(meth il DOE pa)
Apo-Methyldopa®; Nu-Medopa
Alpha-Adrenergic Inhibitor; Alpha2-Adrenergic Agonist
¢ If you have an allergy to methyldopa or any other part of this medicine.
¢ Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat; or any other symptoms involved.
¢ If you have liver disease, or if this medicine caused liver problems before.
¢ If you have taken isocarboxazid, phenelzine, or tranylcypromine in the last 14 days. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (eg, isocarboxazid, phenelzine, and tranylcypromine) must be stopped 14 days before this medicine is started. Taking the two together could cause dangerously high blood pressure.
¢ This medicine is used to treat high blood pressure.
¢ Methyldopa relaxes blood vessels, lowering blood pressure.
Oral:
¢ Take this medicine with or without food. Take with food if it causes an upset stomach.
¢ Follow diet plan and exercise program as recommended by healthcare provider.
Injection:
¢ This medicine is given as an infusion into a vein over a period of time.
¢ Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
¢ If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and return to your regular schedule.
¢ Do not take a double dose or extra doses.
¢ Do not change dose or stop medicine. Talk with healthcare provider.
¢ Do not run out of this medicine.
¢ If you are 65 or older, use this medicine with caution. You could have more side effects.
¢ Wear disease medical alert identification.
¢ Injection: If you have a sulfite allergy, talk with healthcare provider.
¢ If you have kidney disease, talk with healthcare provider.
¢ Check medicines with healthcare provider. This medicine may not mix well with other medicines.
¢ If you are taking this medicine and have high blood pressure, talk with healthcare provider before using over-the-counter products that may increase blood pressure. These include cough or cold remedies, diet pills, stimulants, ibuprofen or like products, and certain natural products or supplements.
¢ Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor) or other medicines and natural products that slow your actions and reactions. These include sedatives, tranquilizers, mood stabilizers, antihistamines, and other pain medicine.
¢ Do not take iron products within 2 hours of this medicine.
¢ You may not be alert. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or activities until you see how this medicine affects you.
¢ Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant.
¢ Tell healthcare provider if you are breast-feeding.
¢ Feeling lightheaded, sleepy, having blurred vision, or a change in thinking clearly. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or activities that require you to be alert or have clear vision until you see how this medicine affects you.
¢ Feeling dizzy. Rise slowly over several minutes from sitting or lying position. Be careful climbing.
¢ Headache.
¢ Nervous and excitable.
¢ Dry mouth. Frequent mouth care, sucking hard, sugar-free candy, or chewing sugar-free gum may help.
¢ Change in sexual ability or desire. This is usually reversible.
¢ Anemia can rarely occur.
¢ Change in condition being treated. Is it better, worse, or about the same?
¢ Check blood pressure and heart rate regularly.
¢ Check blood work regularly.
¢ Dry mouth may cause an increase in cavities. Take good care of your teeth. See a dentist regularly.
¢ Follow up with healthcare provider.
¢ If you suspect an overdose, call your local poison control center or emergency department immediately.
¢ Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
¢ Signs or symptoms of depression, suicidal thoughts, emotional ups and downs, abnormal thinking, anxiety, or lack of interest in life.
¢ Severe dizziness or passing out.
¢ Swelling of feet or hands.
¢ Dark urine or yellow skin or eyes.
¢ Feeling extremely tired or weak.
¢ Unusual bruising or bleeding.
¢ Any rash.
¢ No improvement in condition or feeling worse.
¢ Store at room temperature.
¢ Protect from moisture. Do not store in a bathroom or kitchen.
¢ The injection will be given to you in a healthcare setting. You will not store it at home.
¢ If you have a life-threatening allergy, wear allergy identification at all times.
¢ Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's medicine.
¢ Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
¢ Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, natural products, supplements, vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider (doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner, pharmacist, physician assistant).
¢ Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
¢ Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine, including over-the-counter, natural products, or vitamins.
Created: 2006-10-13 14:11:52.0
Modified: 2008-02-04 14:25:06.0
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