I don't know if it happens in your area too but here in Italy the new productions of Sinemet 100/25 no longer has the incision that allowed the tablet to be correctly divided in half.
I asked the pharmaceutical company for clarification and they replied that they do not recommend taking half of the tablet for reasons that are not well specified, but I believe they are derived from the fact that they cannot guarantee a balanced distribution of the drug in the tablet.
since I am using half a tablet with good results to better manage the therapy,I wanted to ask your opinion on this problem.
Written by
Axter
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Very right. It's a problem for me too because due to nausea problems I can't take a whole pill. We will continue to share it as always in the best way. Thank you
it's almost certainly sinemet slow release. It's nearly impossible to get 100:25 immediate release in the EU. By breaking it in half you convert it to immediate release
The 50/12.5 tablets also had a dividing groove. I often need smaller doses.They often break unevenly..I have never believed that therapeutic doses of any medicine is an exact science when taken orally
... and I have been a practising doctor for 40 years
i split mine in half all the time….sometimes by hand and other times with a pill splitter. i have never noticed a fluctuation in potency. i do not split more than i use in one day, however.
Axter I actually use 10 /100 which only has 10 mg of Carbidopa. It represents less Levodopa reaching the brain and I use it because 25/100 is too much for me and results in more dyskinesia. I don't get nausea from any dose so this works for me.
Not sure what other dosages are available in Italy. This is in the United States.
yes, the same thing happened here in the US. I think the manufacturer quit making it so now we get a different manufacturer and it has no score line to break it in half and it is not as potent as the other brand. We are not happy about this but you can still break it in half without the score line.
I take the generic version of regular CL during the day, and one extended release at bedtime. Do you think there is a difference between Sinemet and the generic version? Most people say no, there is not, but I have heard that there is a difference in some meds so am curious.
Parkinsunny . Sinemet IR and Sinemet CR are quite different. Although they're alike in their ingredients, so to speak, there is a great difference in the composition and mechanics of action.
IR (instant release) acts quickly in most patients in as early as 15 minutes and as late as 45 minutes. CR (controlled release) starts acting as early as 2 hours after injestion and as late as 3 hours after injestion. Then, it keeps releasing for up to 3 to 4 hours. All of these numbers are in theory and individual lived experiences differ greatly. For some reason, doctors in general are loath to prescribe CR because they claim it is unpredictable and therefore suitable only for night time use.
I have found that in practice, it is safer to rely ON Sinemet IR alone at least here in the USA and even abroad while traveling into any country which has a decent level of medical care. This is very important to know because believe it or not, most medical personnel have no idea of what the fancier versions of Sinemet are, be it Rytary or Sinemet CR or Madopar or what not.
Sorry I got carried away in my comments. I am sure that you probably know all of this, but I thought some of the newly diagnosed might benefit from this information.
Parkinsunny I believe you have asked two questions in your comments above. My answer might be confusing to you and others who might have read my previous response. I will clarify here.
My answer above was addressing the difference between the IR and CR version of Sinemet - the brand name version. I have seen doctors in both the east coast and the west coast of the USA and nobody prefers or prescribes the brand name which is several times costlier than the generic version. Even if you beg for it🙄😂
The second question that you have asked, which was your original intent is whether there is a difference between the brand name Sinemet and the generic one which is just called Carbidopa /Levodopa. According to the doctors and research literature, generic and Sinemet is 20 % variance either way.
This means that any tablet that you get can have either 20% more than the brand name version or 20 % less than the brand version. The "experts" say that this 4p% range is immaterial and not of any consequence. But given the experiences of many forum members and the general Parkinson's patient population, the results are not perfect everytime, which is what one would expect.
Unfortunately, as I said, you will generally not have the option to insist on the brand name Sinemet.
So you and your doctor need to make adjustments frequently to achieve the best results. This is my opinion and take it for what it is worth.
Riguardo alla sua domanda relativa all' assunzione a metà di SINEMET 100MG + 25MG COMPRESSE (carbidopa (+) levodopa), le ricordo quanto riportato nel Foglio illustrativo del prodotto, al paragrafo 3: [...] L’assunzione di una dose parziale può provocare un peggioramento dei sintomi [...] .
La compressa non è stata progettata per garantire una distribuzione uniforme dei principi attivi (Levodopa e Carbidopa) quando spezzata. Questo potrebbe portare a variazioni nell’efficacia o nella tollerabilità del farmaco.
La linea di incisione dalle compresse a rilascio immediato di Sinemet 100 mg + 25 mg, è stata inizialmente pensata solo per facilitare la deglutizione piuttosto che per dividere le compresse in dosi uguali. La rimozione della linea di incisione è stata approvata da AIFA per evitare una suddivisione inappropriata, e riflette una maggiore attenzione alla corretta somministrazione del farmaco, che è progettato per essere assunto intero al fine di garantire la stabilità e l’efficacia della dose.
Attualmente, non esiste una formulazione di SINEMET contenente 50 mg di Levodopa.
Le suggeriamo di discutere con il medico curante, che potrà valutare eventuali alternative farmacologiche o modifiche al regime terapeutico.
Cordiali saluti,
translation:
Good morning,
Regarding your question regarding the half-dose intake of SINEMET 100MG + 25MG TABLETS (carbidopa (+) levodopa), I remind you of what is reported in the product information leaflet, in paragraph 3: [...] The intake of a partial dose can cause a worsening of symptoms [...] .
The tablet has not been designed to ensure uniform distribution of the active ingredients (Levodopa and Carbidopa) when broken. This could lead to changes in the effectiveness or tolerability of the drug.
The score line from the Sinemet 100 mg + 25 mg immediate-release tablets was initially designed only to facilitate swallowing rather than to divide the tablets into equal doses. The removal of the incision line was approved by AIFA to avoid inappropriate subdivision, and reflects greater attention to the correct administration of the drug, which is designed to be taken whole in order to guarantee the stability and effectiveness of the dose.
Currently, there is no formulation of SINEMET containing 50 mg of Levodopa.
We suggest you discuss it with your doctor, who will be able to evaluate any pharmacological alternatives or changes to the therapeutic regimen.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Mucuna sinemet equivalent? 
Sinemet cr
Sinemet Plus 25mg/100mg tablets Side effects? 
Eliminating Sinemet
One whole tablet or two halves?
