Compare Eldepryl vs. carbidopa / levodopa
Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, ratings, and more.
Treats Parkinson's disease.
Used with other medicines for Parkinson's disease to boost its effect.
Treats Parkinson's disease.
Sinemet (carbidopa / levodopa) is the first choice treatment for Parkinson's disease.
Upsides
- There are two different versions of Eldepryl (selegiline), a quick dissolving tablet and a regular tablet.
- Eldepryl (selegiline) is one of the recommended medicines you can take along with carbidopa/levodopa if your Parkinson's disease is getting worse.
- Sinemet (carbidopa / levodopa) is widely available as a regular pill, a quick dissolving pill or a liquid taken through a feeding tube.
- Sinemet (carbidopa / levodopa) is available in generic.
Downsides
- You may have to limit the amount of cheese, smoked meat, and soy sauce you eat while taking Eldepryl (selegiline) since it can raise your blood pressure.
- Can keep you up at night if you take it later in the day
- Doesn't work by itself to treat Parkinson's disease.
- Can make you very sleepy.
- Can stain your saliva, sweat and urine a dark color.
- Will lose its effect over time as your disease progresses.
- May need to be taken several times during day to control symptoms of Parkinson's disease
- May cause unusual cravings in some people.
Used for
Dosage forms
- Pill
- Dissolving tablet
- Pill
- Dissolving tablet
Price
Lowest price
$2769.58
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$114.67
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Reviews
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Side effects
11possible side effects
- Skin irritation at the patch24%
- Headache18%
- Insomnia12%
- Diarrhea9%
- Dry mouth8%
- Weight loss of at least 5%5%
- Indigestion4%
- Rash4%
- Sore throat3%
- Sinus infection3%
- Weight gain of at least 5%2%
The Sinemet (carbidopa / levodopa) FDA package insert doesn’t have numbers about how common side effects are.
Risks and risk factors
- Increased blood pressure
- Eating foods rich in tyramine, like soy sauce, fermented cheese and smoked meats
- Taking cough and cold medicines like dextromethorphan (Robitussin DM), pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)
- Serotonin syndrome
- Tricyclic antidepressants
- Fentanyl
- Tramadol
- Buspirone
- ADHD medicines
- Triptans
- Increased risk of skin cancer
- Falling asleep during the day
- Taking other medicines for Parkinson's
- Low blood pressure
- Falling asleep during the day
- Taking other medicines for Parkinson's
- High fever and confusion
- Stopping Sinemet (carbidopa / levodopa) suddenly
- Changes in behavior
- Lack of impulse control
- Taking other medicines for Parkinson's disease
- Changes in blood pressure and falls