Sinemet CR is a combination medication that is made up of carbidopa and levodopa. It is used to treat Parkinson’s disease. Levodopa will be converted to dopamine in the brain. Carbidopa helps prevent the breakdown of levodopa. This medication may also be used to treat Parkinson symptoms caused by carbon monoxide poisoning or manganese intoxication.

Always tell your doctor your medical history the other drugs you take before starting a new medication. Inform your doctor if you become pregnant or breast-feed. If you also take levodopa, you must stop 12 hours before you take this combination of carbidopa+levodopa. Take this medication regularly at the same time each time to keep a steady level of this drug in your body. It may take weeks before your symptoms improve, but do talk to your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after a few weeks or if the medication seems to wear off quickly after each dose. Tell health-care professionals you take Sinemet CR as it can produce unusual test results. Do not stop taking this drug suddenly.

Do not use Sinemet CR if you are allergic to it, if you have narrow-angle glaucoma, or if you have used a MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. Talk to your doctor if you have phenylketonuria (PKU). Use caution when doing anything that requires alertness until you know how Sinemet CR affects you. Avoid getting up too quickly. Avoid iron supplements or a high-protein diet. 

Seek emergency medical attention if you suspect an overdose or allergic reaction. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience serious side effects, such as: uncontrolled muscle movements, worsening tremors, severe/ongoing diarrhea and vomiting, hallucinations, unusual mood/behavior changes, depression, suicidal ideation, and symptoms of a severe nervous system reaction. Also tell your doctor if you experience excessive daytime sleepiness or intense sexual/gambling urges. Your sweat, urine, and saliva may appear dark in color – this is not a harmful side effect. Other common side effects include: jerky muscle movements, muscle contractions, nausea.