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Hello Everyone,

I started taking levodopa at night to sleep because tremors were so violent
I could not sleep.  My first symptom of Parkinson's was having a tremor in
right foot while sound asleep.  Two years have gone by since I first started
sleeping with levodopa.  First I tried CR as doctor suggested, that did not
work, I need a Sinemet Plus 25/100 to stop tremors and cramps.  I tried all
the agonists, anticholergenics, everything except levodopa gives me severe
side effects and migraines, so I tried beta blockers for the headaches,
blood pressure went too low.  Tried other migraine meds nothing worked.
Neuro said stay with levodopa.

Now ........ the big problem, I cannot sleep at all without levodopa all
through the night.  I take between 250 - 300mg to get through the night,
wake up from first tablet 2.5hrs, take another tablet wait at least 30 min
with severe cramps and tremors, switching off at night is far more painful
then daytime because my tremors are so violent when I am not walking or
moving about.  So, finally when I wake up for the day I feel like I have
been through a battle.  Tried to not take levodopa at night, stayed up for 3
days not a wink, cramps so bad they damaged feet.  Have not been able to
walk much since this happened 8 months ago. The grin and bear it did not
work at night.

I have been to my neuro several times, went to Parkie specialist.  The
doctors don't have any ideas except to try lithium for the cramps.  Still
will have tremors too violent to sleep.

Worry about taking too much levodopa with any daytime use.  If I need to
drive, or go anywhere must take levodopa.  Can easily take another 300 -
400mg during the day.  So, I grin and bear during the day, take levodopa at
night.

This seems crazy, I am sleeping while switched on, awake switched off and in
a great deal of pain.  I am 52 this is my 6th year with PD, how do I keep
going like this.

I have problems with anxiety and depression for first 3 hours off levodopa,
then even though I am cramping and tremoring quite badly my mental state
improves and then I repeat the cycle.  Because of my poor mental state
switching off I am afraid to take lithium, also my kidneys have never been
really good and lithium can be quite hard on kidneys.

I have had restless legs for about 10 years.  Started taking Klonopin
(Clonazepam)  4yrs ago, at first it put me right to sleep and stopped
tremors.  Now it just takes the edge off tremors does not affect cramps.

I have tried pain medicine, several different herbs, sleeping tonics, zinc,
calcium, magnesium, hot bathes with epsom salts, cider vinegar, Neurontin.
I have searched the PD archives, checked the website, done the healthfood
store ideas, talked to herbalists, quinine and tonic water, mucuna. I could
write a book on how to sleep, just have not found my solution.

I am exhausted .......... is there anything I missed?

Hope this message reaches someone who can relate and perhaps offer some
encouragement.

Feeling very discouraged ......... BJ