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On Sat 15 Feb, Jack Orrell wrote: > > Brian > > I'm a retired engineer/U. of Toronto Mech '52, with PD-69/3.5.I've been on > Selegiline for 3.5 yrs. and started Sinemet 31 days ago, 25/100-3x/day. > I've accepted Sinemet with no real problems save some headaches the 1st > week.I take Sinemet approx. 8:30a/12:30p/7:00p, with food. > So far, I can sense no real improvement-my symptoms are fairly > minor-rt. hand tremor, somewhat sluggish rt. foot, general slight > stiffness and the beginning of a frozen expression.Nothing has changed > except for a perceived slight increase(less controllable) in the hand > tremor. > My question is: when can one expect to see improvement? > I think I read somewhere; ' 2weeks to 6 months'Do you agree? > Whether or not you find time to answer, let me take this > opportunity to thank you for your clear-cut, logical postings which I'm > sure have helped scores of us. > > > Regards > > Jack Orrell > ****************************** > > jack orrell > > [log in to unmask] > > > ***************************** > > Hello Jack, With your agreement, I am putting your query on the list, because it does involve an important point. Taking the easy question first, (How long before youshould expect a result), Levodopa is not one of those drugs that take time to build up in the brain: you should experience an effect an hour or so after taking your first tablet. ( Provided that you take a big enough dose). This was the puzzling bit, because I would expect a relative newcomer like yourself to find 100 mg of levodopa more than enough to produce a result, and I was going on to suggest a bigger dose, when I re-read your email, and it all fell into place: THe magic words 'with food' leaped out at me. I have no doubt that your Doctor, or your neurologist were trying to be extra-careful, knowing that a relatively small number of new patients do suffer an adverse reaction (nausea) on being introduced to levodopa. So they say take them with meals, which is WRONG: The meal prevents nausea, certainly, but it also bars access to the digestive system, so that almost none of the levodopa reaches the brain! The remedy is simple: take your tablet 20 to 30 minutes before you start your meal. This will give the tablet the head start it needs over the food. Try it out, and let me know the result. please. Regards, -- Brian Collins <[log in to unmask]>