food and meds

[Ep0522]

Anyone can tell me why my meds quit working after I eat anything? I eat little to no protein. If I buy a salad, it may have a little cheese. Will that little bit keep my meds from kicking in the rest of the day?

[wifeofparky]

If you eat too soon after you take your meds, it slows down the absorption. PD meds should be taken on an empty stomach. At least one hour before or two hours after you eat if possible. PD slows down the gut so as PD progresses this gets harder to regulate. There are other delivery methods for C/L. Discuss your issues with your MDS.

[Ep0522 in reply to wifeofparky]

Thank you.

[wifeofparky in reply to Ep0522]

you are welcome

[Ep0522 in reply to wifeofparky]

My neurologist tells me a insulin type delivery system will come available in about a year.

[AGH_1966 in reply to Ep0522]

Interesting!

[Ob6842 in reply to wifeofparky]

Seems like I read that drinking a liquid that has vitamin C in it helps absorption

[Ep0522]

never mind everyone. Just read all about it.

[Zella23]

My husband is attending an initial consultation into transforming PD disease clinical management with integrative digital health technologies.

It is in its early stages but as it has been done with insulin management and others but not sure how speedily the technology will be developed and able to be used to monitor dopamine in the system. Watch this space!

[JohnPepper]

This may not seem like a proper response to your question but dealiong with PD is not all about taking medicatioon. Do you do any exercise? If so, have you `tried fast walking yet?

I have had PD since a long time before daignosis in 1992. When I started fast walking in 1994 it took me 3 years to get to the stage where I no longer needed any mediication. Is that not a resolution to your problem?

[Bunny622023 in reply to JohnPepper]

That's great JohnPepper, but unfortunately not everyone is as lucky as you are, I wish. My husband has always been an avid runner, jogger, cyclist... He was dx in 1998 and had it a long time beforehand like yourself.. you are probably similar age..... but he tried stopping meds many times, it just wasn't possible. You are a YOPDer as well yes. Great to hear that there are people with PD who have a particular make up to be able to respond so well without meds. Pray it will continue as it's amazing ! 😄👍

[Bunny622023 in reply to JohnPepper]

Actually sorry Johnpepper - just realised you are 88.... so a different era to my husband - you are not a YOPDer.... Maybe that has something to do with it. Whatever it is - INCREDIBLE !!! All the best

[Hikoi in reply to Bunny622023]

perhaps he doesnt have PD. Many here question his diagnosis.

[JohnPepper in reply to Bunny622023]

What on earth is a YOPDer?

[Bunny622023 in reply to JohnPepper]

Hi John, Young Onset Parkinsons is when someone is diagnosed young, normally under the age of 50, like my husband, was 36..

[JohnPepper in reply to Bunny622023]

Hi Bunney. Tell him that I started PD at the age of 58. Yes 36 is vey young but the way to fix it is still the same. Walk as fast as he can and keep on trying top walk faster, evry seconf=d day, until he ger=ts to a speed of at least 8Kph. It is the speed tand the time at which that speed is held, with a naximum if 1 hour.

[Bunny622023 in reply to JohnPepper]

Thanks John. He is definitely a runner more than walker, and more on Treadmill now for running - we go to the gym every second day, so he is already doing a lot of running and walking. Walking at 8.0kmph which is faster again than mph. Running funnily enough he has no balance issues. Walking he already walks at 6.5kmph for 30 mins, then another 30 mins running at 8.0kmph every other day. He cycles as well. We can't walk at 8kmph it's too fast. 6.5kmph seems the perfect fast walk speed for us both and we run sprint bursts at 8 to 10kmph for extra cardio.

[JohnPepper in reply to Bunny622023]

Don't overdo the exercise! WalkinG as fast as possible for one hour is maximum needed Believe me! Don't over-do it.

[Aikidodrummer in reply to JohnPepper]

I've already started with your fast walking method (3.0 mph) question - should I decrease speed so I can do the full 1 hour or keep that speed until I build up to 1 hour ( I'm up to about 25 minutes every other day ) I started a few weeks ago at about 10min. a day @2.4 mph so I've already increased both speed and time- thanks for all your help!John Q - San Antonio, Texas

[Springbreak in reply to Aikidodrummer]

hello , if you don’t mind me asking, how do you manage to work in this extreme Texas heat. I see that you are from San Antonio and I live in Houston. I love the idea of fast walking and have been doing it, but with the scoring heat I just get exhausted. I did try a couple of times to walk in the heat , but was too much for. So I just go the jym now. I miss my walking.

[Aikidodrummer in reply to Springbreak]

No problem...I do my walking on treadmill inside our house.

[Springbreak in reply to Aikidodrummer]

oh okay thanks for your response

[Bunny622023 in reply to Aikidodrummer]

Fantastic - I wish we could get a treadmill at home... that would be great.

[JohnPepper in reply to Aikidodrummer]

3mph seems very slow. How old are you? forgive me for being rude! I am 88 years old and still walk at roughly 7KPH. I know we are all different but I have to ask you if you are pushing yourself as hard as you can to go faster?

[Bunny622023 in reply to JohnPepper]

I was wondering that also about the speed of Aikidodrummer.... I would have thought it needs to be at least 5.0kmph. 7.0kmph is a nice brisk speed for walking - love it, and as you say it does push you, as it needs to.

[Aikidodrummer in reply to Bunny622023]

Also thanks for your feedback too ! John Quinn

[Aikidodrummer in reply to JohnPepper]

I definitely appreciate your feedback ( 7kph =4.35mph ) so I will definitely start increasing my speed until I get to 4.35mph . I am 63 years and 8 months old. Again the question about the speed vs time = should I go for max speed first then build up to 1 hour or vice versa ? I know I can't do both right now but I'm sure it's attainable - thanks for your help ! John Quinn

[Aikidodrummer in reply to JohnPepper]

Thanks again John Pepper for your feedback , already 1 day since your comment I've increased my speed and time - every other day I will increase both until I'm at your recommended speed and time Thanks for not sugarcoating it! John Quinn

[JohnPepper in reply to Aikidodrummer]

Hi John. Only increase the time every second week. Keep walking!

[Jaguarorbust]

So, it’s an hour ‘til lunch…. top-up on Sinemet with whatever size of dose you think you can get away with without risking Dyskinesia. Could be as little as an extra 1/4 or 1/2 tablet, just a freshener. That buys you as much time as you’re gonna get before the meds wear off.

With a bit of trial & error you can work out how long ‘max’ to ‘off’ takes for you and can time your next dose 45mins before that happens. Hopefully it’ll be long enough for the food to pass through your stomach and so the tablet will work.

Also, check out Madopar for post-meals, it’s dispersible and seems to manage to find its way through when pills don’t.

[saraoutwest]

it’s so difficult to figure out. I need meds every 2-3 hours so timing my food is a nightmare

[Ep0522 in reply to saraoutwest]

I totally agree!