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Well I can't believe it's been only a week since I started a firm regimen of two 23.75/95 Rytary instead of one 36.25/145. But it's been a week literally lived every three hours to see what the next manifestation of drug withdrawal or Parkinson's or whatever will bring. Since I started this at my neurologist's recommendation last Saturday I have been off and on good and bad, happy and sad- my emotions have been all over the place. I am at once angry for the medicine I've taken unnecessarily I believe (statins-a quote off the Internet: "... they make you so old so fast...") and just trapped in general in this medical dilemma and yet happy that it seems I have begun recovery, if such a thing exists. But for sure I can say I noticed several small items of improvement including eyesight, finger snap, equilibrium in the right and left side as well as more initiative and physical muscle strength. These are welcome and very positive indications if they continue.

I want to break down for you outcomes by each three hour period.

6:30 AM

So now my regimen consists of these two 95 Rytary starting about 6:30 in the morning along with one 81 MG aspirin and 300 MG Ubiquinol (reduced form CoQ10) and a cup or two of coffee. This results in a moderate to strong "on" in about 30 minutes that allows me to accomplish my bathroom necessities without problem and without slowness and without rigidity. This is a very good result and would be an excellent time to exercise although I don't. About an hour into this time muscle rigidity comes on although slight. This lasts for the full three hours.

9:00 AM

Two more Rytary and continued full "on". Good bodily function and motor skills limited only by muscle rigidity and jerkiness which is manageable. However, later in the week through today this muscle rigidity and jerkiness is noticeably increased, making driving, typing and other fine motor function difficult.

12:00 Noon

Two more Rytary and continued full "on". Again, yesterday and today this is becoming very uncomfortable. I attempted to mitigate the rigidity and jerkiness with food which was delayed but effective. By 3 o'clock rigidity and jerkiness have dissipated and the "on" is much more gentle, with a very gentle shakiness in the right arm. This is far more tolerable than the jerkiness and rigidity.

3:00 PM

Two more Rytary and continued mild "on". No jerkiness and no rigidity but continued shakiness in the right arm. Worsens with emotion but very tolerable and dormant if not in use. Movement has slowed but is still comfortable, driving is much easier and walking is slower but manageable.

6:00 PM

Two more Rytary and a plate of vegetables and fruit and continued mild "on". No jerkiness or rigidity but continued shakiness right arm. All else slower but normal. Interestingly, both sides right and left are fairly even and equal. Walking is normal and swimming is possible. Yes, full on swimming-dog paddle, breaststroke etc.

9:00 PM

Two more Rytary and continued mild "on". Still no jerkiness or rigidity but continued shakiness in the right arm but only slightly. Similar to 6 PM but wound down a little bit. Go to bed around 10 PM to 11 PM and wake up maybe once in the night to turn over and generally go back to sleep. Sleeping is now more or less good.

Conclusion

I have to tell you that throughout the week I have been through some interesting situations which I believe are related to the withdrawal of the medications. I hesitate to say it's better now as what a difference a day makes. Just when I think yesterday was good and I've crested the hill another worrisome event happens like a pain in my head or buzzing in my years or restless leg syndrome. So, hopefully as these issues dissipate I can try more directly to find out what foods mitigate the rigidity and shakiness which is my primary problem now.

If you have experience with Rytary in the foods that makes it better or worse please provide them in a reply to this post. The Internet is all over the board saying everything is bad and everything is good.


There you have it.