Quote:
Originally Posted by therese
for providing your dosing schedule for Amantadine...and, too, for your encouraging words about Amantadine itself...exactly what Doreen and I need at this time.
Just another question, John...what is your Sinemet dosage, i.e., how much at each of the 4 dosings? Doreen has been taking the Sinemet 3 times daily...25/100 mg...1 1/2 @ 7 a.m.....1 1/2 - 2 @ 11 a.m. (depending on how well it "works" at this time)...2 @ approx. 4 p.m. w/ a possible total of 5 1/2 tabs daily. Until very recently, she had only been taking 4 tabs a day divided by 3 doses= 1 1/2 + 1 1/2 +1= 4 tabs...but, now at the 5 - 5 1/2 tabs. I have suggested to her that possibly she should be taking smaller doses more frequently but equaling the same total amount of 5 - 5 1/2 tabs...possibly even using a 4-dose daily regimen as you do. I guess my thinking on this is that she might be insured of a more constant "flow"of the Sinemet w/out the more concentrated dose at fewer intervals. The more recent increase in the Sinemet has NOT resulted in the dyskinesia(s) that she had been experiencing before adding the Amantadine so that we're hoping that the increased amount of the Sinemet will help with the tremor, and in fact, her neurologist told her today that she can even take 6 Sinemet daily to see if that would give an even better benefit toward controlling the tremor...but, he still feels that he would like to increase the Amantadine to see if that "works" well to control the tremor. I guess, though, he will wait to see if the increased Sinemet dosage helps with the tremor..if so, then, there would be no need to increase the Amantadine to 300 mg. daily...if not, then, he may decrease the Sinemet and have Doreen "move to" the 300 mg. Amantadine. He likes to "work" with one "med" at a time so that it's clear as to what "med" is doing (or not doing) what.
Gosh, John...I have rattled on, here...really went quite astray from my original question to you, i.e., what are your Sinemet doses, i.e., total daily dosage and how much at each dosing? Also, does the amount of Sinemet control your tremor well...or, is it possibly the Amantadine that is contributing to control of your tremor? Believe me...if you can make "heads nor tails" out of this, it will be a miracle!!!! I tend to write as I am thinking and I just have so many thoughts. It's a wonder that anyone would take the time to "wade" through some (probably most) of my posts!!!
Thanks, again...
Therese
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Hi Therese,
You post is something like some of the Algebra word problems I've been working on lately.
I think it's a combination of both at is working at the moment. I won't rock the boat too much...
Anyway, I'm taking the Sinemet 6-1/2 x per day total. These are the 25/100 Carbo-Levo generic yellow pills. I was initially at 2x then upped to 3x with a Mirapex at night, which did little for me, then upped to 4-1/2 times w/o the Mirapex, which worked for about 1-1/2 years. I was happy as a clam until July when I started feeling worse like the Sinemet wasn't working anymore, and I was getting stiffer, more tremulous, less steady, and even fell a couple of times.
I held out until my September appointment so on Sept. 20th, when I saw my neuro, I was tremulous, had diffculty getting out of the chair, and other problems with my gait, and movements.
I had already increased the Amantadine to 3x during the same time, so apparently the Sinement was working, but not enough along with the Amantadine.
As of now with the 6-1/2 pills, I can again get out of a chair, my arm swing is better, I'm not as stiff in the upper arms, and I don't tremor as much if at all except for the early morning.
I am on a very ridgid schedule, which is a pain to watch because it always gets in the way of doing things and I feel like I have to constantly watch the clock, although I can tell if I'm running late because I begin to stiffen up especially in my arms and legs, which feel like the dystonia is going to start up any second.
My timings are:
8:30 - 1 Sinemet 25/100, 1 Amantadine
11:30- 1 Sinemet
2:30 -1 Sinemet 25/100, 1 Amantadine
5:30 - 1 Sinemet 25/100 1 Amantadine [1]
8:30 - 1 Sinemet 25/100
11:30 -1 + 1/2 Sinemet at bedtime, which is usually a short time later.
Lately I've been going to bed much later, due to homework (taking online classes) so I will take the 1/2 just as I climb into bed. My sleep is pretty deep for at least 4-5 hours before I begin to get stiff and twitch, which usually wakes me up.
John
[1] This used to be 1 Sinemet 25/100 at 5:30, and 1 Amantadine at 6:30, but due to commuting home and dinner time, I found it easier to take both at 5:30 so the medication has a chance to sit in my stomach before I eat.