Steffi,

Requip/ropinirole is a med I didn't take for long. One day four years ago, I was driving at 70 miles an hour on Interstate 4 in Central Florida between Tampa and the East Coast of FL. One moment I remember no cars. The next moment there were suddenly car around me. When I arrived at Paula's home I told her about the event, and she said I had a sleep-attack. I quit Requip right away.

Many PWPs who have taken Requip will tell you about their sleep-attacks. I have a friend in northern PA who would fall asleep while I was having a conversation with her, without even realizing it. She is also now off Requip and much happier and alert for discontinuing the med.

I encourage you to talk to your doctor about your medication side effects. I would hate to hear that you fell from a higher place than sitting in a chair; e.g. while standing on a hard floor, coming down stairs.

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What side effects may I notice from taking ropinirole?

Side effects that you should report to your prescriber or health care professional as soon as possible:
Rare or Less common:
•chest pain
•fainting
•falling
•fast or irregular heartbeat
•increase or decrease in blood pressure
•joint or muscle pain
•loss of bladder control
•mental depression, anxiety, nervousness or other changes in behavior or mood
•numbness, tingling, or prickly sensations
•shortness of breath, troubled breathing, tightness in chest, or wheezing
•sudden sleep episodes, even while doing normal activities
•trouble swallowing
•uncontrollable movements of the arms, face, hands, head, mouth, shoulders, or upper body
•vision changes

More common:
•confusion
•drowsiness
•hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there)
•vomiting]

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your prescriber or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):
•clumsiness, feeling unsteady, or dizziness, especially early in treatment
•dry mouth
•flushing
•headache
•increased sweating
•nausea
•tremor
•yawning

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What are the possible side effects of Requip?

• Most people who take Requip tolerate it well. The most commonly reported side effects in people taking Requip for RLS are nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and drowsiness or sleepiness. You should be careful until you know if Requip affects your ability to remain alert while doing normal daily activities, and you should watch for the development of significant daytime sleepiness or episodes of falling asleep. It is possible that you could fall asleep while doing normal activities such as driving a car, doing physical tasks, or using hazardous machinery while taking Requip. Your chances of falling asleep while doing normal activities while taking Requip are greater if you are taking other medicines that cause drowsiness.[ e.g. your sleeping medication]
  
• When you start taking Requip or when you increase your dose, you may feel dizzy, nauseated, sweaty or faint, when first standing up from sitting or lying down. Therefore, do not stand up quickly after sitting or lying down, particularly if you have been sitting or lying down for a long period of time. Take a minute sitting on the edge of the bed or chair before you get up.
  
• Some patients taking ropinirole have shown urges to behave in a way unusual for them. Examples of this are an unusual urge to gamble or increased sexual urges and/or behaviors. If you or your family notices that you are developing any unusual behaviors, talk to your doctor.
  
• Hallucinations (unreal sounds, visions, or sensations) have been reported in patients taking Requip. These were uncommon in patients taking Requip for RLS. The risk is greater in patients with Parkinson's disease who are elderly, taking Requip with L-dopa, or taking higher doses of Requip than recommended for RLS.

This is not a complete list of side effects and should not take the place of discussions with your healthcare providers. Your doctor or pharmacist can give you a more complete list of possible side effects. Talk to your doctor about any side effects or problems you may have.

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Take care of yourself,