First, our neuro told us sinemet does not help tremor, and that has been our experience as well.

We are currently taking sinemet, one-half of a 25/100 every two hours. This helps with side effects, avoids the peak/valley of a whole pill, and helps with smoother transition between off/on during the day.

We incorporate MP into our day this way:

MP: we take 3 half teaspoons per dose of MP powder mixed in water. It hits usually within 15 minutes, sometimes sooner, sometimes later...but it does hit, even if you have eaten.

We don't take MP with every sinemet dose: we see how we feel and are doing. If the sinemet is working, then no mucuna....if it's not, we will take our MP dose about 30 minutes after our sinemet dose so they can overlap. This usually works well, "well" being relative.

Usually we take more MP in the morning hours, being from 6-12, than in the afternoon, so that we get a good start to the day. Again, "good" being relative.

I agree with those here: there is much more to MP than just levodopa. I don't know what, but I do know that it can help us when nothing else can or does, and is much more reliable in helping than sinemet. This is only our non-professional/MD experience, so take it for what it's worth.

[QUOTE=lurkingforacure;1031904]First, our neuro told us sinemet does not help tremor, and that has been our experience as well.

/QUOTE]

Just throwing this into the mix: I started sinemet 2 months ago (still at 1/2 tab) 50/100 3x day and it's almost completely eliminated my tremor, which was my only symptom. Proves nothing but another reminder that PD is different for everyone.

Is anyone still taking Macuna Pruriens? How's it going? Currently on Amantadine and Azilect. I'm considering skipping the dopamine agonists and go directly to Sinemet because I have some mild compulsions anyway and Mirapex wrecked havoc among my YOPD group. I talked this over with my MDS and I am going to try MP before starting Sinemet. Anybody tried this route? The posts I have read so far are all by people taking MP in addition to levodopa. Input appreciated!

I take the Hinz protocol, the backbone of which is Mucuna. See www.neurosciencemyths.com

i think your're making too much of a big deal out of taking sinemet vs mucana.
my advice?
try sinemet, it isn't going to kill you and you can establish what the optimal benefit you can get, you owe that to yourself and anyone who depends on you. then if you want to try mucana, gradually reduce the sinemet and increase the mucana. the advantage of sinemet is you know what you are getting and the pills are relatively small. with mucana you are getting a ground up legume seed from who knows where and not knowing under what conditions it is grown from crop to crop.
sinemet ain't complicated, it's an amino acid, l-dopa, plus carbidopa, which inhibits an enzyme from converting l-dopa to dopamine in the peripheral tissues. dopamine does you no good since it cannot pass the blood brain barrier to get into the brain.

when someone says they are taking mucana and not sinemet, you also need to ask if they ever tried sinemet.

if your're working that's a factor because you might have to take grams of mucana which can be difficult when at work or traveling plus i imagine it has a few calories in it.
your're in a YOPD group, isn't anyone successfully taking sinemet?

keep in mind that the observation that something like 60% (40%?) of people taking sinemet eventually get dyskinesia is probably over exaggerated. a lot of people have mild or occasional dyskinesias and aren't really bothered, and eventually everyone takes sinemet. i chose sinemet over mirapex because i did better and 6 years ago when i started taking it i assumed there would be a "cure" by now. now the chances of a "cure" are better than ever so why worry about sinemet? it's been proven not to damage neurons, get the best relief you can. if you are into exercising and sinemet lets you exercise better, then that is an important consideration.

my sinemet honeymoon lasted about 5 years. i could get by on less than 500mg, not have to take it on a exact schedule and i didn't freeze when it wore off. there's going to be a lot of new/better treatments hopefully by 5 years.

nobody is going to rave about sinemet on this board, it would seem silly.

I've read that the problem with Mucina is having to
take every increasing doses to maintain efficacy.

Please comment.