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Hi Sherry ,

I read your note and wanted  to report what I found out about zanaflex.

I went to the appointment my sister had with her Movement Disorder Specialist.
We talked about her sleeping difficulty and how while in bed, her legs got so stiff
she couldn't relax them and how sore they would get causing her to get up and roam
the house at night.

Looking at all her medications and the schedule she was taking them, her doctor
concluded that my sister was low on dopamine during the night and would benefit more
from more Sinemet at bedtime.

Her previous Sinemet [and Comtan] med times were
8:00am, 11:00am, 3:00pm, and  8:00pm
with sometimes a "kick start" of 1/2 Sinemet at 6:00 am.

Her Mirapex med times were 1 mg just before each meal.

Her doctor changed her Sinemet med times to:
6:30am, 10:30 am, 2:30pm, 6:30pm , 10:00pm
and added 1/2 mirapex [.5mg]  at bedtime and
put her on Ambien 10 mg x3/week  [to be taken while in bed].

She stressed taking the Sinemet 1/2 hr before meals with a glass of water
to help disolve and absorbe meds before food and to help with her problem
of not drinking enough water [dehydration].

Doc said to keep to this schedule on time and it would take 10 days before
this med change could be evaluated.

We asked the Movement Disorder Specialist, Dr Linda Sigmund, about the
use of Zanaflex and Baclofen in treating people with Parkinson's.

She said, " yes, I use them both when appropriate" but went on to say that
she thought the stiffness and soreness [ last Sinemet at 8pm]  was caused
by the lack of needed dopamine during the night.

I asked about the doc about Neurontin, she said that was used for restless
legs  [as was Mirapex] and from our description, my sister  did not have that.

Which just goes to show you how important it is that we describe as many
details about how we feel and move and perform so that the MDS can make
an assessment on what is needed to intervine.

Take care,
Gail Vass

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