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Old 03-21-2010, 08:17 AM
SmittyZ3M SmittyZ3M is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 45
10 yr Member
SmittyZ3M SmittyZ3M is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 45
10 yr Member
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Hi Lindy,

Thanks for the reply, and I apologize for the confusion in the medication. I have been reading so many other posts and people mention the medication "Sinemet" that I simply assumed that my mother was using it also.

To clarify, I just read and wrote down the names and dosages of the medications my mother is currently on:

1. Carbidopa / Levodopa 25/100 (which is a substitution for Sinement 25/100)

2. Carbidopa / Levodopa ER 25-100 (which is a substitution for Sinemet CR 25/100)

She takes one each of the above, three times daily :: breakfast, lunch, dinner. So, a total of 6 pills per day.

I read the above directly from the bottles.

With this in mind, I have a few questions:

1. Is there a true difference between the Sinemet and the Carbidopa / Levodopa, as I interpret from your post that there may be?

2. Is it safe to assume that ER = Extended Release and CR = Controlled Release, and that Extended Release means the exact same thing as Controlled Release?

3. Is it safe to assume that "25/100" is the exact same thing as "25-100", the only difference being the "forward slash" versus the "dash" between the "25" and the "100"?

4. When I read other posts and see the term "l-dopa", is it safe to assume that "l-dopa" is the same thing as "Levodopa"?

After being with her this weekend, I still honestly feel that she was doing better and showing more improvements while she was on ONLY number one (1) listed above in the medications. Her voice has gone back to sounding as weak as it did before she started any PD medication. The personality in her face and general being has, in my opinion, decreased since she has been on BOTH number one (1) and number two (2) above. She has been taking both number one (1) and number two (2) above for seven (7) full days as of today.

Might I be jumping the gun in forming conclusions that my gut instinct tells me that she is on too much medication at this point in time?

Is it frowned upon to experiment and stop taking number two (2) above to see what happens, or should this only be done at the recommendation of the neuro? Is it considered acceptable to call the neuro and ask my previous question as opposed to continuing the take both medications and wait until the next neuro appointment, which is the first or second week of April?

Thanks,

Matthew

Last edited by SmittyZ3M; 03-21-2010 at 08:18 AM. Reason: Mistakes.
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