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Dear Catherine, Do you realize how blessed you are? I know PD is a devil to deal with and I applaud your effort to be cautious and learn all about the medications. It's a scary thing. I hate to sound like the old timer talking about the good ole days (or maybe I should say bad ole days,) but here goes. In 1986 when I was diagnosed, there were no agonists. The choices I was given were nonexistent. It was Sinemet or nothing. Oh, yes, there were a few older drugs around, but they didn't really do much. I was so greatful to get the Sinemet having had this annoying tremor for 2 full years before diagnosis, that I grabbed at it and after a few adjustments it was like a miracle, keeping that tremor at bay. After I did some research, (like you I wanted to know everything,) I came to realize just how fortunate I was. Sinemet never was FDA approved until 1970. How did people live with PD before 1970? Well, they lived a lot less comfortably than we do, and they died a lot sooner. Before the advent of L-Dopa therapy (Sinemet) the average life expectancy after diagnosis was only 10 years. Today it is normal. Sorry. I get carried away. But I can remember what a big impact that had on me, finding out how relatively new Sinemet is. Now I'll climb down from my soapbox and try to answer your questions. 1. What is the usual dose daily? My neuro. has me taking 25/100 (card/lev) 3 X a day, starting with 1/2 pill and working up to 300 mg per day within 3 weeks. Though I've been on Sinemet so long I don't remember my starting dose, this sounds like a good plan to me. You say you know everyone with PD is different; you always have to keep that difference in mind. Just because something works for me, it won't necessarily work for you. Do you feel well-being right away? Again that depends. Some people do. For others it takes a good bit of fiddling to come up with just the right dose. Does the drug lessen tremor, or just improve rigidity and gait? I hate to sound like a broken record but every patient is different. For me it stopped my tremor most of the time at first. Is it inevitable that you get on/off periods? dyskenesia? I suppose so. I started with the on/offs and the dyskinesia after only about 6 months. Others, I'm told, don't develop these problems for 5 or 10 years. What are the side-effects and what would make you discontinue taking this drug? The worst side effect to me is the dyskinesia. It has been the bane of my existance for years. It seems that every new drug I trymakes it worse. Another long term side effect is low blood pressure for many. I have to take medicine to deal with this problem. Many people get nausea from it. That has never happened to me however. What would make me stop this drug? NOTHING, other than a newer and better drug. Or, of course a cure!!!! I hope this is helpful. Good luck to you, Catherine. Sincerely, Marge Moylan 57/41/39 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn