Does it take sometime for sinamet to work if it's going to?

[dmariel]

Is sinamet something that takes a while to work once you begin taking it? Thanks

[Enidah]

Once again I think it depends on the person. I've had neurologist tell me that it starts working immediately and then other neurologist tell me it takes a few weeks to receive full benefit. I found somewhere in between those two opinions was true for me. Have you recently started Sinemet?

[dmariel in reply to Enidah]

Yes i recently started sinemet, will be a week tomorrow. Thanks for the response

[BUZZ1397]

To get the most out of it, I'd say a long term, maybe a few months unless your an exceptionally fast learner who is fine tuned in to your body like someone athletic. I mean you will benefit from taking the time with it, concentrating first on getting the timing of your doses correct for your body and your lifestyle. You should begin to "feel" when it is time to take the next. Taking a dose too soon may cause tremor if you have them to actually be strengthened a bit until your system wastes the excess and the optimal level returns in your tissues. Taking a dose a little late will lead to some down time until the level comes up again. Also, think about what you eat and when. I remember someone remarked once herein that Sinemet works perfect if you don't eat :). Unfortunately, we must eat and some foods you will eat interfere more with your sinemet that you would prefer and you might erase some things from your shopping lists. I have permanently quit many food items that I formerly would eat regularly because I want to not shake so much that people stare at me. Makes sense to make notes about how you feel after consuming food items to discover which ones to quit eating or drinking. Those things for me were all processed proteins especially processed sandwich meats, hot dogs, sausages...etc. However, all meats are not a problem if kept to small portions. I have no problem with beef, chicken, turkey or fish that is whole and fresh and prepared here at home with no meat tenderizers or much seasoning. You may also enjoy fresh meats as I do. Unfortunately I found that I had to limit caffeine also, it makes my tremor so bad and if the point is to manage tremor...? Why drink coffee and caffeinated sodas? Some people here have noted that eggs are especially a problematic protein although they are fresh and I have to agree but still eat in small portions. Learn to time your intake of the foods that interfere with Sinemet working for you or quit them or keep those portions really small. Eventually the swings of Sinemet's relief and less relief will start to smooth out when you understand enough to help yourself get the most out of your sinemet. The longer I have stayed with Sinemet the more relief I have gotten for my inflexible ankles and my shoulder that was so tight and painful that i couldn't use a washcloth. Now using that arm has eased up and come back to normal. So, be mindful about foods and tune in to your body and go for the long term for the most benefit. I forgot to write something about seasoning with pepper, that the pepper actually seems to help us due to the substance peperidine that's in it. Also pay attention to posts herein for ideas about supplements and exercises that also help us.

[johntPM]

As I see it:

1. For a given dose it takes about 60 minutes to reach its maximum effect (the pharmacokinetic parameter, TMAX).

2. There is a threshold below which the increasing concentration of levodopa appears to be having little effect, but once you cross this threshold you go "on", often almost suddenly.

3. When you first start taking the drug your doctor will gradually increase the dose (titration). If the initial dose doesn't take you above the threshold you will probably not notice any effect. Tell your doctor this, so that he/she can up the dose.

4. As BUZZ says be careful about your diet.

My observation is that the titration process usually takes too long. If your drug regimen is obviously failing, don't wait (6 months, perhaps) for your next scheduled appointment with your doctor to get a new prescription.

John

[paddyfield in reply to johntPM]

I was told that the minimum therapeutic dose was 3 x 25/100 sinemet tabs a day although I often read of people on 3 x 12.5/100 etc. Diagnosed almost eight years ago, it is only in the past few months that I have had any sort of feeling of on and off and I credit the azilect (rasagiline) with smoothing things out and also the neupro patches (24/7 effect). A friend of my daughter-in-law's mother, diagnosed at the same time, r is already having to catheterize herself because of urinary problems. O nce you realize how different any one person's symptoms can be, it can be liberating - at least for the older person like me - as there's is no point in endlessly speculating how you are going to be in the future. However,there's no harm in keeping yourself informed and ready for whatever happens.

Research is increasingly supporting what anyone with a grain of common sense could have told the "experts", namely that exercise - especially forced paced such as cycling, fast/Nordic walking, is the key to alleviating the effects and knock on effects of PD and helps with both physical and mental wellbeing

[bjmettler]

I started taking it last November, and by January people I hadn't seen in a while were amazed by the changes they saw in my posture and movement. I am back to playing the piano, cross-country skiing at a more advanced level, and everyday tasks are easier. Hang in there!

[ramondo4 in reply to bjmettler]

Hi bjmettler ,what dosage do you take ?

[bjmettler in reply to ramondo4]

25/100 3x daily

[ramondo4 in reply to bjmettler]

Thank you, same as me, now

into my third year.

[Greg]

No, you should feel some relief within an hour of taking it.

[cabbagecottage]

Does anyone feel worse or very switched off a while after taking it . Takes four hose to switch back on .

[Pelley]

To achieve a definite diagnosis , after ruling out everything it isn't, You are given a light dosage of sinemet. A positive, and to the most part immediate response (to some degree) or lessoning of some symptoms results. Then the Neuro can tell you with a western degree of certainty (otherwise known as the practice of medicine) that you do indeed have PD. The most benefit received from the sinemet is when the dosage is regulated to the severity of the symptoms it needs to counteract. A process that can take a week or even a month depending on each of our unique palette of symptoms presented.

[dmariel in reply to Pelley]

Thank you, sinemet doesn't seem to do anything. i had a dat scan that came out positive for pd