Common medicines given to neurology patients on discharge from hospital: This leaflet contains brief information about some of the medicines we commonly supply on discharge to patients who have been admitted for various types of neurological conditions. You will not receive all these medicines; you should check to see which you have been given and then read the information for those medicine only. For more detailed information about the medicines you have been given, please read the information leaflet in the packet with the medicines. If you have a specific question about the medicines you have been prescribed, please call the pharmacy helpline number given below. Some of the medicines below may cause drowsiness, and some people may be affected more than others. If you feel drowsy or have difficulty concentrating, you should not drive or operate machinery. Before starting any other new medication, including medicines you buy, you should check with your doctor or a pharmacist. They will make sure the new medicine can safely be taken as well as the medicines you have received from hospital. Monday – Friday 2-4pm 0151 5293208. This is a direct line into the pharmacy for advice on medicines supplied to you by this hospital. For queries not related to medicines please phone the hospital switchboard on 0151 5253611 and ask for the relevant department. These are most commonly used in Parkinson’s disease. Nearly everyone notices a good improvement in symptoms after starting. A low dose is usually started at first. Over time, the dose often needs to be increased to control the symptoms. The main active ingredient of these drugs is levodopa and this is a very effective medicine for the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Side-effects sometimes occur when you first take these medicines but are unusual. Most people have no problems with low doses. Read the leaflet in the medicine pack-et for a full list of possible side-effects. Nausea (feeling sick) is the most common. This is less likely to occur if you take a small dose at first, at meal times, and then gradually build it up. If nausea is a problem, it can usually be eased by adding an anti-sickness drug called domperidone. This is usually only needed for the first few weeks. Excessive daytime sleepiness can rarely occur, so do not drive or operate machinery if you are affected in this way. Compulsive behaviour may also occasionally be a side effect, so excessive gambling or shopping, binge eating or excessive interest in sexual activity can develop. However the link between these problems and levodopa is very uncertain (in contrast to some other Parkinson’s drugs. Unfortunately, because Parkinson’s disease is progressive, these medications often work less well over time. Therefore, the dose usually needs to be increased every now and then. Despite this, typically after several years, patients may develop problems due to worsening of the Parkinson’s disease. These include 'on-off' effects. This is where you can switch quite suddenly between being 'on' and able to move, and being 'off' and unable to move freely. Some patients develop uncontrollable jerky movements and other effects (called dyskinesias). These problems related to long-term use can become disabling, tiring and uncomfortable. Neurologists often have to adjust your treatment to deal with these difficulties.