Quitting Sinemet and Mirapex (dopamine)
 

DX with MS in 1999 after 10 years of issues. Dx with Lyme in 2004.

From 1999 to 2008 I took Sinemet for my restless uncoordinated legs, between 2 - 8 tabs of 25/100 per day. Mostly around 4 tabs. As predicted by the prescribing neuro, it lost effectiveness after 9 years.

I switched to Mirapex from Sinemet in March 2008. Started having more problems walking in July 2008. Finally weaned myself completely off Mirapex in January 2009 after reading Once Upon A Pill about the horrors of Sinemet and dopamine supplementation. Weaning took about 4-5 months.

I now take Baclofen or Zanaflex for the legs.

My legs are still very stiff, tired and uncoordinated. I realize my disease has advanced in the last 10 years, but I do expect to regain some leg functionality in the next year as my body learns to manufacture and process dopamine on its own again. From what I have read this can take over a year. But there is little info out there.

Has anyone else on this board quit Sinemet and / or Mirapex, and does anyone have any idea as to the timeline I am looking at to reestablish a normal dopamine system?

Apparently not too many non-Parkinson's people are "lucky" enough to get this rx, and fewer ever quit.

Thanks!

I started taking Sinemet about 4 years ago then quit for a year. I was in a clinical trial for Tovaxin and the clinical trial doc wanted me on Soma instead so I switched.

Soma didn't work so I went back on Sinemet at a different dosage and haven't had a problems with it. It works for the spasticity.

I currently take 2 25/100 tabs at night and it works for me.

Prior to this I took 1 25/250 tab at night with an additional 25 mg of Lodosyn. I tried the 25/200 CR form and it didn't work so went back to the 25/250.

Zanaflex and Baclofen do not work for me and neither did Requip.

In addition to the Sinemet, I take 1 mg of Klonopin at night.

Some drug combinations work for some people and not for others.

Thanks for the information, I was not aware there was a "shelf life" of taking this medication. I will definitely talk to my doc about it. :D