what would happen if i stopped taking medication,i seem to spend all my time sleeping,is it mecication that causes this i am on sinimet plus

[Crosshalls]

[shasha]

probably but you must not stop taking your meds without supervision

[cabbagecottage]

I felt the same about my husband and got his reduced to Sinemet 110 and eventually reduced even that to none but he was even worse . Gradually got him back on and giving him every three hours x 4 daily with the Cr 250 at .

He is so changeable , ( It's difficult to read ) , I thought he was doing better but he is flat out in his chair at the moment and not able to move . He is unable to go out and I am unable to plan anything . He is also on a neupro patch .

Sorry I cannot be more helpful .

[Crosshalls in reply to cabbagecottage]

thankyou for the reply,it just gets so lonely,and afraid to leave him on his own,in case he falls etc,h e knows he sleeps but denies it,i feel sad for him,he was always so active with many hobbies,now no interest in anything,he can still drive re sat his driving test and passed,but just so lethargic

[Crosshalls in reply to Crosshalls]

just managed to persuade him to take walk into the garden,and enjoy a little of the sunshine,what happened he fell in a shrub,do wish he would use his walker!

[Pete-1]

I found taking Mirapex (Pramipexole) until I got used to it made me very sleepy. Sinemet less likely to have this effect as you will be more normal and so want to do more so be more active. The only thing about Sinemet is it makes you relax as much of the tension associated with PD melts away.

With some PD medication, especially if you have been taking it for a long tine and at quite a high dose then stopping suddenly can put you at risk of NMS (Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome). This can be fatal and so you should cut down gradually as directed by your GP / consultant. When I tried to gradually cut down on Mirapex I found I had trouble with RLS (Restless Legs Syndrome) which is a condition that stops you sleeping. I had sensations like a pulse of electricity surging through both legs and arms about once every 15 seconds or thereabouts. RLS may appear as a symptom of PD or independently.

[Crosshalls in reply to Pete-1]

my husband also had rls,they put him on clomazapam,and that helped him with that,he has had no trouble sleeping since he took that

[Hikoi in reply to Crosshalls]

Crosshalls

I do not think sinemet is the problem? Is your husband still on Clonazapam? The main side effects of clonazepam are sedation, dizziness, impaired coordination, depression, and fatigue.

I would think sinemet is giving him what little energy he has left.

I would not stop any medication but talk to your doctor. Perhaps he needs some reduction or adjustment.

[Deanne]

One dreary overcast day last spring I had the thought that: The Docs are crazy...I don't have Parkinson's...I don't need this medication... So I stopped taking my Mirapex and Sinemet. Day !, I thought "see I'm okay" Day 3 I said to myself "A little stiff" (but still in denial). Day 8 "Oh crap" I could barely move. Everything hurt and I felt like my body was just too heavy to negotiate. I just felt like a stump unable to move very much, barely able to shuffle to the bathroom. My head was foggy and my speech was impaired. Then I knew I needed to get back on my meds. However, like an idiot, I did not bother to work up to my previous dosage. I went straight to the full dose. This brilliant move caused hours of excessive sweating, heart palpitations, vomiting, dizziness not to mention the total and absolute fear that I had just killed myself. Of course, I had not. But needless to say I will NOT try that again. I do find that if I do not get enough sleep at night I am almost unable to stay awake during the day. I need at least 6 hours a night in order to function during the day. The less sleep I get, the more the meds affect my ability to remain awake and aware. Please don't stop your meds without consulting your doc. It may just be a simple tweek in dosage that will do the trick.

[Eljie]

My husband never did get over the drowsiness side effect of Requip, and decided to wean himself off it. Despite decreasing the dose slowly over two weeks' time he had terrible withdrawal symptoms-- anxiety, physical discomfort, inability to sleep although he was very tired, increased tremors-- which didn't start until a couple of weeks after his last dose. He's been off the medication for over a year now and is happy he discontinued it, but I would never recommend you go off that or any med without consulting your doctor and weaning very slowly, if necessary. Our doc was baffled until I made the connection between the problems he was having and going off the Requip, and I only put it together because my mother-in-law had a very similar reaction when she stopped taking Paxil for depression.

[PatV]

Requip and Mirapex were the devil drugs for me and I did cold turkey off one of them. Could not stand up, lift my hand, etc. It's better to titrate from one to the other. But I would love to have a drug holiday, PLEASE!!!

[Hikoi]

Agree with you

[ivyanne]

With the knowledge of my MDS, i do take à drug holiday once in awhile with no adverse affects. I only do it for a day because bradykenesia becomes more pronounced but for that short time i feel more alive.i cant explain it and maybe to some of you it sounds reckless but I dont have the side affects from sinemet for a few hours.. i just relax for a day

[carolineb211]

I forgot my tablets yesterday (god knows how!!) but I didn't realise till the late afternoon. I was absolutely fine without them!!!.

This morning however was a different story!!. I could hardly move, everything was seized up, my back was stiff and painful, felt I had a lump in my throat etc etc.. Took my tablets and everything is back to normal.

Moral of the story? Take your pills!!!.