Switching from C/L CR to Rytary?

[RS313]

Hello Friends,

has anyone switched from C/L CR to Rytary? How hard is it to switch? Any advice would be greatly appreciated

[Mogul1]

I just switched back to C/L 50/200. I would recommend you carefully match Identical dosage to your C/L. My rytary dose was too high. Look aT my earlier posts.

[RS313 in reply to Mogul1]

Ty for the advice! it is so hard to know what to do.I def dont want any problems as i still work full time and cant afford to call off due to Med problems!

[RS313]

Or does anyone have any suggestions on what i can do that may help with this

[Bailey_Texas]

Just take the dose your doctor gives you. I do not think anyone here or your doctor can predict how you will respond to Rytary. It is just Carbidopa Levodopa with a extending agent of some sort in it. I took it for about 6 months and at first i had no down time no side effects. But at about 6 month every thing went wrong. At about 3 hours into a 4 hour dose i would fill a cold sweat come up my back i would feel weak my hands would get stiff and i would shut down completely. I would be down for 2 hours an this would repeat at every dose. I lasted 2 days like this and i was back on Ext release carbidopa levodopa. In my opinion Rytary is a over priced Ext release carbidopa levodopa that only gives you maybe 15 to 30 minutes of on time. I hope it works for you I am 13 years with PD or it may be 15 years just can not remember. All i know it has been a long winding road.

[Ramondo in reply to Bailey_Texas]

Hi Baily, I gather from past posts , that you seem to favour levodopa meds for your PD, I have only ever taken Sinemet 50/100 X 4 daily, but after five years my energy level, gait and balance are deteriorating, do you think my dose is too low.

[Enidah in reply to Ramondo]

Ramondo, that is a pretty low dose. It probably wouldn’t hurt to add in a fifth pill and take them a little closer together. I am in to almost 6 years diagnosed eight years with symptoms and am taking usually 6-

25/100 C/L a day.

[Ramondo in reply to Enidah]

Thank you for that Enida, my neurologist has suggested upping the dosage but I have been reluctant to take more. I will do so as I seem to be deteriorating.

[Hidden in reply to Bailey_Texas]

I am experiencing similar results one week into the medication.

[Juliegrace]

I think it's a bit of a crap shoot. It didn't work for me, but there are several people here who think it is great. I would recommend that you try it when you have some time off. I found it very unpredictable and went right back to c/l IR.

[Intrepid200]

I switched just over 6 weeks ago and I didn't experience any drastic changes until recently I have nothing an increase heart rate I am heart disease free

Just after taking the 3 capsules I jabril a rush of extra saliva in my mouth which stabilizes within minutes

Please read the inset prescription documents

I'm taking 3 capsules 3 times per day 35x

[Hidden]

I followed my neurologist’s advice and switched seamlessly from Sinemet 4 times daily to Rytary 3 times daily, with no ill effects. Rytary works much better for me. Everyone is different.

[jcavana in reply to Hidden]

My mom is in her first week of rytary from sinemet. She took 4 sinemet pills a day. Her rytary dose is 95. The doctor had her gradually increasing this over 10 days to see what works for her. She is now up to 3 pills at 4 times per day but says when she wakes up around 4:30 she feels awful and has difficulty moving. This did not happen on sinemet. Her last dose of sinemet was at 5 each day and her first dose was at 4:30-5:00. Her energy level is low in afternoon so doctor switched to rytary. How long did it take you to find correct dose?

[Hidden in reply to jcavana]

I take 3 pills upon waking in the morning, another 3 pills around noon and a final 3 pills around 6 pm. I feel great most of the time. Balance, tremor and handwriting much improved. I do think 4 times a day is a lot, but as everyone says, everyone is different. Good luck to you and your mom.

[jcavana in reply to Hidden]

Thanks - what’s your dosing? She currently has lowest dose - 95.

[PDGal4]

I have been on Rytary since June 2017. Sinemet was only lasting about 2 to 2-1/2 hours before wearing off. Rytary is supposed to last 5 hours; for me, I get 4 to 4-1/2 hours. I do supplement with 1/2 Sinemet between doses 3 x a day.

Rytary takes 1 week for the body to adjust; 4 weeks to work, according to my Neuro, and several months for the body to fully adjust. He constantly stresses consistency with meds.

Yes, I did have an adjustment period. The first time it was prescribed was from a different neuro who prescribed way too high a dose. The one I see now started me on 2 x 95 mg taken 4 x a day. I went up to 3 x 95 mg and for a while took 2 x 145 mg. I did find, especially in the morning with exercise, I needed the extra 1/2 Sinemet. I have noticed more dyskinesia and slowly cut my dosage down, beginning with (1 x 95 mg + 1 X 145 mg) 4 x a day. I've settled in at 2 x 95 mg taken at 7.30 am, 12.00, 4.30 pm, and 9.30 pm, with 1/2 Sinemet around 9.00 am, 2.30 pm, and 6.30 pm. On a good day, I skip the 2.30 pm mid-dosing.

Overall I am pleased with it. Same med problems as with Sinemet--sometimes meds make me feel a little buzzed, sometimes they don't seem to kick in much at all, and sometimes they work perfectly. I did lose about 10 pounds over six months last year, but the weight loss has stabilized.

It is expensive but you can download a form on their website for assistance from manufacturer. My neuro filled it out and sent it in for me. I think max co-pay is $20 or $25 per month with it. Keep us posted on what you decide and your experience if you go for it.

[RS313 in reply to PDGal4]

Thanks everyone for the great advice and for sharing your experiences♥

[jcavana in reply to PDGal4]

My mom is in her first week of rytary from sinemet. She took 4 sinemet pills a day. Her rytary dose is 95. The doctor had her gradually increasing this over 10 days to see what works for her. She is now up to 3 pills at 4 times per day but says when she wakes up around 4:30 she feels awful and has difficulty moving. This did not happen on sinemet. Her last dose of sinemet was at 5 each day and her first dose was at 4:30-5:00. Her energy level is low in afternoon so doctor switched to rytary. How long did it take you to find correct dose?

[PDGal4]

A few weeks to months. Too much C/L can have same effect as too little. I do think I stayed at a dose for several weeks before changing. My neuro is a big believer in the body needing weeks to adjust. I’d check with her doctor to see if her dosage is too high.