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Lucy Hartley,
 
You wrote:
<About the third hour after taking each dosage of Sinemet, he starts to
have a mild dyskinesia (feet and hands twitching--uncomfortably, but not
painfully), which is accompanied by breathlessness--a frustrating, almost
frightening sense of not being able to breathe.  This
twitching/breathlessness lasts an hour or so until his next dose of Sinemet
kicks in.  Since he doesn't take anything after 4:00 p.m., his nighttime
breathlessness often lasts much longer than an hour.
Is this a normal, expected side effect of the wearing off of medication,
and/or a normal part of dyskinesia?  Does anyone else experience the
breathlessness?  And has anyone found relief for this problem?  I would
appreciate hearing of your experiences.  Thanks!>
 
I do not have much dyskinesia, but it comes at peak dose - sort of too much
neurotransmitter.  I have what I believe is termed dystonia if I delay
taking sufficient levodopa - this is often in the morning.
 
It seems unusual to me that CR Sinemet was discontinued in favor of regular
and that no levodopa is taken after 4 PM.  If the hands and feet twitching
is dystonic rather than dyskinesic and is using oxygen, the heart wants
more oxygen from the lungs - but the muscles that work the lungs to breathe
deeper or faster are not getting neurotransmitter signals sufficiently.
 
I suggest a conference with a neurologist regarding evening medication - as
well as advisability of taking half-tablets (or 10/100) every two hours
approximately.
 
Ron,59,PD-11  <[log in to unmask]> Ronald Vetter