Bromocriptine (Systemic)

Brand Names : Parlodel, Parlodel SnapTabs, Alti-Bromocriptine, Apo-Bromocriptine

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For bromocriptine, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to bromocriptine or other ergot medicines such as ergotamine. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Bromocriptine is not generally recommended for use during pregnancy. However, bromocriptine can be used during pregnancy in certain patients who are closely monitored by their doctor.

Breast-feeding - This medicine stops milk from being produced.

Children - Studies of this medicine have been done only in teenagers over 15 years of age and adult patients. There is no specific information comparing use of bromocriptine in children with use in other age groups.

Adolescents - This medicine has been tested in a limited number of teenagers 15 years of age and older. In effective doses, the medicine has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults. Appropriate studies have not been done in teenagers younger than 15 years of age, and there is no specific information comparing use of bromocriptine in these teenagers with use in other age groups.

Older adults - Confusion, hallucinations, or uncontrolled body movements may be more likely to occur in elderly patients, who are usually more sensitive than younger adults to the effects of bromocriptine.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking bromocriptine, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Ergot alkaloids (dihydroergotamine [e.g., D.H.E. 45], ergoloid mesylates [e.g., Hydergine], ergonovine [e.g., Ergotrate], ergotamine [e.g., Gynergen], methylergonovine [e.g., Methergine], methysergide [e.g., Sansert]) - Severe cases of high blood pressure have occurred with the use of bromocriptine. This may be made worse with the use of ergot alkaloids

• Erythromycin (e.g., E.E.S. or Erytab) or
• Risperidone (e.g., Risperdal) or
• Ritonavir (e.g., Norvir) - Use of these medications with bromocriptine may greatly increase the effects of bromocriptine

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of bromocriptine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• High blood pressure (or history of) or
• Pregnancy-induced high blood pressure (history of) - Rarely, bromocriptine can make the high blood pressure worse

• Liver disease - Toxic effects of bromocriptine may occur in patients with liver disease because the body is not able to remove bromocriptine from the bloodstream as it normally would

• Mental problems (history of) - Bromocriptine may make certain mental problems worse