currently l'm using mardopa 100+25 tid to control my PD, c favorable result, l plan to change to mucuna pruriens, because l'm really concern about the possibility of side effect and declining efficancy in the future. l hope if anyone can give me some commet , and does anyone know the result of clinical trial of m. pruriens conducted in USA.
Thanks for you all.

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.

The Mucuna red velvet bean plant does not have the carbidopa which extends our western medicine synthetic levadopa, (Sinemet and Stalevo), so it shouldn't be a replacement for the synthetic levadopa, but it can help us to reduce it. That said, it has to be titrated for each person, or you will have side effects, like dyskinesias, or nausea, and each person has to figure that for themselves.
As for method, I actually pop Zandopa powder right into my mouth with a little spoon. For me, 1/4 teaspoon twice daily with my Stalevo works, but it absolutely can give me dyskinesias if I take more. I'm certain the serotonin in it also works, and makes me more even in my moods, and the levadopa in it it helps me to go "on" more quickly when I take Stalevo. I used it for a few months and took a break lately-not sure why-I think I was trying to sort out what was working since Azilect started helping me to feel better. Now I'm reminded to try Zandopa again, to help with the "off-balance" stretches.
Good luck! Leonore

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