I can advise you not to take it! I recently tried it and discovered that the release of the active ingredient is not consistent. About 1 hour after I took the pill, my heart started pounding and my cheeks were flushed bright red. My eye lid also was severly dropping. I was frightened by all this and was worried that the reaction might go on for 12 hours. Fortunately, after 2 hours all my symptoms subsided. I plan to never take another one of those pills! By the way, my co-pay for the Timespan was $20 vs $10 for my regular mestinon.
I hope this helps you! I wish someone had warned me before I tried it!
Good luck to you!
Cheers!
Sandie

Gosh thanks Sandie for the warning! It sounds like you had a pretty potent reaction to the drug. After hearing your experience perhaps I better just go on as is, setting the alarm for 2am. Ange

Hi Angie,
I generally don't worry about taking it a specific time. I usually wake up between 1:00 and 3:00. If I wake up at 2:00, I take my next dose at 5:00. If I wake up at 3:00, I take the next dose at 6:00.
I have so much trouble sleeping with Prednisone, that last thing I need to do is wake myself up with an alarm! I count myself lucky for every bit of sleep I can achieve!
Cheers!
Sandie

I have a prescription at the pharmacy for timespan but haven't had it filled. I'm usually at my best first thing in the morning so I won't do it unless that changes. It's good to hear your experience Sandie. I had heard it was somewhat unpredictable.
Cathi

Just remember everyones body reacts diffrent..good luck to what you choose..i am doing the IIG treatment ..1 done last month but no diffrence yet..we will keep trying...
good luck!
Dawn

Hi Ange,

I currently take 90mg of Mestinon every 4 hours during the day and my last dose of the night is Timespan which lasts for 9 hours for me. It is unreliable but has been a lifesaver as I could not wake to take my Mestinon. In the condition you are in you need your rest and setting an alarm every night to take a pill is not allowing that. I would discuss the timespan with your neuro stressing that you do not want to take it during the day, just at night and see how it works for you. We are all different.
Hugs,
jen

P.S. before the Timespan I couldn't walk, talk, or swallow in the morning

Hi! I took the time span ONCE. I was so sick after taking it that I just couldn't do it to myself again. Hot flashes, sweats, chills, naseau - you name it. Although it did only last a little while (I probably threw it up). The nice thing about Mestinon if it works, is that it gets into your system fairly quickly. So like Sandi said, just have it next to your bed and take it when you wake up, give yourself 10-15 minutes for it to kick in and hopefully you will be good to go. Obviously you would want to talk to your Dr. too. Good Luck!
Tammy

Thanks everyone for your replies! It seems not an easy question to answer. Some of you seem vehemently against it whilst others like you Jen have found it helpful. I'm not sure if anyone has a similar experience to me but for me it isn't as easy as just waiting 15 mins for the mestinon to kick in before I get going. It feels almost as if the drug has a cumulative effect in me so that it takes maximum effect only after the 2nd or 3rd dose of the day. Perhaps my issues at night are because I am building CO2. Maybe I need to have another sleep study to check that the pressures on my BIPAP ventilator are adequate to sustain my breathing during the night. Perhaps I need to discuss trying a slightly higher mestinon dose like you are taking Jen. We only get the 60mg and 10mg tablets here in SA. Taking 120mg 4hourly caused terrible side effects but because of the cost of the 10mg tablets I have never actually tried the 90mg 4 hourly. Perhaps I should. I called a few drug companies today but it doesn't look like the Timespan is approved for use in SA yet so fate seems to be making the decision for me but like you say Jen we need our sleep! It's interesting to see how differently everyone responds. Thanks again and wishing you all more strong days and nights!
Ange

Interesting to read your replies. I was on Mestinon during the day but with the horrible side effects that got canned quickly (pardon the pun lol!) So now I take a Mestinon Timespan in the morning and that suits me fine as no side effects at all. I can take another timespan at night if I need it but generally I don't take it. If my fatigue levels are high then I just go to bed earlier. I find it easier than yet another tablet. Our lifestyle has changed so that we really don't go out much at night so I can just stumble around home with an early night if too fatigued. It is really a trial of hit and miss for each of us with any medication. What suits one person doesn't always suit another.

Ange, I am supposed to try 90mg every 4 hours. I just split one of the 60mg tabs. Are yours nice little white chalky tablets too?
Cathi

Hi Cathi. My 60mg tablets aren't chalky unfortunately. They are hard and sugar coated so impossible to break. The 10mg ones are made for kiddies and those are chewable and chalky but also twice the price. I do have a few at home though which were falsely dispensed years ago so I will try the 1 60mg with 3 of the 10mgs and see how that goes.

That's too bad Ange. Mine are a little too crumbly on humid days. They can be split into quarters.

I tried the 90mg mestinon today every 4 hours and it definately does seem to have helped. Thanks you guys!
Ange

That's great! I hope it makes a big difference for you.
Cathi

Heyya Angie,
My names Brianna. I take the timespan 2 times a day. once at 7 a.m. and one at 7 p.m. and it works wonders for me. Im 15 and I'm busy alot so I dont have alot of time to stop and take pills and Im not good with scheduals so they are really good for me. They take about 30 minutes to activate and last about and hour and then release again. well, atleast for me. I had a thyectamy In July though so that might have alot to do with it, but I love taking them. The side effects are sometimes my stomach hurts, like with gas pains but I take pepto and they stop. but they only happen sometimes, like when i dont eat a very good breakfast or not one at all.
I'm not sure how much they cost because I'm a minor and I don't have to pay.
I really hope I helped. Let me know How things go for you.
Please & Thank You
-Brianna Lynne