities that could be dangerous.
The risk of Lodosyn affecting sleep is increased with the use of alcohol or other drugs that can cause drowsiness.
Serious side effects of Lodosyn include:
Increased eye blinking, seizures, fainting; Vision changes (blurred, double vision); Eyesore; Abdominal heaviness, abdominal pain; Stools black as tar; Vomiting that looks like coffee grounds; Mood changes (such as agitation, hallucinations, depression, suicidal thoughts); Signs of infection; Easy bleeding, easy bruising; Unusual fatigue; Tingling in the hands and feet; Feelings of strong urges (eg, increased desire to gamble, increased sex drive). Get medical help right away if a person taking Lodosyn develops chest pain. Abrupt discontinuation or dose reduction of Lodosyn and levodopa/carbidopa has rarely resulted in neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) with the following symptoms:
Fever; Abnormal muscle stiffness; Severe confusion; Sweat; fast or irregular heartbeat; Rapidly breath. Very serious allergic reactions to Lodosyn are rare. However, pay close attention to any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction caused by Lodosyn, such as rash, itching, swelling, severe dizziness, trouble breathing.

4. Notes when using Lodosyn

Before taking Lodosyn, the patient needs to provide information about a history of allergies to the active ingredients in Lodosyn or any other allergies.
Before using Lodosyn , tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of:
Liver disease; Glaucoma ; Respiratory disease (such as asthma); Heart disease (heart attack, irregular heartbeat); Kidney disease; Stomach ulcer, intestinal ulcer; Psychiatric disorders (such as depression, schizophrenia); Blood disorders; Epilepsy ; Sleep disorders . Lodosyn may make you dizzy or drowsy, and alcohol or marijuana may make your dizziness or drowsiness worse. Patients should not drive, use machines, or do anything that requires alertness until it is safe to do so. Alcohol should be limited while taking Lodosyn.
During pregnancy, Lodosyn should be used only when clearly needed after discussing the risks with the treating physician. It is not known if Lodosyn passes into breast milk so consult your doctor before use.

5. Interactions of Lodosyn

Drug interactions that can change the way Lodosyn works or increase your risk of serious side effects Some products that may interact with Lodosyn (or levodopa) include:
Antipsychotics ( chlorpromazine, haloperidol, thioridazine); medicines for high blood pressure (such as methyldopa); Tetrabenazine. Taking MAO inhibitors with Lodosyn (or products containing levodopa) can cause serious (possibly fatal) drug interactions. Avoid taking MAO inhibitors (isocarboxazid, linezolid, moclobemide, phenelzine...) during treatment with Lodosyn.
Most MAO inhibitors are also not recommended for 2 weeks prior to Lodosyn treatment. However, certain MAO inhibitors (such as rasagiline, safinamide, selegiline) can be used under careful medical supervision.
Lodosyn (or levodopa) may interfere with certain tests including the urine catecholamine/glucose/ketone test, causing false test results. Tests such as heart/kidney/liver function, complete blood count... should be performed periodically to monitor progress or check for side effects of Lodosyn .
People with Parkinson's disease may have an increased risk of developing skin cancer, so let your doctor know if you have a mole that is getting bigger or different looking, or any other unusual changes. on the skin.
If the patient misses a dose of Lodosyn, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose of Lodosyn, skip the missed dose, do not double it.
Store Lodosyn at room temperature, away from light and moisture, do not store Lodosyn in the bathroom, keep it away from children and pets. Do not flush Lodosyn down the toilet or down the drain. Dispose of Lodosyn appropriately when it has expired.
Lodosyn is a medication commonly used in combination with other levodopa/carbidopa-containing products to treat Parkinson's disease. To ensure effective treatment, patients need to strictly follow the instructions of the consulting pharmacist.

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Reference source: webmd.com