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I was diagnosed with PD at the age of 28 by Dr. Ray Watts. He prescribed Amantadine(Symmetrel) as my first "combat" drug. I took it for about 6 months before switching to Sinemet. About 10 years ago, we reintroduced Amantadine into my daily regimen of drugs to help smooth out the side effects of Sinemet. I have been on it continuously for 10 years at 100mg 3 times a day. It was discovered many years ago as an affective drug for Parkinson's disease. It is actually an anti-viral agent as well as anti-cholenergic. Doctors often prescribed it to elderly nursing home patients to prevent the flu. The advantages it provides for me in addition to helping to smooth out my dyskinesia, dystonia and "on-off"s, I have not had the flu or even a cold in over 10 years. The other advantage to this drug is that it is CHEAP, probably the cheapest drug I take! The disadvantage to taking Amantadine is that because it is an anti-cholenergic, it acts as a drying agent -causing a dry mouth as well as constipation. I am the only person I know who has taken this particular drug for as many years as I have. Ya'll know the old saying though," if it ain't broke, don't fix it" Did I mention that it is CHEAP?? I also take Sinemet 10/100 every 2 hours, 4mg Requip 4 times a day, Zoloft and Klonopin for muscle spasms and dystonia. I had a pallidotomy in 1993, at 39 years old and DBS in 2000. I'm also the only person I know who had DBS on the same side of the brain as my pallidotomy. Different strokes for different folks, when it comes to treating PD, anyway Terrie (Whitling) Starr ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn