What Is Cabaser Used For?

Cabaser contains cabergoline and is prescribed to help manage the signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, a brain condition that affects movement.

Primary Uses

Cabaser is used to manage Parkinson’s disease symptoms including tremor, rigid posture, slow movements, and shuffling, unbalanced walk. It helps reduce these symptoms and improves your ability to perform normal, everyday tasks.

How It Works

Parkinson’s disease occurs when the brain doesn’t make enough dopamine, a chemical that helps control muscle movement. Cabaser belongs to a group of medicines called dopamine agonists and works by increasing the effects of dopamine in your brain.

How to Take Cabaser

Your doctor will determine the right dose for you and gradually adjust it over time. Always follow your doctor’s instructions carefully.

Dosage Instructions

The usual starting dose is half to one 1 mg tablet (0.5 mg to 1 mg) once a day. Your doctor will gradually increase your dose over several weeks. The recommended maintenance dose is 2 mg to 3 mg daily. Take once a day, preferably with meals to reduce side effects. Swallow tablets whole with a full glass of water. If prescribed half a tablet, break along the score line. Take at the same time each day for best results.

What If You Miss a Dose?

If you forget to take one or more tablets, take your next tablet at the normal scheduled time. Do not take a double dose to make up for the missed dose as this may increase the chance of side effects.

Available Tablet Strengths

Side Effects

Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.

Common Side Effects

These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:

• unusual sleepiness, sudden onset of sleep
• abnormal movements, increased movements
• increased sweating
• diarrhea, constipation
• lower stomach pain
• nausea, vomiting
• dizziness, fainting
• headache
• weakness, excessive tiredness
• leg cramps
• back pain
• unusual hair loss or thinning
• aggressive behavior
• changes in behavior such as increased sex drive, compelling desire to gamble, shop, eat or take medicines

Impulse Control Issues

Tell your doctor if you notice changes in behavior that result in a strong desire to gamble, shop, eat or use medicines to excess, or if you notice an increase in your sex drive. These compulsive behaviors have been seen with some medicines used to treat Parkinson’s disease, including Cabaser.

Important Warnings

Cabaser may cause heart valve problems or affect your lung and kidney function. Your doctor will need to perform tests before and during treatment.

Who Should Not Take Cabaser

Do not take Cabaser if you have or have had: scarring or thickening of the lungs with shortness of breath, any evidence of heart valve disorder, any swelling or inflammation around the heart or lungs, any abnormal formation of scar tissue outside the stomach wall, or an allergy to cabergoline, other ergot alkaloids, or any ingredients in the medicine. Do not give to children as safety has not been established.

Medical Conditions to Discuss

Tell your doctor if you have: liver problems, lung disease or breathing problems, heart problems including chest pain or recent heart attack, Raynaud’s syndrome (circulation problems in fingers and toes), stomach ulcer, bleeding from stomach/gut, mental illness, or low blood pressure.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Women planning pregnancy should stop taking Cabaser at least one month before becoming pregnant. If you become pregnant while taking this medicine, tell your doctor immediately. Tell your doctor if breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed – Cabaser may prevent milk production.

Drug Interactions

Some medicines may interfere with cabergoline and affect how it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines or different medicines entirely.

• medicines used to lower blood pressure
• other medicines used for Parkinson’s disease
• medicines used to treat mental illness
• metoclopramide (used to treat nausea)
• macrolide antibiotics such as erythromycin

Alcohol & Driving

Be cautious with alcohol and driving while taking Cabaser as it can affect your alertness and coordination.

Alcohol

Be careful when drinking alcohol while taking Cabaser. The effect of drinking alcohol while taking Cabaser is not known.

Driving and Operating Machinery

Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how Cabaser affects you. Cabaser may cause dizziness, light-headedness, irregular movements, sleepiness and/or sudden onset of sleep, especially during the first days of taking it. If you experience any of these symptoms, do not drive, operate machinery or do anything else that could be dangerous.

Blood Pressure Changes

If you feel light-headed, dizzy or faint when getting out of bed or standing up, get up slowly. Standing up slowly, especially when you get up from bed or chairs, will help your body get used to the change in position and blood pressure. If this problem continues or gets worse, talk to your doctor.

Storage

Store tablets in the original bottle until time to take them. Keep in a cool, dry place where temperature stays below 25°C. Store away from moisture, heat or sunlight – do not store in bathroom, near sink, in car or on window sills. Keep where young children cannot reach. Do not use after expiry date. Take any unwanted medicine to pharmacy for safe disposal.

Overdose Information

If you think you have taken too much Cabaser, seek urgent medical attention immediately. Phone the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26), contact your doctor, or go to the nearest hospital Emergency Department, even if there are no signs of discomfort. Overdose symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, stomach complaints, dizziness, confusion, and hallucinations. Have the medicine bottle or this information available when seeking help.

Frequently Asked Questions