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Thank you.:) > ---------- > From: Charles Countryman > Reply To: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network > Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2001 2:39 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Sinement CR > > SAM-e is S-adenosylmethionine, a dietary supplement (in > the U.S.). It is not covered by my medical insurance. > My family physician agrees with me that it helps with > mood, maybe movement, and may help my body (especially > liver) manage the other meds. I think that my > neurologist is probably an agnostic about this. > > I'm rather new to this and hate to sound ignorant, but what is "SAM-e?" > > Nancy > > > > > ---------- > > > From: Charles Countryman > > > Reply To: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network > > > Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2001 2:04 PM > > > To: [log in to unmask] > > > Subject: Re: Sinement CR > > > > > > [log in to unmask] wrote: > > > > > > > Charley, > > > > > > > > I read with great interest your timing of sinemet doses. Would > you > > > please > > > > share with me what dosage you are on? > > > > I am trying to relate sinemet to meals and snacks. > > > > > > > > Thanks Dean > > > > > > Dean, > > > > > > Here is where I am at after about 8 years of trial and error > adjustments > > > to my meds (under supervision of my family physician and my > > > neurologist). My experience is that the meds. complement each other, > so > > > I did not separate the Sinemet CR from the rest. > > > > > > The bottom line for me is although the effects of PD and its meds have > > > steadily progressed to the point that I took disability retirement > (this > > > time last year), I now have predictable "on" hours several times/day > and > > > tremor is almost never a problem. If there is such a thing as an > > > "average day" for a PWP, I would say that my "on" times exceed my > "off" > > > times (Bradykinesia primarily) by about 25 per cent. Also, I usually > > > get about 6 hours of good sleep/night. > > > > > > I found that Sinemet CR alone was not adequate for me to deal with > > > Bradykinesia. Adding Ropinirole helped me a lot. (I have also tried > > > Parlodel and Tasmar.) However, probably because my blood pressure has > > > always tended to be on the low side of normal, I have to be careful > with > > > it. An experiment with increasing the amount of Ropinirole lowered my > > > blood pressure level too much. Because of this, I always take Sinemet > > > CR at least a hour before any Ropinirole. (see more about Ropinirole > at > > > the end) > > > > > > I take- > > > Amantadine 100 mg x 2/day > > > Selegiline 5 mg x 1/day > > > Sinemet CR 200-50 x 4/day > > > Ropinirole 1 mg x 3/day > > > > > > also SAM-e 400 mg x 2/day and standard multiple vitamins plus extra E. > > > > > > about 0600 Selegiline & Sinemet CR w/medium cup of orange juice > > > 0615 SAM-e with a sip of orange juice > > > 0700 Amantadine w/breakfast of fruit and cereal with reduced fat, > > > lactose free milk or fruit and 2 waffles > > > > > > 0800 Ropinirole w/my concoction of 1/2 coffee and 1/2 lactose free > milk > > > > > > I usually am moving pretty good between about 0830 and 1100. This is > > > the best time for me to do T'ai Chi exercise and walk or garden. If I > > > feel like it, I'll take a mid morning break with either coffee or > black > > > tea and something sweet to eat. > > > > > > When I start to slow down around 1100, I take another Sinemet CR and a > > > Ginseng tea break or water if I am not at home. I usually get another > > > good hour from about 1130 to 1230. I take another Amantadine > > > w/vegetable juice, usually while making a low protein lunch. After > > > lunch about 1300, I take Ropinirole, usually w/green tea at home or a > > > coke if I am out and about. > > > > > > Early afternoons are usually pretty good for me, if I can do things at > > > my own slower pace. But I am definitely much slower then than my wife, > > > former work associates, and my ten year old son! I take another SAM-e > > > w/water or juice about 1400. > > > > > > About the most difficult time for me (Bradykinesia again) is late > > > afternoon. Since both of my doctors have advised me to moderate the > use > > > of Sinemet as much as possible, I use this time just to sit and listen > > > to or watch the news on radio or tv. My son is still at school and my > > > wife is a teacher at school then anyway, so it is a manageable > > > inconvenience. > > > > > > I take another Sinemet CR about 1630 w/juice or a soda when it is hot > > > and Ginseng tea when it is cool. > > > > > > Evenings are pretty good for me, unless I get into a crowded situation > > > or something that requires multi-tasking. I take my last Ropinirole > > > with dinner around 1800. > > > > > > I start getting very slow around 2130. So I take my last Sinemet CR > > > around then w/Chamomile flower tea. I wait until about 2300 to go to > > > bed. (Because I have found out that every time I take Sinemet CR > within > > > about 30 minutes, no matter the time of day or amount or type of > liquids > > > I have drank, I need to relieve my bladder.) > > > > > > Note about Ropinirole. It definitely helps me move. But it also > causes > > > me to have "sleep attacks" within 30 minutes, if I am not moving > around. > > > This caused me major problems when I had outside employment, > because I > > > did not have the freedom to just get up and move around. I would fall > > > asleep at my work site. Also, it is not safe for me to operate a > motor > > > vehicle while using Ropinirole. It is connected to a near accident, > > > when I dosed off about 30 minutes after taking it (in the morning and > > > after a good night sleep). In another incident, I blanked out in the > > > early evening about 30 minutes after taking it, causing an accident > > > (fortunately no one was injured). I have since voluntarily given up > > > operating motor vehicles while taking Ropinirole. > > > > > > Charley > > > 50/PD diagnosed 1993 > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > > > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > > > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn