Like all medicines, ropinirole can cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only minor ones.
Common side effects of ropinirole
These common side effects of ropinirole happen in more than 1 in 100 people. There are things you can do to help cope with them:
Feeling dizzy when you get up from sitting or lying down
Try getting up very slowly or stay sitting down until you feel better.
If you still feel dizzy, lie down so you do not faint, then sit up for a while until you feel better.
Do not drive, cycle, or operate machinery if you feel dizzy. Try to avoid alcohol as it may make you feel worse.
Feeling tired and weak
Make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids and try to avoid alcohol.
Do not drive, cycle or use tools or machinery if you're feeling tired or weak.
Try to take ropinirole at a time when you can sit or lie down until you feel better.
If you're still having problems after a week, speak to your doctor.
Stomach pain
It can help to eat and drink slowly and have smaller and more frequent meals. Putting a heat pad or covered hot water bottle on your stomach may also help.
If you're in a lot of pain or your pain does not go away, speak to a doctor or pharmacist.
Heartburn
It might help to eat smaller and more frequent meals, and to eat and drink slowly.
Talk to your doctor if the symptoms get worse.
Feeling or being sick (nausea or vomiting)
Taking your ropinirole after a meal or a snack can help. Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.
If you're being sick, have small, frequent sips of water to avoid dehydration. Signs of dehydration include peeing less than usual or having dark strong-smelling pee.
If you keep feeling or being sick, tell your doctor or specialist nurse.
If you take the combined contraceptive pill or progestogen-only pill and you're being sick, your contraception may not protect you from pregnancy. Check the pill packet for advice.
Feeling anxious or nervous
This should improve as your body gets used to the medicine. If it does not, or the symptoms get worse, speak to your doctor or specialist nurse.
Uncontrollable twitching or twisting movements
This is most likely if you're also taking medicines for Parkinson's disease that contain levodopa, such as co-careldopa or co-beneldopa.
Let your doctor or specialist nurse know as soon as possible. They may need to adjust your dose or medicine.
Keep taking the medicine, but talk to a doctor or pharmacist if the advice on how to cope does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.
Serious side effects
It's possible to have serious side effects with ropinirole. Some are rare and happen in less than 1 in 1,000 people, but others can be more common.
Speak to a doctor if:
- your legs, feet or hands become swollen
- your restless legs syndrome gets worse
Call a doctor or call 111 now if:
- you start binge eating, gambling or shopping uncontrollably or have an unusually high sex drive – these are signs of impulse control disorder
- you see, feel or hear things that are not there (hallucinations) or feel confused – this is more likely to happen in older people
- you think things that are not true (delusions)
- you feel paranoid
- you feel unusually sleepy or suddenly fall asleep during the day
Serious allergic reaction
In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to ropinirole.
Immediate action required: Call 999 now if:
- your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
- you're breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you're choking or gasping for air)
- your throat feels tight or you're struggling to swallow
- your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
- you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
- someone faints and cannot be woken up
- a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)
You or the person who's unwell may also have a rash that's swollen, raised, itchy, blistered or peeling.
These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.
Do not drive yourself to A&E.
The person you speak to at 999 will give you advice about what to do.
Other side effects
These are not all the side effects of ropinirole. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicines packet.
Reporting side effects
You can report any suspected side effect using the Yellow Card safety scheme.
Visit the Yellow Card website for more information about reporting side effects.