Amantadine
 

I was prescribed Amantadine by my MDS last week - for my tremor. She said she has seen some success with it for that reason, so thought we'd give it a try. I currently take one 25/100 Sinemet 3 times a day. I do not experience obvious on/offs, nor am I dyskinetic. But my resting tremor in my right hand is rather troublesome, especially when attempting to fall asleep.

Just wondering what to expect? Side effects? Your stories? Advice?

Thanks!

I use amantidine, too.
 

Carey:

I've been using Amantadine for about two years, first as an adjunct to Requip, then to Mirapex.

The side effects that I have experienced started in about three months after beginning the Amantadine; they are edema in the feet and lower leg, and "livido reticularis", which is a weird kind of blotchy rash thing, on the forearms and the legs.

For the edema, I've started wearing support stockings, and have simply ignored the rash - it was hidden most of the time, anyway. Now I'm re-thinking that strategy - the latest bit I've read about it says that at least the idiopathic version can cause permanent skin damage. [It also has a connection to Raynaud's phenomenon, if anyone happens to be dealing with both, as I am.]

Carey, I've been taking Amantadine for 6 months now and like Ron I have a purple blotchy rash on my legs and arms. In my case it's not terribly noticeable and doesn't bother me much.
I also found with this drug it has a bit of an "upper" effect.
Initially I had trouble sleeping and more energy. Now it's settled down.
I don't have a tremor so I can't comment on its effectiveness for that but I had trouble with my gait and balance post DBS. Changes in settings to the neurostimulators didn't seem to help but once the amantadine kicked in my walking improved far more than I thought possible.
Good luck with it.
P.S. Anyone heard from Teresa? I miss her.

I started Amantadine recently. I take Sinemet five times a day (the single tabs, two one and a half tabs), along with Mirapex. Because I have mild dyskinesia, my MDS doc said the Aman would hopefully help wiht the dys, in a attempt to hold it at bay for awhile so that it won't get worse sooner.

The only problem I have had is that I am starting to have "swelling of feet/ankles". I didn't realize it was the Aman until I did reading on the med. My dys is better...I will say that. I can sit in a chair and not sway and more around.

hey indigogogogogo
 

I have been taking Amantadine for years as an adjunct med for my tremor and dyskinesia. A couple of years ago--maybe not quite that long ago--I upped the dosage in an attempt to uncurl my dystonic toes and feet. I wound up with hallucinations. So, I went back down in dose. But recently I went back to the higher dose "to see"if it might not work better this time. No hallucinations (a lot more vivid dreaming, however) but my feet are still dystonic. I need to give it some more time, though.

I am fortunate in that it has remained otherwise effective. In some people it can lose its efficacy in a matter of months. I have known people to go off of it because it was no longer working and then to try it again further down the line with great results.

As for side effects, any edema is far less than what I experienced on, say, mirapex. But my legs and arms, mostly my legs, are quite splotchy, purple and red (sounds appealing, doesn't it?) But, you know, what with all else this diesease and its medications do for (to) you, and weighed against the state of the world today, I don't consider splotchy skin to be much of a problem.

But a connection to Reynauds--that I hadn't heard before and am interested in knowing more.

AJ04 wrote:
I found a site via Google; I had wondered if they were related, and they can be. Amantadine seems to be more related to the livedo than the Raynaud'. Some kidney diseases can also be responsible.

If the cause persists for a long enough time, the livedo can be permanent.

Unfortunately, I can't find the site again, but the info is out there, just use Google. Good luck.

I would guess its about 5 years ago that I developed the blotchiness on my legs and swelling arouind my ankles. My MDS took me off the amantadine for approximately 3 months, everything cleared up and I've been back on it ever since. I take 4 amantadine along with 5 sinemet and 2 l/2 mirapex.