My requirement for levodopa is declining. I will address why later.
When diagnosed nearly 20 years ago, I was prescribed 300mg of levodopa. Within about 8 to 10 years, I had increased to around 800mg per day. I then started to take an interest in various supplements and treatments.
In the subsequent years, I was able to reduce my total daily levodopa to around 125 to 150mg.
Yesterday,at 8-00am I took just 50mg levodopa plus Mirapexin 0.7mg, trihexyphenidyl 2mg and azilect 1mg.Within 30 minutes I was on, and only switched off 4 hours later, at 12-00. I had lunch at 1-00pm. As soon as I started to eat, I switched on again, and the on lasted 1.5 hours. Yet there could be no contribution from the 8-00am dose of levodopa.
I have seen this effect before, that either swallowing or chewing switches me on. Since my last levodopa was 5 hours ago, and then only 50mg, and a half life of just over 2 hours, I must be generating some of my own dopamine. However, when on, I suffered dreadful diskinesia
What is going on?? Over the years I have tried all manner of supplements and treatments. Previously 50mg of levodopa was totally incapable of switching me on. Now 50mg lasts me 4 hours on, and this is after 20 years of progression of thre disease.
I can only assign the improvement to consistently taking at aleast 1,000mg of curcumin per day.for around 8 years. I use the type containing piperine (bioperine). All the other supplements were quick, flash in the pan type and had no short term improvement. Curcumin must have steadily reactivated or regenerated dopamineric neurons until I can last 1.5 hours hours on my own dopamine.
Do others see mealtimes acting as a spur to initiating an on period ? This information should give researchers a clue to what triggers being switched on, and starting to regenerate own dopamine production.
Ron