Roo - I am working with a functional medicine doctor out of Jacksonville. His name is Dr. Serle. You can work with most functional medicine doctors as well as others that will work with Dr. Alvin Stein or Dr. Hinz. I actually presented this protocol to Dr. Serle who said that it made sense and we gave it a go. I will see my neurologist later this month to actually see what his views are. I can tell you this, most neurologist won't support you with the protocol. In fact, if anyone knows a Neurologist that supports this protocol, please let me know.

Although my symptoms were on the milder side, I couldn't get over how crappy I felt over the last two years since this diagnosis and my treatment of sinemet.... apathy, depression, rigidity and pain. Once I started this protocol, I had a dramatic effect in feeling more connected with life in general. Feeling connected is my biggest achievement since starting, along with an increase in energy and no more depression. I still feel at times some pain and rigidity but nothing near like what I was experiencing. I actually went snowmobiling (mountain riding) last week in Alaska. Twelve hours in airports/airplanes didn't effect me. I tried snowmobiling last year and on the last day, I was physically and emotionally drained to the point I was crying... for no particular reason. I had a hesitation on my right (PD dominant) side and thought I wouldn't be able to ride again but this year, I felt great the whole time, with no hesitation. In fact, typing this long response and I am not double stroking/missing keys!! I have some dexterity back, lots more!!

On day one, you no longer take Sinemet and begin taking mucuna/5-Htp/L-tyrosine/L-cysteine. I do not recommend doing this on your own. You will ultimately have dopamine and serotonin levels tested through urine. Everyone's dose is different. I take 5.4 grams of munuca a day, along with the others. Seems like a lot to me but compared to what others are taking, it's not that much.

Admittedly, I was fearful of stopping Sinemet but the protocol still calls for the gold standard treatment, which is L-dopa but from a different source, munuca pruriens. Most get their amino acids from CHK Nutrition. That is where I get mine. Some on this forum are skeptical that CHK is in it for the $ and that Hinz/Stein are just out to get your $ through CHK. Well, it's either them or pharmaceuticals. I can tell you this for sure, I am glad to not be taking pharma meds any longer and gladly pay a few dollars extra for the way I feel today. Sinemet made me feel like absolute crap. The carbidopa depletes vitamin B6 and l-dopa depletes serotonin. I think I found out why I was so energy deficient and depressed!! This protocol addresses both. Neurologists won't address those issues except to give you prescriptions to combat symptoms that crop up.

A few other things that I have tried that may have helped or seem to be helping:

Cannabis - I have been a big advocate for cannabis for all of the symptoms that I have encountered. It has helped for pain/rigidity/depression/etc. I was micro-dosing with a tincture that I made with both CBD rich and THC strains. The day I switched to this amino acid protocol, was the day I stopped using the tinctures! I just feel that much better!! I still take CBD since it is neuro-protective.

Exercise - I bike 15-20 miles 3-4 times a week. However, I have always been athletic but biking for my main exercise was new.

Food/Detox - Prior to starting this protocol, I did a full detox. I now eat only organic foods. We all have our suspicions on how we developed PD. My best guess is that we are slowly being poisoned through our food and water supply.

Summary - All of the above has likely helped me get better but there was definitely a light switch after stopping sinemet. Oh, by the way, I tried Rytary too just before the switch. I felt so awful for the four days I tried Rytary that that was the final straw to try this 'radical' approach. Now, it doesn't seem so radical. It proved to me that carbidopa was something that my body was telling me to stop!!