Be conservative. For me, the doses in the trials are way too high. A factor of ten, in fact. But that is mixing it with medication.

It's a real drug so treat it with respect, Read back through this and the other threads.

I'm coming up to 3 years in taking "mununa". I'm still believe it's working for me. I've tried many different mucuna options (organic mucuna powder, tablets, capsules and Zandopa). They all work, some more powerful than others. I still take some sinemet with the mucuna to help it along. But it's important to treat "mucuna" as a drug. DON'T just add it to your regiment of drugs, you might overmedicate yourself. If you're taking Sinemet, be sure to gradually (weeks / months) reduce it in small amounts at a time and replace it with a small amount of mucuna instead. Everyone is different, so you'll have to experiment. Keep track of your results. Let your doctor know what you're doing.
The one thing that I've noticed with myself, it that it's becoming harder to stay on that edge. The edge is when you've reached you optimum normal self.
Lately, I've been finding myself going over the edge (overmedicated). What I've just started to do this week is to reduce my meds/herbs by 25% and take it every 2 1/2 hours instead of every 3 hours. I've already noticed an improvement. Muncuna gets in your system pretty quickly, it's better to take it in smaller amounts and more often.

A good website on "Mucuna" is:
http://www.parkinson.org/NETCOMMUNIT...=459&srcid=379
Good Luck,
EnJOY life,
Max

your personal experience is so important for me,l'll take it as a guide light leading me pass through the journey of adventure in the PD-fighting,thanks a lot!

willy

Good to read your EnJOY line ..
I have been on mucuna myself with no sinemet as yet .. I take 2 tea spoonful daily of Zandopa .. I am most inerested to know your doze of macuna/sinemet. thank you

Last night l took muc.pruriens(from americannutrion) 1 capsule (250mg=100mg L-dopa potency) +Madopar1/4 tablet,l felt better result(longer effect,ie,4 +1/2hrs) compare with my original dose 1/2 tab Madopar(=100+25mg)

Willy,
Welcome to this group. You will find a lot of support here. I 'm glad to hear that you're willing to try mucuna. Please keep us informed on your results.

imark3000'
Currently, I'm taking 1 level teaspoon of Zandopa (HP200) with 1/3 of a tablet of generic Sinemet (200/50CR). 3 to 4 times a day. I've been diagnosed with pd in 2001. I'm so glad to hear that you don't take any other meds with Zandopa. If I had to do it all over again, I would of definity tried mucuna first.
Max

Thank you Max: I was diagnosed just over 2 years back so it is too early to tell how long I will be able to hold without sinemet. I am having a special style of life whereby I have minimum stress and about 2 hours of exercise distributed during the day. I am 65 now and still EnJOY life and do some work on the internet while always listening to lovely music.

imark3000,

I also exercise for 2 hrs on most days and when I don't I seem that I off times come quicker, do you find the same thing?

I was Dxd about 5 years now and was taking 25x200 and the doctor has reduced it down to 25x100 because of dyskinesa was really bad. It's now settle down a bit but I find that I'm slowing down just like I did when I started all these drugs.

The main thing I want to say is that the exercise is a must for me and I think should be for everyone. I'm wondering how many people on here, use exercise as part of the treatment? I caught a cold last year and stopped all my exercises for 2 weeks and I went down hill fast. (By the way 2 weeks without exercising was just laziness on my part) I don't and won't let that happen again.

I would like to try this Mucuna but I want to start slow and work my way up.
I know we all hate taking Factory made drugs so therefore since I'm on a low dose right now, l think that it would be a good time to start.

I will order the Mucuna and wait till I see my doctor next month and inform him on what I'm doing.

This has been a big eye opener for me.

Thank you all for the info.

Keep up you exercises.

l started to take muc.pruriens for a few days. l switched Madopar 100/25 tid to muc.pruriens(from American nutrition)1 capsule 250mg=100mgL-dopa potency(they said,but l feel not that much+Madopar 50/12.5 with favorable result,ie,faster onset and longer duration. My major reason to use muc.pruriens is the inevitable declining efficacy of Madopar in longterm use.
l hope if somebody who have taken muc.pruriens for long time would kindly tell me is it also necessary to increase the dose of muc.pruriense gradually? and how fast? Thank you!
willy

I'm taking LEVOCARB 100/25 every three hours. I was taking 200/25 every 4 hours but it built itself in my body and I had bad reaction to it. I started the lower dose about a month ago tajen it every 4 hours as my doctor suggested but there was to much down time between pills, so I started taking it every 3 hours and it's a little better, but it's not right yet.

I also purchased some Zandopa from India and I'm anxious to hear what my doctor says about it. From what I've been reading in this forum, it's the pure form of the PD drug we are taking, therefore less side effects and better effectiveness all around.

I'd like to hear from other posters that are taking this suppliment how they are doing. Even if my doctor suggest that I don't take this, I'm going to try it, (stubborn streak) and if you guys are interested, I could keep a daily diary of such on this board.

I would like to start it sooner but I have no Idea on how much to start with, can someone advise me. I guess I could start with 1/4 teaspoon and go from there. As matter of fact I'm going to try it first thing in the morning and keep a record of how long it takes to take effect and how long it last. I'll let you know how it goes.