Dear Donna Kipp: Since leaving Prodigy (which wasn't MAC friendly with mine)
I've lost track of many people and issues like the amalgm theory and the
vegetarian diets. Can you bring me up to date?
Re your problem with meds:
Sinemet CR takes an hour, at least, to begin working - so if you want to
be loose at say 8 am, you need to take it at 7 am. and at 8 your plasma
levadopa level is high enough so that you begin functioning well. So set the
clock to alarm at 7 am - take your Sinemet CR - set the clock for 8 am and
snooze for an hour.
About five hours after taking Sinemet CR the blood levadopa level begins
slowly dropping. This would be around noon. It drops gradually and probably
you will start getting rigid and increased tremor from about l - 3 pm. When
you figure out your times in this you either plan to put up with some
discomfort in order to keep your Sinemet dosage low - or if you need to be
functioning well plan to take your next dose before you show PD symptoms -
remembering it will take an hour or so for that dose to climb up and level
off. That dose should meet the first dose whilst it is coming down not when
it is at peak because for awhile you will have too much plasma levadopa and
might show some jitteriness or dyskinesia.
Depending upon each person's PD disability the daily dosage of Sinemet CR
will vary and needs frequent adjustment (titrating your daily dose). Early
disease might do well on one tablet (or 1/2) twice a day with an 8 hour
interval. Moderate disease might do better on one tablet (or 1/2) three
times a day with a 4 to 6 hour interval.
I am still experimenting but at this point I take one 25/100 CR three
times a day: 8 am - 3 pm - l0 pm. I don't work and my children are grown so
I don't plan on being symptom free and I like the l0 pm dose as I sleep
better when I'm able to move easily and have no tremor when I go to bed.
Hope this helps......Barbara Yacos
