Description
About Caberlin 0.5 mg
Caberlin 0.5 mg is a prescription tablet containing 0.5 mg of cabergoline, made by Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, used to treat hyperprolactinemia, including prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas. It is the standard strength for people whose dose has been worked up to 0.5 mg or more at a time, and in the UK and Europe cabergoline at this strength is also used to stop breast milk production after childbirth.
How does Caberlin 0.5 mg work?
Dopamine released by the brain normally keeps prolactin in check. Cabergoline mimics dopamine at the D2 receptors of the pituitary’s lactotroph cells, so prolactin secretion drops sharply. With an elimination half-life of roughly 2 to 3 days, a single tablet keeps working for days, allowing weekly or twice-weekly dosing.
Uses
- Hyperprolactinemia and prolactinomas: lowers prolactin, restores periods and fertility, relieves galactorrhea and usually shrinks the tumor.
- Preventing lactation (UK and EU labeling): a single 1 mg dose, as two 0.5 mg tablets, on the first day after delivery; for milk already established, 0.25 mg every 12 hours for two days. This use is not approved in the US, and it is avoided in women with pre-eclampsia or high blood pressure after delivery.
- Specialist off-label uses: some endocrinologists add cabergoline in acromegaly, and fertility clinics may use it to lower the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. These are not labeled uses.
How to take Caberlin 0.5 mg
For hyperprolactinemia, the usual total is 0.5 to 1 mg a week, split into one or two doses on fixed weekdays and taken with a meal. Dose changes are made at intervals of at least 4 weeks after a prolactin blood test, and US labeling allows up to 1 mg twice a week. If your starting dose is 0.25 mg, your doctor may prescribe Caberlin 0.25 mg rather than asking you to break this tablet. Mark your dosing days on a calendar or phone reminder, because a weekly medicine is easy to forget.
How long is treatment?
Many people need cabergoline for years. If prolactin has been normal for a long period (often at least two years) and a scan shows no visible tumor, your doctor may taper and stop it, then check prolactin regularly, since levels rise again in some patients. US labeling notes that stopping can be considered after six months of normal prolactin, with follow-up testing.
Heart, lung and mental health warnings
Ergot-derived dopamine agonists can cause fibrosis of heart valves, lungs, the lining around the heart or the back of the abdomen. Before you start, your doctor should check your heart, usually with an echocardiogram, and repeat checks during long-term treatment. Report breathlessness, a lasting cough, chest pain, leg swelling or flank pain. Watch also for impulse-control changes, including urges to gamble, shop, binge eat or seek sex, and for sudden sleepiness that makes driving unsafe.
Who should not take it?
People with uncontrolled hypertension, valvular heart disease, previous fibrotic disorders or allergy to ergot alkaloids should not take it. Caution is needed with liver impairment, low blood pressure and mental illness. Pregnancy should be discussed promptly with your doctor, and women who wish to breastfeed should not use it.
What are the side effects?
Nausea, headache, dizziness, weakness, constipation, abdominal discomfort, sleepiness and hot flashes are reported most often. Fainting from low blood pressure is possible after the first doses. Seek urgent care for chest pain, severe breathlessness, hallucinations or a severe allergic reaction.
Interactions
Avoid dopamine blockers such as haloperidol, risperidone, chlorpromazine and metoclopramide. Macrolide antibiotics can increase cabergoline exposure, and antihypertensives and alcohol can worsen lightheadedness.
Pack sizes and storage
Supplied in strips of 4 tablets and listed in packs of 12, 24 or 36 tablets; check the current price table above. Keep the strips sealed below 77°F (25°C).
Frequently asked questions
Are Caberlin and Cabgolin the same?
Both contain cabergoline, and Cabgolin 0.5 mg has the same strength.
Can men take it?
Yes, men with high prolactin are treated in the same way, often seeing better libido and erections as levels normalize.
Are there other brands?
CB-Lin 0.5 mg is another option; see the More Product category.
General information, not medical advice. Caberlin 0.5 mg is a prescription medicine; keep to the dosing days and blood tests your doctor has arranged.