What special precautions should I follow?
Before taking Methyldopa:
You cannot take methyldopa if you have any type of liver disease.
Also, please inform your doctor if you have any type of heart disease, have had a heart attack or a stroke, or have kidney disease. You may need a lower dose or special monitoring during treatment with methyldopa if you have any of the conditions listed above.
Do not take methyldopa if you are taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) or if you have taken one in the last 14 days. MAOIs, used to treat depression, include isocarboxazid (Marplan®), phenelzine (Nardil®), and tranylcypromine (Parnate®).
Additionally, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines: lithium (Eskalith®, Lithobid®, others); haloperidol (Haldol®); levodopa (Dopar®, Larodopa®, Sinemet®); tolbutamide (Orinase®); a respiratory medicine such as albuterol (Ventolin®, Proventil®, Volmax®, others), pirbuterol (Maxair®), or salmeterol (Serevent®); a beta-blocker such as carteolol (Cartrol®), carvedilol (Coreg®), labetalol (Trandate®, Normodyne®), nadolol (Corgard®), propranolol (Inderal®), pindolol (Visken®), or timolol (Blocadren®); a phenothiazine such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine®), prochlorperazine (Compazine®), perphenazine (Trilafon®), fluphenazine (Prolixin®), or thioridazine (Mellaril®); a barbiturate such as phenobarbital (Luminal®, Solfoton®), pentobarbital (Nembutal®), or secobarbital (Seconal®); or a tricyclic antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil®, Endep®), imipramine (Tofranil®), doxepin (Sinequan®), or nortriptyline (Pamelor®). You may require special monitoring or a dose adjustment if you are taking any of the medicines listed above.
Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with methyldopa or affect your condition. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines.
Methyldopa is in the FDA pregnancy category B. This means that it is not likely to harm an unborn baby. Do not take methyldopa without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant.
Moreover, methyldopa passes into breast milk. It is not known whether methyldopa will harm a nursing infant, but do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
If you are over 60 years of age, you may be more likely to experience side effects from methyldopa therapy. You may require a lower dose.
Use cautiously when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. Methyldopa may cause dizziness or drowsiness, so try to avoid these activities.
Take care when rising from a sitting or lying position, especially first thing in the morning. You may become dizzy while taking methyldopa and you may fall and injure yourself if you get up too quickly.
Avoid alcohol while taking methyldopa. It may increase the drowsiness and may also increase dizziness.
Why is this medication prescribed?
Dosage and using this medicine
What should I do if I forget a dose?
What side effects can this medication cause?