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Mark, It seems to me that taking Sinemet at traditional mealtimes is still the normal advice. The increasing of the medication by doubling the amount to two at a time - instead of taking the same amount per day by taking halves twice as often - ignores the pharmacokinetics information. The half-life of the levodopa with carbidopa (or benserazide) is of the order of 2 to 3 hours. If medicine is taken at 3 hour intervals, it is much lesser in peak concentration level and much higher in "valley" minimum concentration in the blood stream. I urge you to suggest that the 25/100 Sinemet tablets be taken upon first arising, mid-morning, 45 minutes before midday meal, mid-afternoon, approximately 6 PM, and about 9 PM for a total of 6 as a trial to better supply dopamine. Unless there is nighttime need, the bedtime pill may add dreaming enhancement that is sometimes not beneficial with depression. Many prefer to do without that. As Charles Meyer indicated, the withdrawal you describe is difficult to discuss; but you may find it beneficial to read and talk about the reality that this dopamine neurotransmitter is involved in our thinking and feeling throughout our brain. Being comfortable taking the levodopa is difficult; but, anxiety about losing my mind is one of the things I have to confront learning about and living with - if I am going to be able to accept the PD. Learning to "play" the game of living with some mental hurdles that the medication brings to us while it overcomes losing motor-muscles control due to shortage of dopamine in some parts of the brain. The benefit of better motor functioning gets offset by overage of dopamine in other places that affect our thinking and feelings. Fear of losing one's mind is best discussed and countered by knowing that many of us are having the same problems and we do help our self most if we re-build our positive attitude to do what we can. Withdrawal is frightening to both the individual who is doing it - and to those who care about the person. Unfortunately, often neither has experience with the "tools" to cope with depression sufficient to overcome the milder first stage of depression. The healthy members of the PWP family and friends must acquire or hire enough expertise to deal with depression. All will benefit if they learn and bring him or her back to a spunky attitude including the realization that "I am going to live well despite having these "brain" problems". I know I will not excel in physical modes, but I do what I can to enjoy helping and caring for my self and my friends and family. It beats doing nothing - I am not ready to choose to die yet. Invictus William Ernest Henley Out of the night that covers me black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul. In the felt clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tears looms but the horror of the shade, and yet the menace of the years finds, and shall find me, unafraid. It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul. David Burns book, The feeling good handbook, is a valuable learning tool also. -- Ron Vetter 1936, '84 PD dz paradise is feeling good, not a place to go [log in to unmask] http://www.ridgecrest.ca.us/~rfvetter