I wonder what would happen if I quit cold turkey.
 

I have been thinking lately about the possibilities of quitting sinemet (levodopa/carbidopa), I take the generic. I have various reasons to wonder about this.
First of all when I ride my spin bike I notice that I can extend my interval between medication from every hour to about every 3 hours.
I have long wondered about the possibility of starting out the day without meds, get in about a half hours ride and then see how long before I feel like I have to take meds.
I also would like to extend this theory to eliminating as much as possible any protein, processed food, added sugar in my diet.
I myself wonder if I never took that first pill what would be my condition today?
I wonder if like testosterone and steroids for instance that if it is coming from somewhere else the body tends to slow down the production of the dopamine for example since it is being replaced in the med.
Oh well lots of thoughts. Maybe next week I'll do a bit of tinkering. Perhaps I won't jump to the extreme, I'll just see how long I can go before I am crying for relief.

After I started the pedaling for Parkinson's cycling program, I was able to cut my medications in half. But I did that over six months. And I take a dopamine agonist. I went from 8 mg to 6 mg and eventually to 4 milligrams. I look at these medications as though I am a drug addict would not want to quit cold turkey, but titrating down seems like a plausible idea. Whatever you do, I strongly recommend you take it very slowly.

As far as steroids go, search my 1st thread on this forum under the following heading. Very positive

Parkinson's & Prednisone

I have the ok from MD and Neuro to play with my LevoCarb 25-100 mg in dose & application up to 12 daily. Currently this is how I take them.

Rising in the am.,6-8am 1/2 tablet every 2hrs. Then, EVERY day, something seems to cause my brain to start making my brain produce dopamine and I feel great (Normal). This kicks in usually 4-6pm and then its off the LevoCarb till bed time (10.30 - 12.00 am). Then its 1 tab of LevoCarb CR 25-100 for the duration with additional 1/2 tab 0f the non CR as required. Max consumption daily has been 7 regular LevoCarb & 1 CR. I take no other PD meds but others for BP, Diabetes, & Colesteral.

Cold turkey for me has been a NO NO - too violent tremors. Blood surgars seem to figure in this.

Hope some of this helps.

You know
 

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome, and you could die
.