Around 06:00 in the morning a starting dose of Duodopa® is administered, to achieve rapidly the concentration required to optimize your condition. The continuous dose that the pump administers must keep this concentration constant. The pump is used for administering both the starting dose and continuous dose.
Get a Duodopa® cassette and the pump ready
Connect the cassette to the pump by fitting the cassette-hooks onto the pivot pins on the pumps short end and push the cassette up against the pump. Make sure that it is standing steady and hold it firmly. Press the lock knob and turn it 90°, using a coin (see page 12).
Connect the pump and cassette to the tube.
Check that the pump has a battery inserted.
Activate the pump by pressing the ON/OFF key and engage it by pressing the STOP/START key, then administer the morning dose (see page 16).
During the day
The start dose must produce adequate mobility within one hour. If during the day you should experience reduced mobility, extra doses with the pump are optional.
The amount of extra dose is individually adjustable It varies between 5 and 50 mg/occasion and should be decided during the test period.If more than about five extra doses per day are needed the pump-rate must be increased on condition that you have no problems with involuntary movements. Dose escalation increments of 0,1-0,2 ml/h would be reasonable. As a rule, the pump-dose must not be changed more than one or two times a day during the dosage-adjustment period, less frequently later on.
If involuntary body-movements become intense, the pump may be disengaged for about 5-15 minutes or until you experience relaxation. The pump rate should be decreased if intense involuntary body-movements become a recurring problem.
Extra doses
An extra-dose volume may be pre-set and, when activated, administered as many times as you wish. This pre-set volume may be changed when required.
Press the "EXTRA DOSE" key once. The pump will first administer the pre-set dose and then automatically continue administering the continuous dose.
In the evening
The Duodopa® infusion usually is suspended during your sleep. Rinse the tube with ordinary water (cold or tepid)—follow local treatment instructions—to prevent hardening medicine from obstructing the flow. The cassettes are intended for just one 24-hour period and should not be applied for more than one day.
