I take 400mg of CL per day and should go up to 500mg, but I'm trying with 50mg to take at night when I wake up and can't get back to sleep. I also add some drops that the neurologist gave me to help me sleep (in addition to melatonin). At the moment I can stay on 450mg. For me it's important to keep myself under-corrected with levodopa to avoid becoming dependent on it and take advantage of off moments to do exercises so that the brain is trained to react when it doesn't send the right signal.
I stopped my husband's bedtime tablet a year ago,never saw any difference,but everyones Parkinson's is unique so what works for us might not do for others
I never take Sinemet at night. It makes me too twitchy and keeps me awake. My last dose is around noontime so by evening my body is relaxed and I’m able to sleep better. I’ve been doing this for years and it hasn’t hurt me. Diagnosed 10 years ago.
Yeah, dopamine only treats symptoms. It is not "good for you" in any way other than allowing to to get along--exercise, sleep etc (not that those things aren't important!)
It might be bad for you (long term) but that's controversial.
Either way, I suspect it isn't a good idea to stop or reduce a lot cold turkey. I'd taper slowly.
But if you can get along perfectly well with less, why not?
For most of us, it can be beneficial to "play" with the dosage of levodopa/carbidopa (C/L). There are many varying factors that can influence how much C/L you need throughout the day and night. As Trixiedee mentioned, the body produces dopamine during the night. Although dopamine production may be reduced in PD, brain activity continues, and a certain amount of dopamine is still generated, especially during REM sleep. Personally, I am fortunate to not need C/L in the evening, and with a good night's sleep, I also don't require it in the morning. However, this can vary from person to person, and there is no reason to avoid experimenting. Do not take more medication than truly necessary, not so much because of the risk of dependence, but to prevent side effects from overdose.
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.