Sinemet Side Effects (Cont.)

Intolerable Sinemet Side Effects

As time goes by, many people will begin to experience intolerable side effects of Sinemet. While these side effects are not usually dangerous, they often signify that it is time for your healthcare provider to reevaluate your current Parkinson's disease treatment plan. Some of these side effects include:
 
  • Decreased effectiveness -- The effects of Sinemet wear off earlier and earlier, with a noticeable worsening of Parkinson's disease symptoms occurring before every dose of Sinemet.
 
  • Dyskinesia -- Involuntary muscle movements usually caused by increased Sinemet doses (which are used in order to reduce the wearing-off effect of the drug).
 
  • On-off -- Sudden, unpredictable changes in movement, varying from typical Parkinson's movements to a complete lack of movement ("freezing"), possibly occurring several times during the day.
     
Minimizing fluctuations of Sinemet levels in the blood may help reduce these intolerable Sinemet side effects.
 

Serious Side Effects of Sinemet

Some side effects with Sinemet are potentially serious and should be reported immediately to your healthcare provider. Although most of these serious side effects are rare, a few may be common. These serious side effects include but are not limited to:
 
  • Low blood pressure (hypotension) or high blood pressure (hypertension)
  • Fainting
  • Bleeding in the digestive tract
  • Intestinal ulcers (known as duodenal ulcers)
  • Low white blood cell, red blood cell, or blood platelet counts
  • Psychiatric problems, such as:
 
    • Hallucinations
    • Delusions
    • Paranoia
    • Agitation
    • Anxiety
    • Depression
    • Suicidal thoughts or behaviors
 
  • Seizures
  • A heart attack
  • Malignant melanoma (a type of skin cancer)
  • A painful penile erection that does not go away (known as priapism)
  • Falling or balance problems
  • Symptoms of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), which may occur if Sinemet is stopped too abruptly, such as:
 
    • A high fever
    • Stiff muscles
    • Confusion
    • Irregular pulse or blood pressure
    • A fast heart rate (tachycardia)
    • Sweating
    • Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias)
 
  • Signs of an allergic reaction, such as:
 
    • An unexplained rash
    • Hives
    • Itching
    • Swelling of the mouth or throat
    • Wheezing
    • Difficulty breathing.
 
(Sinemet Side Effects Continued: Page 3)

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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;