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Eldepryl (Generic Selegiline)

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Why is this medication prescribed?

Parkinson’s disease (PD; a neurological system ailment that causes issues with movement, muscle control, and balance) symptoms can be managed with selegiline in patients using the levodopa and carbidopa combination Sinemet. By reducing the dosage of levodopa/carbidopa required to regulate symptoms, preventing the effects of levodopa/carbidopa from wearing off in between doses, and lengthening the period that levodopa/carbidopa will remain effective, selegiline may benefit persons with Parkinson’s disease. The class of drugs known as monoamine oxidase type B (MAO-B) inhibitors includes selegiline. It functions by raising the brain’s dopamine levels, a naturally occurring chemical necessary for controlling movement.

How should this medicine be used?

Selegiline is available as a capsule and an oral (dissolving) tablet for oral use. Usually, two times a day with breakfast and lunch, the capsule is consumed. The orally dissolving tablet is typically taken once daily, before breakfast, without any food or beverages. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you do not understand, and carefully follow their instructions. Exactly as prescribed, take selegiline. Never take it in quantities or frequencies other than those recommended by your doctor. A fast and dangerous rise in your blood pressure is possible if you take too much selegiline.

Remove the blister containing the tablets from the outer pouch only when you are ready to take a dose if you are taking an orally disintegrating tablet. When it’s time to take your dose, take the blister card out of the outer bag, then use your dry hands to peel open one blister. The tablet should not be forced through the foil. Wait for the tablet to dissolve after placing it on your tongue. Never swallow the tablet whole. Five minutes before and five minutes after taking the medication, refrain from eating or drinking anything.

Your doctor might start you on a low dose of selegiline if you’re taking the orally disintegrating pill and gradually raise it over the course of six weeks.

If you feel nausea, abdominal discomfort, or dizziness, let your doctor know. If you develop these symptoms or any other unexpected symptoms while taking selegiline, your doctor may lower your levodopa/carbidopa dosage. If you have any questions about how much medicine to take, please follow the advice provided and consult your doctor or pharmacist. Any medicine you are taking should not be changed unless your doctor advises you to.

Selegiline may assist in managing PD symptoms, but it cannot reverse the disease. Selegiline should not be stopped without first consulting your doctor. Selegiline is a Parkinson’s disease medicine that you may experience fever, sweating, tight muscles, and loss of consciousness if you abruptly stop using it. If you develop any additional strange symptoms after stopping selegiline, contact your doctor right once.

Other uses for this medicine

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you believe this drug should be used for something else.

What special precautions should I follow?

Before taking selegiline,

  • If you have an allergy to selegiline or any other drug, let your doctor and pharmacist know right away.
  • Inform your physician if you are currently taking, recently stopped taking, or intend to start taking any of the following prescription and over-the-counter drugs: dextromethorphan (Robitussin), meperidine (Demerol), methadone (Dolophine), propoxyphene (Darvon), tramadol (Ultram, in Ultracet), and other drugs containing selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar). If you are now taking or have previously taken any of these medications, your doctor might advise against taking selegiline. Your doctor might advise against taking these drugs until at least 14 days have passed since you last had selegiline if you stop taking it.
  • Inform your doctor and pharmacist about any vitamins, nutritional supplements, herbal items, and prescription and over-the-counter drugs you are using. Be sure to mention any of the following: antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil) and imipramine (Tofranil); carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro); medications for cough and cold symptoms or for weight loss; nafcillin; phenobarbital; phenytoin (Dilantin); selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft); and rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane). Your doctor might need to adjust your medication doses or keep a closer eye out for any negative side effects.
  • If you have or have previously had liver or kidney disease, let your doctor know.
  • You should be aware that the orally disintegrating pills contain phenylalanine if you have phenylketonuria (PKU; a genetic condition requiring a particular diet to prevent damage to your brain that can cause severe intellectual handicap).
  • Inform your doctor if you are expecting, intend to get pregnant, or are nursing a baby. Call your doctor if you get pregnant while taking selegiline.
  • Selegiline may make you feel queasy, lightheaded, and faint if you stand up too rapidly from a reclining posture. When you initially start taking selegiline, this happens more frequently. Get out of bed gradually, resting your feet on the floor for a few minutes before standing up, to avoid this issue.

What special dietary instructions should I follow?

If you need to avoid certain foods while taking selegiline, ask your doctor. As long as you take selegiline exactly as prescribed, your doctor will likely advise you to maintain your regular diet.

What should I do if I forget a dose?

If you miss a dosage, take it as soon as you recall. If your next dose is approaching, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing regimen. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

What side effects can this medication cause?

Side effects are possible with selegiline. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

  • Dizziness
  • Lightheadedness
  • Fainting
  • Mouth ache
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Abdominal pain
  • Having trouble swallowing
  • Heartburn
  • Diarrhea
  • Gas
  • Constipation
  • Having trouble falling or staying asleep
  • Strange dreams
  • Sleepiness
  • Depression
  • Pain, particularly in the back or legs
  • Aching or weakened muscles
  • Spots of purple color on the skin
  • Rash
  • If you take the orally disintegrating tablets, any mouth sores, irritation, or redness should stop

Some adverse effects can be very harmful. Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms:

  • Terrible headache
  • Chest ache
  • Hammering, rapid, or erratic heartbeat
  • Sweating
  • Instantaneous, intense nausea and vomiting
  • Confusion
  • Neck pain or stiffness
  • Uncontrolled trembling in a bodily component
  • Unique and challenging to manage movements
  • Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things or sounds that aren’t there)
  • Having trouble breathing

Melanoma, a form of skin cancer, may be more likely to occur in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). It is unclear whether selegiline or other PD medicines raise the risk of melanoma due to a lack of sufficient data. Ask your doctor if you should have your skin checked while receiving therapy, as well as the hazards of using selegiline.

Other adverse effects of selegiline are possible. If you have any strange side effects while taking this medicine, contact your doctor right once.

What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Keep it at room temperature and out of the bathroom and other places with excessive heat and moisture. Three months after you’ve cracked open the protective pouch, throw away any unopened orally disintegrating tablets.

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilizing a medicine take-back program is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programs in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back program, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

As many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning.http://www.upandaway.org

In case of emergency/overdose

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Additionally, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

Overdose symptoms could include:

  • Drowsiness
  • Dizziness
  • Faintness
  • Irritability
  • Hyperactivity
  • Agitation
  • Terrible headache
  • Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things or sounds that are not there)
  • Jaw clenching
  • Rigidity, as well as back arching
  • Seizures
  • Coma (a temporary loss of consciousness)
  • Rapid and erratic heartbeat
  • Chest ache
  • Decreased breathing
  • Sweating
  • Fever
  • Clammy, frigid skin

What other information should I know?

Keep all of your doctor’s appointments.

No one else should take your medication. Any queries you may have regarding medication refills should be directed to your pharmacist.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.

Brand names

  • Eldepryl®
  • Zelapar®
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