Cabergoline is a long-acting medication, taken once or twice a week. Your endocrinologist might prescribe it for you if you have hyperprolactinemia or some other conditions.

This drug should not be used in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Some individuals may experience serious side effects with this drug. This may also lead to damage in heart valves.

What is Cabergoline?

Cabergoline is a prescription drug that can be used to treat hyperprolactinemia and other conditions that are associated with overproduction of prolactin. It works by blocking the production and release of prolactin in the brain, which prevents milk production and stops the abnormally high levels of prolactin in the body. Cabergoline Bodybuilding Tablets also treats Parkinson's disease by reducing abnormal movements caused by the condition, and sometimes it is prescribed for erectile dysfunction in men. It has been reported that research may improve the symptoms of erectile dysfunction in some men, but larger placebo-controlled studies are needed to confirm this finding.

This drug can cause a rare and serious side effect called fibrosis. It is a condition when organ tissues thicken or harden. This can happen in the lungs, heart, or stomach. This medication should not be used by individuals with a history of fibrosis, or with a family history of the condition. It is also not safe to take if you have severe high blood pressure or have a heart valve problem, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Some people taking this medication have developed a strange impulsive behavior, such as an urge to gamble or a heightened sex drive. These side effects usually disappear after the medication is stopped. Tell your doctor if you have these symptoms or notice any other changes in your behavior while taking this medicine.

How Does Cabergoline Work?

Cabergoline is one of those medications that act on dopamine receptors and thus reduces prolactin levels. This is an oral medication that must be taken at least two times a week. A patient over 65 years of age may need a slow increase in dosage. Make sure you strictly adhere to your doctor's prescriptions.

Cabergoline cannot be used to treat erectile dysfunction in men, but instead increases orgasmic function with enhanced sexual desire, an effect especially noted in men that have a medical condition such as Parkinson's disease. For low testosterone in men, cabergoline can help to treat this condition also. Whether this effect transcends other health-related causes of erectile dysfunction is not known. More studies are needed.

Non-hormonal forms of contraception should be used while on cabergoline. If you get pregnant while on this medication, your endocrinologist will advise you to stop taking it. Cabergoline reduces fertility in women but returns to normal shortly after the treatment is stopped. Cabergoline passes into breast milk and can harm a nursing infant, so you should not breast-feed while on it.

Cabergoline may cause dizziness or lightheadedness. If you become dizzy, sit or lie down and take your time getting up. This drug may also impair your coordination and balance. Avoid alcohol while you are taking this medication. If you must drink, wait a little while after drinking before getting up from a sitting or lying position to reduce your chances of falling and injuring yourself.

What are the side effects of Cabergoline?

Most drugs have undesirable side effects, but some are serious and you should tell your doctor if you get any of them. Cabergoline may cause impulsive kinds of behavior, for example, gambling or bingeing. Some people cannot get an erection with this medication, especially when starting therapy or on higher doses. These usually resolve as your body adapts to the drug, but report them to your doctor if they persist or bother you.

Cabergoline may cause your blood pressure to go down. Therefore, you may feel dizzy or light-headed if you get up too quickly from a lying down position. This effect is more common when you first start taking the medicine. So, try to stand up slowly and rest your feet on the floor for a few minutes before getting up.

You should not breast-feed while you are on cabergoline since this drug is excreted in the milk of your baby and can impair your baby's health. Women with microprolactinomas are usually able to get pregnant again once their levels of prolactin normalize. Nonetheless, sometimes it may be advised to continue this treatment during pregnancy, and this will depend on individual advice, which your endocrinologist will discuss with you.

This medication can also increase your risk of heart and lung problems, especially if you take it for long periods of time. Your doctor will monitor you for these problems by having blood tests and X-rays done from time to time.

How Should I Take Cabergoline?

Cabergoline is taken orally as tablets, usually twice a week. The doctor may start with a low dose and gradually increase it depending on your response and your symptoms. You must take it with food to avoid stomach upset. This medication works pretty fast: prolactin levels would decrease within two to three hours after taking the pill.

Do not drink alcohol or use any other medications that have an effect on blood pressure or mood while on Cabergoline. Also, report all other prescription and non-prescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are currently taking to your doctor and pharmacist.

Your doctor will wish to monitor the levels of prolactin and effect of this medicine on the blood tests, MRI scans, or other tests so that your doctor can assure him whether the medicine is working and adjust your dosages according to your symptoms.

Psychiatric disturbances or abnormally impulsive behaviour are very rarely seen with Cabergoline. These settle when the treatment is stopped, but it is worth informing your close friends and family so that they notice if there is a change in your behaviour. Also, let them know that you might be more sensitive to light and sound than usual.