Parkinson's Disease Support Group
Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder often characterized by muscle rigidity, tremor, a slowing of physical movement, and in extreme cases, a loss of physical movement. The primary symptoms of Parkinsons are due to excessive muscle contraction, normally caused by the insufficient formation and action of dopamine, which is produced in the dopaminergic neurons of the...
I have been on Sinemet (generic version) for about 3 months now. What I have noticed is that when I first started with 1/2 pills (25/100), for several weeks that was enough and my shaking pretty much stopped and the other symptoms were better too. But then the shaking started back up again and I didn't feel as good as I first did. So then I started taking the full pills and the same thing happened, for several weeks the shaking pretty much stopped, but then started back up again. And to aggravate things a bit, this past couple of days the shaking seemes to have upped itself again to a slightly higher level. It is still way better than it was before the Sinemet, so I am not complaining. And overall I still feel really good. But, I also notice that the full effect of the pills does not last as long as it first did. It was lasting about 3 -4 hours and after about a month and 1/2 it seemed to only last about 2 1/2 -3 1/2 hours.
So now I am wondering, is the shaking increasing and the decrease in its effectiveness time because my body develops a tolerance to the drug as time goes on or is it just a sign the PD is progressing to another level? Anyone else experience this in such a short period? Maybe I just have unrealistic expectations, but I was kind of thinking I would coast along for a year or 2 on the starting dosage.
My doctor wrote the prescription for 4 full pills a day, but said I could see how 3 a day works. I don't want to go to 4 if its just a tolerance issue, because then I will be on more meds and my body will just build a tolerance to that level and I will be in the same boat.
What are your thoughts and experiences with this issue?
So now I am wondering, is the shaking increasing and the decrease in its effectiveness time because my body develops a tolerance to the drug as time goes on or is it just a sign the PD is progressing to another level? Anyone else experience this in such a short period? Maybe I just have unrealistic expectations, but I was kind of thinking I would coast along for a year or 2 on the starting dosage.
My doctor wrote the prescription for 4 full pills a day, but said I could see how 3 a day works. I don't want to go to 4 if its just a tolerance issue, because then I will be on more meds and my body will just build a tolerance to that level and I will be in the same boat.
What are your thoughts and experiences with this issue?
I did read that this could happen with the Sinemet. I was hoping it wasn't a common reaction.
Sometimes they tell you to take it on an empty stomach. I can't do that so I usually take my first mine with a little fruit or crackers otherwise I get nauseous. Some people have problems with the absorbtion not being as effective when they take it with protein. I have found that to be the case for me so I usually wait to eat my meals with protien about an hour or 2 after taking the pills.
I hope your mom has as good of a response as I had. It really made improved my symptoms greatly.
Good Luck
1 1/2 25/100 4x/day plus amantadine and selegiline 2x/day. This cocktail seems to control the tremors most of the time but I still get fatigue. I hoe this helps. Good luck and good health Alex
I BID YOU GREETINGS FROM DOWN UNDER.
THIS MY SOUND A STRANGE QUESTION ,YET HERE GOES.
HAVE YOU BEEN TOLD THAT THE MEDS PRESCRIBED TO YOUR MOST VERY GOOD SELF WILL STOP THE SHAKING YOU EXPERIENCE?
I ASK THIS BECAUSE IT IS CERTAINLY MY UNDERSTANDING, BELIEVE THIS OR NOT, THAT THERE IS NO DEDICATED MEDICATION FOR STOPPING THE SHAKES.
IN MY EXPERENCE THE THING THAT STOPPED MY SHAKES, DYSKINESIA NOTWITHSTANDING WAS, GET THIS, WAS REDUCING MY MED INTAKE AS INSTRUCTED BY MY THEN NEUROLOGIST PROFESSOR GUBAY.
GOING BY YOUR POST, I WONDER IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING DYSKINESIA AS OPPOSED TO THE SHAKES.
TO MY UNTRAINED YET EXPERIENCED VIEW IT DOES SEEM WORTH INVESTIGATING.
I MUST POINT OUT THAT BEING OVER MEDICATED CAN AND DOES BRING ON DYSKINESIA LIKE SYMPTOMS WHICH COULD BE MISTAKEN FOR THE SHAKES. HOWEVER THERE IS A MARKED DIFERENCE BETWEEN THE SHAKES AND DYSKINESIA. I NOTICED NO MENTION OF RESTING TREMOUR IN YOUR POST.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK FOR MORE INPUT IF YOU FEEL THE NEED. OR FOR CLARIFICATION IF MY REPLY HAS CONFUSED YOU GOOD SELF.
It's difficult especially when you have a little one at home.
I have had the same issue. my last cocktail was Sinemet 25/100, Sinemet 25/100 ER and Comptan., five times a day started out great. Five weeks in the relief is only lasting 1 hour per batch. PD is tricky.
Believe me when I tell y'all that it's not the medicine, regardless if it's sinemet, M&M's, or baby aspirin! It is the progression of your PD. CM .... you sound a bit like me, the only difference being that I didn't experience what you've described until my 25th year! It was then that my PD would enter what my MDS referred to as rapid cycling of progression. During those rapid cycles many different combinations of sinemet, or the generic, were tried. The rapid cycling lasted for "two years and my MDS was afraid to try any higher doses as I was nearing "the MJF shaky zone" due to too much Levodopa in my brain. It was then that she began to gently steer me towards DBS surgery. So, on Mar. 31, 2003 I underwent my first DBS surgery. I was in the hospital for just one night after the surgery, and I was discharged 24 hours after I was wheeled into the OR! Today I'm still taking C/L again. but in a much smaller daily amount than before 2003!
Jim
BTW: I just LOVE your Hawaii pics! I saw them for the first time tonight.
The only instructions I received is 3 full pills a day. Nothing about working up to that dosage. I started Monday and it does seem to be helping. Another sign it is most likely PD. I've been researching it, and I fit a lot of the symptoms.