 |
 |
JON A MEYER wrote: > My neuro just started me on Sinemet 10/100 3 weeks ago > The question I have is whether the meds should be taken before or after a > meal? Does there effectiveness change one way or the other? > I have found that if I take it before a meal I have slight nausea for > about 10-15 min. about 45 min after taking the meds, then feel fine Dear Jon, Your Sinemet should be taken about 20-40 minutes before meals, so that the Sinemet doesn't have to compete with the proteins in food in order to be absorbed. Sinemet has a very short lifespan, and it's importnat that it get out of the stomach, into the intestine, across the intestinal wall, into the bloodstream, and across the blood-brain barrier as soon as possible. Fatty foods eaten at the same time will delay stomach emptying; protein foods eaten at the same time will compete with Sinemet for absorption. Nausea may be relieved if you eat some fruit juice and a couple of low-fat crackers with the Sinemet. The crackers have a small amount of protein, but for most people they work fine. Another thing you might want to try is to take your Sinemet with a can of Hearty Balance drink. It is formulated with a ratio of 7:1 carbohydrate to protein. The large amount of carbohydrate causes a rush of insulin upon absorption into the bloodstream. This insulin rush scavenges some of the amino acids (protein) from the blood, and allows the Sinemet to reach the brain unhindered. The drink may help prevent the nausea. Most people find that adjusting their protein intake lets them get more mileage out of the Sinemet. You'll need to try this for a couple of weeks to see if it works for you. Let me know if it makes a difference for your. Best regards, -- Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD Editor-in-Chief, "Spotlight on Food--nutrition news for people 60-plus" Tel: 970-493-6532 Fax: 970-493-6538 http://www.fortnet.org/~fivstar You may wish to contact: Better Business Bureau of the Mountain States, < [log in to unmask]> for further information.