Ropivacaine is used as a local (in only one area) anesthesia for a spinal block, also called an epidural. The medication is used to provide anesthesia during a surgery or C-section, or to ease labor pains.

Ropivacaine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Tell your caregivers at once if you have a serious side effect such as: confusion, problems with speech or vision, ringing in your ears, numbness or tingling around your mouth, gasping, feeling unusually hot, pale, gray, or blue colored skin, headache, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, or feeling like you might pass out.

Ropivacaine is given as an injection through a needle placed into an area of your middle or lower back near your spine. You will receive this injection in a hospital or surgical setting.

Your breathing, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and other vital signs will be watched closely while you are receiving ropivacaine.

Some numbing medications can have long-lasting or delayed effects. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns about this risk. Call your doctor if you have joint pain or stiffness, or weakness in any part of your body that occurs after your surgery, even months later.

You should not use ropivacaine if you are allergic to it or to any type of numbing medicine.

A severe blood problem called methemoglobinemia may occur while using ropivacaine. Your risk may be greater if you have glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, heart problems, or lung problems. Your risk may also be greater while using certain drugs and if your child is younger than 6 months.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

• a severe blood problem called methemoglobinemia;

• liver or kidney disease; or

• heart disease.

It is not known if ropivacaine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

Ask a doctor if it is safe to breastfeed while using ropivacaine.

Since ropivacaine is given as needed before a surgery or other medical procedure, you are not likely to be on a dosing schedule.

Tell your caregivers right away if you think you have received too much of ropivacaine.

Ropivacaine can cause numbness over a large portion of your body. Take care to avoid injury before the feeling has returned completely.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Tell your caregivers at once if you have:

• a severe blood problem called methemoglobinemia --pale, gray, or blue colored skin, headache, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, feeling lightheaded, or tired;

• feeling anxious, restless, confused, or like you might pass out;

• problems with speech or vision;

• ringing in the ears, metallic taste, numbness or tingling around your mouth, or tremors;

• seizures;

• weak or shallow breathing;

• slow heart rate, weak pulse; or

• fast heart rate, gasping, feeling unusually hot.

Common side effects include:

• feeling like you might pass out;

• nausea, vomiting;

• slow heart rate;

• headache;

• back pain;

• fever;

• pain;

• itching;

• numbness, tingling, burning pain; or

• pale skin, tiredness, feeling light-headed or short of breath, cold hands and feet.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially:

• other anesthetics--articaine, benzocaine, bupivacaine, lidocaine, mepivacaine, prilocaine;

• heart medications--nitric oxide, nitroglycerin, nitroprusside, nitrous oxide;

• cancer medications--cyclophosphamide, flutamide, hydroxyurea, ifosfamide, rasburicase;

• antibiotics--dapsone, nitrofurantoin, sulfonamides;

• drugs for malaria--chloroquine, primaquine;

• drugs for epilepsy--phenobarbital, phenytoin, valproate; or

• other drugs--acetaminophen, metoclopramide, quinine, sulfasalazine.

This list is not complete and many other drugs may affect ropivacaine. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.