Stalevo Helps Treat the Following Conditions:

Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder thought to affect dopamine-producing neurons in the brain. Symptoms can start with a mild hand tremor and progress over years.

As the disease advances, patients may also complain from slowed movement, rigid muscles, speech changes, and decreased ability to perform unconscious movements (like blinking and smiling).

There is no known cure for Parkinson's disease, however, medications can help patients manage symptoms.

Stalevo Active Ingredient

Generic Stalevo Alternative:Carbidopa / Levodopa / Entacapone

Stalevo is a combination medication with three main ingredients: levodopa, carbidopa, and entacapone. Levodopa is one of the main active ingredients used to treat Parkinson’s disease. It helps to increase levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain, thus helping to control movement.

Carbidopa and entacapone prevent the breakdown of levodopa in the bloodstream so that more of the drug enters the brain. Carbidopa also helps to reduce some negative side effects of levodopa (e.g. nausea and vomiting).

General Drug Information

What Stalevo Is and What It’sUsed For

Stalevo is prescribed to patients with Parkinson's disease. Stalevo helps to manage symptoms like shakiness, stiffness, and difficulty moving.

Usage and Application

Before sourcing Stalevo online, read the medication guide provided by your doctor or pharmacist.

Patients are usually directed to take Stalevo by mouth three or four times a day (with or without food). The dosage depends on a patient’s condition and response to treatment.

Patients should only take one tablet per dose. Stalevo tablets should be swallowed whole. Patients should not crush, chew, or split tablets as doing so may cause all of the drug to release at once.

Some patients may experience nausea during Stalevo treatment, which may be alleviated when taken with food. Patients should avoid taking Stalevo with high-fat, high-calorie meals, however, as this can delay Stalevo’s action.

Eating a high-protein diet decreases the amount of levodopa that a patient’s body can absorb. Therefore, patients should avoid high-protein meals during treatment (unless directed otherwise by their doctor).

Iron can reduce the amount of Stalevo absorbed by the body. Patients who take iron supplements should take them as far apart as possible from their Stalevo dose as soon as possible. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist for more details.

Patients should use Stalevo regularly to get the most benefit from it. To prevent forgetting, it is best to take it at the same time each day.

Some patients may experience a worsening of symptoms between doses. An "on-off" effect might also occur, which can manifest in sudden short periods of stiffness. Patients should contact their doctor in the event of such symptoms, who may need to adjust the medication dose to lessen this effect.

Patients should not stop taking Stalevo without first consulting their doctor. Certain conditions may worsen when the medication is stopped suddenly. Patients who wish to discontinue Stalevo are usually directed to decrease their dose gradually.

It is important to alert your doctor if your condition fails to improve or worsens.

Considerations Before Taking Stalevo

Before starting treatment, patients should tell their doctor if they are allergic to any of the active ingredients in Stalevo. The drug may also contain inactive ingredients which can cause allergy.

Patients should disclose their medical history, including glaucoma, liver disease, kidney disease, and stomach ulcers. The treating physician should be alerted in the event of any seizures, blood disorders, and breathing problems like asthma. The list also includes sleep disorders, mental/mood disorders (e.g. depression and schizophrenia), and heart disease (e.g. irregular heartbeat and previous heart attacks).

Stalevo may cause dizziness or drowsiness. Alcohol or marijuana can exacerbate this side effect. Patients should not drive, use machinery, or do anything that requires alertness until they are in condition to do it safely. Limit alcoholic beverages and discuss marijuana use with your doctor.

Before having surgery or emergency treatments, patients should alert medical professionals about all prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products they are taking.

During pregnancy, Stalevo should only be used when clearly needed. Women need to discuss the risks and benefits of Stalevo treatment with their doctor.

Levodopa, one of the active ingredients in Stalevo, passes into breast milk. Mothers should consult their doctor before breastfeeding.

Delayed and Omitted Doses

Patients who miss a dose of Stalevo should take it as soon as they remember. If it is already time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and proceed as usual. Patients should not double their dose to catch up.

Other Medications and Stalevo

Drug interactions may change the way Stalevo works, increasing the risk of side effects. Before starting treatment, patients need to discuss the full list of medications and supplements they are taking with their doctor. Patients should not change their dose or stop taking this medication unless their physician advises them to do so.

Some medications may interact negatively with Stalevo. Examples include antipsychotic drugs (e.g. chlorpromazine, haloperidol, and thioridazine) and certain blood pressure drugs like methyldopa.

Taking Stalevo together with a class of drugs – known as MAO inhibitors – may cause serious, possibly fatal drug interactions. Most MAOIs should also not be taken for two weeks before treatment with Stalevo. Examples of MAOIs include isocarboxazid, Zyvox, methylene blue, Manerix, Nardil, Matulane, and Parnate.

Certain MAOIs (e.g. Azilect, Xadago, and Zelapar) may be used safely with Stalevo, provided that a patient is monitored carefully by a doctor. Consult your physician for more details.

Stalevo may cause drowsiness, therefore patients should inform their doctor if they use other products with a similar effect. Examples can include antihistamines like Zyrtec and Benadryl, alcohol, marijuana, and drugs for sleep and anxiety (e.g. alprazolam, diazepam, zolpidem).

Muscle relaxants such as carisoprodol and Flexeril – and narcotic pain relievers like codeine and hydrocodone – may also cause drowsiness. Patients should check the labels of all allergy and cough-and-cold products for ingredients that may cause drowsiness, and discuss the safe use of such products with their pharmacist.

Stalevo may interfere with certain laboratory tests. This can possibly cause false results, especially related to urine catecholamine, glucose, or ketone tests. Patients should inform laboratory personnel and all physicians that they are using Stalevo.

Adverse Reactions

Most patients are able to use Stalevo safely without serious side effects.

Common side effects include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, lightheadedness, drowsiness, stomach upset, and loss of appetite. Trouble sleeping, headache, and dry mouth are also possible. Patients should inform their doctor or pharmacist should these effects persist or worsen.

Stalevo may cause a patient’s saliva, urine, or sweat to darken. This effect is harmless, however, a patient’s clothes or bed sheets may stain.

To reduce the risk of dizziness and lightheadedness, patients should get up slowly when rising from a sitting or lying position.

Some Stalevo patients fall asleep suddenly during the day. In many cases, this happens without any warning signs or any feelings of drowsiness beforehand. Patients may fall asleep during usual daily activities like driving or talking on the phone. This sleep effect may occur at any time during treatment with Stalevo.

Patients who experience increased sleepiness and those who fall asleep unexpectedly should not drive or perform any other possibly dangerous activities until they have discussed this side effect with their doctor. Risk of sleepiness increases in patients who drink alcohol or take other medications that cause drowsiness.

Serious side effects include fainting, unusual tiredness, muscle pain, persistent diarrhea, easy bleeding or bruising, and new or worsening spasms. Some patients may experience eye pain, vision changes, and increased eye blinking or twitching. It is important to monitor for severe stomach pain, black or tarry stools, and vomit that looks like coffee grounds.

Serious side effects also include the tingling of the hands and/or feet, as well as mental changes like confusion, hallucinations, and thoughts of suicide. Some patients may experience unusual strong urges like gambling or increased sexual desire.

It is important to monitor for signs of kidney problems that manifest in urine production changes and signs of infection (e.g. a sore throat that doesn't go away).

Patients should seek immediate medical attention in the event of very serious side effects like chest pain.

In rare cases, patients who suddenly stop or reduce their dose of Stalevo may develop neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). This condition manifests through symptoms like fever, sweating, unusual muscle stiffness, severe confusion, rapid breathing, and fast or irregular heartbeat.

Serious allergic reactions to Stalevo are rare, yet patients should be aware of symptoms including rash, itching, and swelling (tongue/throat), severe dizziness, and trouble breathing.

This is not a complete list of possible side effects. Patients who notice other effects not listed should contact their doctor or pharmacist.

How to Store Stalevo

Stalevo should be stored at room temperature, away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep away from children and pets.

Unwanted medication should be disposed of properly and should not be poured into drains or flushed down the toilet. Patients should consult a pharmacist or their local waste disposal company to find out more about safe disposal methods.