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Dear Phil Roeper: To quote Dr. Lieberman who wrote the PD guide - chapter 5 - "It is important to understand the relationship between when you eat and when you take your medication. Since it is best to take Sinemet on an empty stomach, most people take their dose with water or juice about a half hour before they eat their meals. If there is food in your stomach when you take Sinemet, it will take longer for the levodopa to be absorbed into the bloodstream and, therefore, longer for the medication to kick in." There is no set rule here. A patient figures out eventually what works best for him. I eat a soda cracker when I take Sinemet - as well as a glass of juice or water or tea or coffee - it helps keep down nausea. A whole glass of fluid is a good idea as the medicine disolves faster and doesn't just lie there causing acid indigestion or something disagreeable like "gas." Besides we parkinsonians don't drink enough fluids and suffer from constipation as a result. So a big glass of something to swallow the pills with helps in a few ways, eh? Don't take the pill with milk as the protein in milk keeps some levodopa from being absorbed. A little milk in tea or coffee doesn't matter. Your father's schedule sounds good to me. Plenty of time between meals so Sinemet doesn't get lost in a stomach full of food, especially protein. How long has he had PD and how does he feel on this regimen? ...Barbara Yacos