---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 18 May 95 09:58:00 PDT
From: Fox, Jim W. <[log in to unmask]>
To: owner-parkinsn <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: questions about Sinemet
Re: !/2 tablet Sinemet CR 50/200 vs 1 tablet CR 25/100
I've tried it both ways, and there seems to be a difference. For me, the
unbroken 25/100 seems to work better (i.e. more predictably) than the 1/2-
50/200. I assume that this has something to do with the unbroken surface of
the 25/100, since I use a "pill cutter" to divide the 50/200 exactly on the
score mark, so that the dosages should be the same. (By the way, my current
dosage is 1 1/2 of the "juniors" every three hours around the clock.
Breaking the CR 25/100 in half is an art unto itself -- even with a "pill
cutter".)
Keep up the good fight!
- Jim Fox ([log in to unmask])
----------
From: owner-parkinsn
Subject: Re: questions about Sinemet
Date: Wed, May 17, 1995 8:58PM
Craig asked about taking Sinemet CR 50/200 (The "Senior" tablet) cut in half
or Sinemet CR 25/100 the "Junior" tablet. "Which is the proper way to
access
1/2 a dose of levodopa", he asked? The answer is that either half of the
50/200, if broken carefully, will do a pretty good job of providing 25 mg of
carbidopa and 100 mg of levodopa just like taking one of the "Junior"
tablets. The Sinemet CR 50/200 tablet is scored to provide that option.
The smaller Sinemet CR 25/100 tablet is not scored for a variety of
technical reasons. The possibility exists that the kinetics of the drug
adsorbtion will be somewhat different when taken one way or the other. My
suggestion is to follow your doctor's advice. If you do break the tablet,
please be very careful not to cause it to crumble. The exact amount of
Sinemet you take is very crucial to your continued well being.
Besrt regards,
Joe Irr
