Foslevodopa and Buprenorphine: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · AI content regenerated Jul 11, 2026 · Source data updated Jul 2, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Buprenorphine
Foslevodopa
No brand names on record
How we grade severity & evidence
Severity levels
- Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
- Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
- Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
- Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.
Evidence grades
- Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
- Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
- Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
- Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
- Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.
Buprenorphine is a strong pain and opioid-dependence medicine that can slow your breathing and make you sleepy or dizzy. Foslevodopa is used for Parkinson's disease and can also cause drowsiness or lightheadedness. Taken together, these two can add up and leave you more tired, foggy, or unsteady than either one alone.
The good news is this concern is based on how the drugs work in theory, not on lots of reported problems. Please keep taking both exactly as prescribed. Your care team can manage this by adjusting doses if needed and watching how you feel. Tell them right away if you notice heavy sleepiness, confusion, or slowed breathing.
Effect: Additive CNS depression when buprenorphine (partial mu-opioid agonist) is combined with foslevodopa (a foslevodopa/foscarbidopa prodrug of levodopa).
- Mechanism: Pharmacodynamic, additive CNS/respiratory depression and sedation; not a PK/enzyme interaction.
- Direction: Increased sedation, dizziness, and potential respiratory depression.
- Evidence: Theoretical; onset unspecified.
- Severity: Rated major.
- Management: Use caution with concurrent use. Monitor for oversedation, respiratory depression, and orthostatic symptoms; individualize opioid dosing. Counsel on additive drowsiness.
What happens
An increased risk of CNS depression
Interaction Deep Dive
Taking foscarbidopa/foslevodopa together with CNS depressants can heighten the likelihood of CNS depression. Use caution when these agents are given concurrently1.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Additive CNS depression
How to manage this interaction
Care teams generally handle this by using caution and watching how the combination affects you rather than avoiding it outright.
- Keep taking both as prescribed unless your prescriber tells you otherwise.
- Your team may monitor you more closely for excess drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, or slowed breathing, especially when starting or changing a dose.
- Doses may be adjusted and individualized by your care team based on how you respond.
- Be careful with driving or activities that need alertness until you know how you feel.
Raise any heavy sedation, breathing changes, or falls with your pharmacist or prescriber promptly.
Management is individual — confirm any change with your pharmacist or prescriber.
Literature reports
2 reports — tap to read
Common questions
Can I take Foslevodopa and Buprenorphine together?
Combining buprenorphine and foslevodopa can add to drowsiness and, rarely, slowed breathing, so keep taking both as prescribed and let your care team monitor and adjust as needed. Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Foslevodopa and Buprenorphine interaction?
It is rated major. Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "unspecified". The timing of this interaction is not well characterized.
How is the Foslevodopa and Buprenorphine interaction managed?
Care teams generally handle this by using caution and watching how the combination affects you rather than avoiding it outright. Keep taking both as prescribed unless your prescriber tells you otherwise. Your team may monitor you more closely for excess drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, or slowed breathing, especially when starting or changing a dose. Doses may be adjusted and individualized by yo… Management is individual — always follow your own care team's guidance.
How strong is the evidence for this interaction?
The evidence is graded "theoretical". Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Foslevodopa or Buprenorphine need adjusting while I take them together?
- What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
- Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
- Is there a safer alternative to one of these medications for me?
References (3)
- Product Information: VYALEV(TM) subcutaneous injection, foscarbidopa and foslevodopa subcutaneous injection. AbbVie Inc (per FDA), North Chicago, IL, 2024. DailyMed
- Product Information: Eunerpan(R), Melperonhydrochlorid. Nordmark Arzneimittel GmbH, Uetersen, 1991.
- Product Information: Nipolept(R), zotepine. Klinge Pharma GmbH, Munich, Germany, 1994.
Keep reading about Buprenorphine
Keep reading about Foslevodopa
These medications also interact with supplements
Prescription drugs aren't the whole picture — herbal and dietary supplements can interact with them too. From the evidence-graded Natural Medicines database:
major · moderate · minor — check everything you take with our drug–supplement interaction checker.
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