The doctor has suggested my husband stop taking the amantadine he has been on for several years (3 x's daily). It seems to have lost its usefulness. He is adding azilect, .5mg daily for 2 weeks, then 1.0mg for the next 2 weeks. My husband forgot to ask how to cut the amantadine. I thought he could stop the morning dose for a week, stop the afternoon dose the next week, and by the third week he could stop the evening dose. Is this enough time to allow for the amantadine to clear his system? We appreciate your input...thanks!

I know from a friend's experience that it must be tapered off very slowly or there are consequences such as prolonged freezing. Please, however, call the doctor for advice.

Ann

I just recently went off of Amantadine (b/c of side effects).

I triated off just as you said...only in the opposite direction. I cut the evening dose the 1st week - afternoon dose 2nd week & then the morning dose the last week.

I was taking it about 18 months.

I started Azilect as well and it works great!

Good luck!

I also stopped taking Amantadine about a month ago. I was only taking 100 mg per day, having cut down from 200 mg per day over a year ago.. I have not had any problems either time.
I upped my carb/lev 25/100 to two pills per day ( from one and a half) a month ago, when I stopped Amantadine. The only difference I feel is that my stomach feels less bloated. And I am glad to see the purple veins fade away on my ankles.

birte.

Bite

Why did you first reduce and then stop taking Amantadine?

I am also currently reducing to see what happens.

I already take levodopa 125 x 4 per day.

Thank you

Chris

Crhis,

I cut down Amantadine by half because my head began to buzz. My ears seemed to hear through a layer of wool, and the buzzing inside my head seemed to reverberate. AND I had visual disturbances - I saw pink and green lace patterns on the ceiling when I did my lying down stretches, and in the sink and bath tub. The patterns were very pretty, very symmetric, but after a while I decided that I'd be better off without seeing them.
I continued with the 100 mg for another year for the sake of my balance, but stopping now seems not to have made my balance much worse - a little maybe. Since I stopped I have had a couple of little falls - in situ, you could say. One moment I'm standing, next moment my left leg buckles and I'm down - on my left hip and left bum every time. I just list left.

I'm beginning to know what addiction feels like. I love those little yellow carb/lev pills....


birte