sinemet withdrawal symptoms
 

I know this has been discussed before, but wanted to ask again. I was taking 1/2 tab mirapex 3/day, 25 mg sinemet 3/day and stalevo 150 mg 3/day. I was experiencing some jaw clenching and other dyskinesia type symptoms. So my neurologist said to eliminate the sinemet but keep taking the stalevo since they both contain carbidopa, levadopa. It has been 5 days now and he said it would take up to 3 weeks for my system to be rid of it. Anyway, I have always had lots of low back pain due to fusion in feb of this year. But now the pain has increased alot, more stiffness throughout body, particularly neck and shoulder and more trembling in left hand and body. Is this from withdrawal of sinemet or am I getting worse (I pray this isn't true). My neuro didn't say anything about withdrawal symptoms and of course I didn't think to ask and it is now the weekend so I though I would check with all you good people.
I have other news too but will maybe create a new thread for that. Please let me know so I can stop worrying. Thank you.

Sinemet withdrawal
 

Hi Libra,
It is difficult to comment since I am not sure what your tablets are.
You say 3 per day 25 mg sinemet, plus
3 per day Stavelo 150 mg.

The crucial point is how much levodopa ( L-dopa) you are taking.
I suspect your "25 mg Simemet" is 100 mg levodopa plus 25 mg carbidopa.
Your Stavelo additionally contains entacapone. I believe Stavelo is available with 50 or 100 mg levodopa plus the corresponding amounts of carbidopa and entacapone.
It is very bad to suddenly stop Levodopa altogether, but it is fairly safe to slowly reduce over a longish period. Add up how much levodopa you were taking before and after.
Also useful to know how long you have had PD and have been taking Sinemet.
Look up "neuroleptic malignent syndrome". This is caused by sudden total discontinuation of Sinemet.
Ron

I just want to stress how important this is- if you have been using Sinemet over the course of a year or years, you should be weaning off over a course of months, not weeks or days! This I have both read and heard directly from my neuro. I had to abruptly stop all my meds due to pregnancy and ended up looking I had PD for 20 odd years- I had what is referred to as an "akinetic crisis". The good thing is that this was not entirely permanent; however, I did permanently decline from very mild and intermittent tremor, to more moderate and near always present tremor (when unmedicated) plus I added a little more stiffness into the mix. I believe this was due to withdrawal of the drugs, not my pregnancy. Please take this very seriously- read these and talk to your neurologist.

http://www.uptodate.com/patients/con...Bz2D&refNum=46

http://www.springerlink.com/content/l5672j67134074q5/

Laura

feeling better
 

not shaking out of ordinary. Checked on nms and I am definitely not there. I will call my neuro tho on monday to follow up. Thanks Ron and Laura.

Working Sinemet out of your system involves detoxing, and this impacts your kidneys and liver. Look for what you can do to support detoxing any drug or contaminant like heavy metals that the body may be dumping as part of the healing process. The stiffness and other symptoms that appear to be a call for a return to Sinemet may actually be your body working to get rid of it.

Good wishes!
Trisha