Dostinex (Cabergoline 0.5mg)

Dostinex general information

What is Dostinex used for?

Dostinex tablets 0.5mg are used to treat disorders due to high levels of the hormone prolactin (hyperprolactinaemia) that can cause hormonal and menstrual disturbances in women during reproductive years including amenorrhoea (absence of periods), oligomenorrhoea (irregular periods), anovulation (when the ovaries do not release an egg during the menstrual cycle) and galactorrhoea (spontaneous release of breast milk unrelated to childbirth and breastfeeding).  Hyperprolactinaemia can also cause impotence in men and changes in breast tissue in both men and women.  Prolactin is a peptide hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland, the lower end of the hypothalamus at the base of the brain, that plays an important role in various reproductive functions.  Abnormally high levels of prolactin can be due to a pathology like empty sella syndrome (a deformity of the pituitary gland), a prolactin secreting pituitary adenoma (tumour) or there may be no known reason (idiopathic).  The major physiological role of prolactin is to stimulate milk producing breast cells to proliferate and to induce and maintain milk production by the breast.  Dostinex tablets 0.5mg are also used to prevent the onset of lactation following childbirth when the mother has elected not to breast feed or when breast feeding is contraindicated for the mother and the baby for medical reasons; or after a stillbirth or abortion to suppress lactation and dry up the milk supply.  

How does Dostinex work?

Dostinex tablets 0.5mg contain cabergoline, a dopaminergic drug belonging to the group of ergoline derivatives (structural skeleton is the alkaloid ergoline).  Prolactin secretion is under tonic inhibitory control by dopamine, a brain hormone produced by the hypothalamus.  When dopamine is released, prolactin release is inhibited, therefore, prolactin is released only when dopamine production by the hypothalamus is inhibited.  Cabergoline in Dostinex tablets 0.5mg acts a dopamine agonist that directly stimulates dopamine receptors on the anterior pituitary cells that produce prolactin, to increase levels of dopamine and decrease prolactin levels.  This action of cabergoline in Dostinex tablets 0.5mg provides potent, rapid and long-lasting inhibition of prolactin secretion, acting within three hours and maintaining its prolactin lowering effect for between one and four weeks.  Dostinex tablets 0.5mg are effective in inhibiting milk secretion, as well as breast engorgement and pain after childbirth; also returning high prolactin to normal levels and relieving symptoms of hyperprolactinaemia by restoring normal menstrual cycle. 

What does Dostinex contain?

Dostinex tablets 0.5mg contain the active ingredient cabergoline, a dopamine agonist used to treat conditions due to high prolactin levels (hyperprolactinaemia) and to prevent milk production following childbirth.  They also contain lactose anhydrous and leucine.

Treating hyperprolactinaemia with Dostinex

Dostinex tablets 0.5mg contain cabergoline, a dopamine agonist that is used to treat conditions due to high prolactin levels (hyperprolactinaemia).  Prolactin is a hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland in brain that plays an important role in various reproductive functions.  Abnormally high levels of prolactin can be due to a pathology like empty sella syndrome (a deformity of the pituitary gland), a prolactin secreting pituitary adenoma (tumour) or there may be no known reason (idiopathic).  Hyperprolactinaemia can cause hormonal and menstrual disturbances in women during reproductive years including amenorrhoea (absence of periods), oligomenorrhoea (irregular periods), anovulation (when the ovaries do not release an egg during the menstrual cycle) and galactorrhoea (spontaneous release of breast milk unrelated to childbirth and breastfeeding).  Prolactin secretion is regulated by the brain hormone dopamine, produced by the hypothalamus that inhibits prolactin release.  Cabergoline in Dostinex tablets 0.5mg acts a dopamine agonist by directly stimulating dopamine receptors on the anterior pituitary cells that produce prolactin, to increase levels of dopamine and decrease prolactin levels.  Dostinex tablets 0.5mg are effective in returning high prolactin to normal levels and relieving symptoms of hyperprolactinaemia by restoring normal menstrual cycle. 

Dostinex for preventing lactation

Dostinex tablets 0.5mg contain cabergoline, a dopamine agonist that is used to either prevent lactation or dry up milk production after childbirth, still birth or an abortion.  Prolactin is a hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland in brain and its major physiological role is to stimulate milk producing breast cells to proliferate and to induce and maintain milk production by the breast.  Prolactin secretion is regulated by the brain hormone dopamine, produced by the hypothalamus that inhibits prolactin release.  Cabergoline in Dostinex tablets 0.5mg acts as a dopamine agonist by directly stimulating dopamine receptors on the anterior pituitary cells that produce prolactin, to increase levels of dopamine and decrease prolactin levels.  This action of Cabergoline in Dostinex tablets 0.5mg suppresses lactation and helps dry up the milk supply, being effective rapidly and lasting for several weeks.

What are the side effects of Dostinex?

The most commonly reported side effects when taking Dostinex tablets 0.5mg include dizziness, fainting (syncope), vertigo, headache, nausea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, heartburn, asthenia (muscle weekness), fatigue, breast pain, postural hypotension (low blood pressure when changing position), hot flushes, depression.

When should Dostinex not be used?

You should not use Dostinex tablets 0.5mg if you:

• are allergic to cabergoline or any ingredients in Dostinex
• are pregnant, without discussion with your doctor
• have kidney or liver disease
• have pregnancy-induced hypertension, such as preeclampsia or post-partum hypertension, without discussion with your doctor
• have a heart valve disorder (cardiac valvulopathy)
• have any fibrotic disorders (scarring or thickening) of the lungs (pulmonary) around the heart (pericardial) or outside the stomach wall (retroperitoneal)
• have severe cardiovascular disease, Raynaud's syndrome, peptic ulcer or gastrointestinal bleeding, or with a history of serious, particularly psychotic, mental disorders.
• are taking medicines that interact with Dostinex including ergot alkaloids used for migraine, phenothiazine, butyrophenone and thioxanthene antipsychotics, metoclopramide for reflux and nausea macrolide antibiotics like erythromycin,

What medications interact with Dostinex?

Several medications interact with Dostinex tablets 0.5mg and should either not be taken while you are taking Dostinex or only after discussion and instruction from your doctor:

• Drugs that affect Dostinex: ergot alkaloids used for migraine, phenothiazine, butyrophenone, thioxanthene antipsychotics, metoclopramide for reflux and nausea, macrolide antibiotics like erythromycin

How should Dostinex be taken?

You should take your Dostinex tablets 0.5mg swallowed whole with a glass of water and with food.  For treatment of hyperprolactinaemia, you should take your Dostinex tablets 0.5mg twice weekly and the dose you take and for how long should be as recommended by your doctor, which may be for several weeks.  For preventing lactation you should take you Dostinex tablets 0.5mg as a single dose on the first day after delivery of your baby.

How long should you take Dostinex?

For treatment of hyperprolactinaemia, you should continue to take your Dostinex tablets 0.5mg for as long as recommended by your doctor, which may be for several weeks.  For preventing lactation you should take you Dostinex tablets 0.5mg as a single dose on the first day after delivery of your baby.

Missed dose of Dostinex

If you miss a dose of Dostinex tablets 0.5mg take it as soon as you remember, unless it is time to take the next dose, then skip the missed dose.  Do not take a double dose.

How should Dostinex be stored?

You should store your Dostinex tablets 0.5mg below 25°C in a cool dry place.