amantadine

[fel3k]

Has anyone tried this med? Dr added to carbo-levodopa for HwP..

[Juliegrace]

if you do a search you will find many posts on amantadine.

[Zella23]

My husbands been taking it for a few years now. He takes it twice a day and he began taking it to help with dyskinesia, after having PD for about 5 years.

[surdug1]

I take it twice a day 100mg capsules. It is supposed to help with dyskinesia, after having PD for about 13 years. I dont feel any big noticeable difference in symptom.

1) Sinemet Generic 25 / 100 mg 2tab every 4 hrs

2) Sinemet CR Generic 50 / 200 mg 1tab before sleep

3) Entacapone 200mg 3 times a day

4) Amantadine 100mg 2 times a day

Dyskinesia happens when you are over medicated on levodopa.

my dyskinesia symptoms are jerky head movements not initiated by me.

I am struggling to find some one (Chicago)who can help me titrate on levodopa.

[Bear1927 in reply to surdug1]

try replacing levedopa with mucuna pruriens

[Cagey84]

Taking amantadine for dyskinesia, works very well for me

[Kingsdaughter1]

I could not take it as it caused edema in my ankles, a common allergic reaction.

My leg/foot allergic reaction to Amantadine

[forest1]

i have been on Amantadine for about five years. It has helped my dyskenisa mass iely. I am on 400mg a day in two doses, increased from 200mg a day. My main side effects are it gives me blotchy legs which isn't the best of looks, but I’m not sure my legs are that good looking anyway! I also get heart burn from it, but it soon passes. Like all drugs it affects us differently.

[LagLag37]

I’ve been on Amantadine for quite a few years. It helps with dyskinesia but I still have some. I’m taking it 3 times per day, which is kind of unusual but I switched to Gocovri about 2 yrs ago. It is the same thing as Amantadine but it’s an extended release version of Amantadine. It worked better at calming the dyskinesia but it was 147 mg per capsule and you take it at bedtime. It actually helped me sleep better. The reason I’m not taking it now is thru a special deal from the manufacturer I was paying $20 per month. In January, the cost went up to something like $3,200 per month. It was a “specialty “ drug and only 1 pharmacy carried it. Now there are several pharmacies carrying it but it’s still expensive at $982 per month.

So what all this means is I would rather take Gocovri because I see a difference in my dyskinesia and on time when taking Gocovri more than I do with Amantadine. It may help you to try Amantadine. What you’ll find out in your with PD is everyone is different in their symptoms and the way meds affect them. I didn’t have any side effects with either one. Make sure you talk to your doctor about stopping or starting any meds. 🥊

[Lyricist]

I started Amantadine 100mg x 1 per day last October to deal with lethargy and deteriorating gait without increasing the Co-Careldopa and Ropinirole I have been on for some time. I had been suffering very poor sleep which I blamed for the deterioration. So far after 6 months it has had the desired effect. There is a little oedema but nothing significant. My sleep has also improved. However I underline what others have said - these drugs work differently for different people. I did as I was advised by my neurologist. There are other considerations as well. I introduced B1 and other supplements around the same time so for all I know the improvements may have been caused or contributed to by them or a combination of everything. It’s trial and error. A balancing act. I took a policy decision years ago faced with a choice between putting off drugs as long as possible or taking whatever was necessary to lead a life as close to normal as possible. Having chosen the latter, tweaking the cocktail and the side effects are the price to pay until the disease eventually gets the upper hand. Until then carpe diem.

[Kattripp]

Yes, my husband has been taking it for many years for rigidity and back pain related to the rigidity. It was a life/-saver!

It even helps his carbidopa/levodopa work better, which allowed him to keep his c/l dose lower. He rarely has any dyskinesia, which Amantadine also treats.

We did find that a specific manufacturer, Bionpharma, seemed to work better with no side effects for him, so we are careful to stick with that brand.

Good luck and hope that helps!

[fel3k in reply to Kattripp]

thank you so much. That’s encouraging!! Be well.

[Swimfast]

Recently diagnosed, 3 months ago with Parkinson's at 59 years old. Pretty sure that I have had it for 5 years. No tremor, but mental and physical slowness, balance and gait issues.

My doctor started me on Amantadine. Now on 100mg, 3 times a day. It lasts 6 hours for me, so 6am, 12 pm and 6pm. It was like magic, I regained the spring in my step, balance and energy regained. Its effects have worn off a bit now in my 3rd month, but i still need it. I supplement with 1 capsule of Mucana Pruriens when I have a big day at work, plan to exercise or am very tired.

The main side effects, for me, are a very dry mouth, dry eyes, and loss of appetite. I like how I feel on this drug, I do need good vision for my work, so I if I get eye problems, which is a listed side effect, I will switch to levodopa.

[Swimfast in reply to Swimfast]

An update, in that I am now on Sinemet 100/25 3 times a day, just finished my first week. What a difference this is the real stuff ! Have gone to 2 Amantadine a day from 3 a day. It is dangerous to just stop taking it, have to taper gradually. Will keep it at 2 a day unless Neuro convinces me otherwise.

[Bythejerseyborder]

I use Amantadine from time to time. It works for my shaky hand. I do get side effects, like dry flaky painful skin . So I don't take it every day .

[kleighclark]

I take 1 (100 mg)with my first dose of C/L and 1 with my third dose daily. It helps to stop dyskinesia.

[Marcia123]

I have been on it for a year. I lost muscle mass and 30 pounds.

[Husbandsupporter]

My husband's PD affects the back of his head in ways that makes all muscles tight and his head seem "heavy". Amatadine was prescribed to help and it did at first. 1 pill 1 time a day was what he started on. Over time he was taking 3 per day, but didn't know if it was really helping anymore (this is after 5 years of having PD)

Recently at the Neurologists office he asked if that drug was helping so the plan was to titrate off gradually ....first week dropping 1 pill NO issues. 2nd week dropping 1 more---after 3 days he got very nervous, jittery, more tremors, unhappy, felt like he was in constant motion. Exercise didn't help. Added the 2nd pill back in and all evened out.

Amatadine is helping. Doesn't stop the tightness or the 2 + hours of the symptoms in the afternoon that the Dr's can't quite figure out why, but the Amatadine, however it is, does seem to help with the heaviness of his head.

I catagorize it as a silent partner in the medications. It's not a stand alone drug, but an adjunct.

May your journey be a blessed one...and take good care