A family member has PD and was prescribed Amantadine. How well does med work? Side effects you've experienced. Thank you for helping.

[SandyRose]

[Hidden]

Amantadine has helped me reduce my shaking. I tend to have side effects with meds, but Amantadine has only been helpful for me.

Make sure you and/or the family member read all of the possible side effects whenever beginning a new med.

These are some side effects I have read about:

Check with your doctor before having immunizations (vaccinations) while you are using this medicine. You usually should not receive a live nasal flu vaccine with 14 days before or 2 days after taking this medicine. May cause dizziness, headache, blurred vision. Do not drink alcoholic beverages.

[fishinggirl in reply to Hidden]

I've been taking Amantadine for about a year. I felt like my insides were tremoring and shaking and my PD doc said i was twitching in my chair and I didn't even know it. Started with one in early am and one at noon. Side effect-severe dry mouth but the feeling of internal tremor was gone! Love it but now only one a day in midmorning so dry mouth is manageable. I also take Sinamet and Mirapex. Sinamet for tremors and mirapex for rigidity and slow motion movement. Went off Mirapex for 3 days last month and could barely move. Felt like it took forever to get a fork from the plate to my mouth. Needless to say I went back on it but at a lesser dosage.

[SandyRose]

Thanks. I've read the Med reports online, but I'd also like to hear from a person if this works. Her shaking is really bad at times, and I hope this helps.

[ParkinsonSpouse]

Amantadine got rid of 75% of my husband's symptoms. He is in the beginning stages of PD. he took it for about a yr. before stopping it. He had some dizziness with it and later began stammering or kind of stuttering. His biggest problem was sleeplessness. Sometimes he'd be awake 26hrs. before he could get to sleep which is the reason he stopped it.

[SandyRose in reply to ParkinsonSpouse]

My Mom sleeps very little during the night. Dad is up helping her throughout the night: taking meds and going to the washroom. She sleeps about 2 hours during the day. Do you think it will affect this small amount of sleep? She already has trouble thinking. "my brain isn't working," she says when she can't think to answer a question. I just want the best for her. She's been living with PD 10 years now.

[ParkinsonSpouse in reply to SandyRose]

I wish I could answer your question but I can't. My hubby was diagnosed with early PD about 2 1/2 yrs ago. I'm not sure how your mom will react to Amantadine. It might be worth trying. It might improve her 'brain not working' issue.

Before diagnosis of PD & before my husband took Amantadine, he was thinking slowly..(.it took him a long time to answer a question, a long time to formulate what he wanted to say; I think you could categorize that has 'brain not working'); he was moving slowly too & had other symptoms as well, but he seemed to be sleeping okay at that time. When he began Amantadine, his thinking went back to normal & he moved quicker too. Amandtadine seemed to bring that back to normal for him....it also alleviated many other symptoms he had...shivering on the inside; right leg felt like it was twitching but no one could see it, drool on his pillow, acting out dreams (he'd be punching at things with his fist & almost hit me) & he felt like he was falling forward when he walked. All those symptoms were relieved when he began Amantadine. We were so excited that he found relief with it. His sleeping problems didn't begin right away.

BUT, the thing is about 3 months after he began Amant..., the neurologist prescribed Azilect. So, he stopped Aamnt...a few months ago, but is still taking Azilect (the only PD med he is on right now). When he first stopped Amant., his sleeping seemed to improve. However, he's having trouble sleeping through the night again, but he does not have periods of 26 hr. wakefulness anymore...at least not yet.

We're thinking Azilect has helped him too.

I hope this helps.

[ParkinsonSpouse in reply to ParkinsonSpouse]

I wanted to edit my answer, but wasn't sure I could, so I'm adding my edit here:

My reply might sound like he stopped Amantadine after 3 months...which isn't correct. He took Amantadine for about 1 1/2 years.

If your mom tries it, maybe it will help. If her sleep issue gets worse or another problem pops up, she could tell her doctor & probably stop taking it.

[SandyRose in reply to ParkinsonSpouse]

Thank you for your help. I've read both the original and the edit. I appreciate all the information you've given. For the most part, it sounds promising.

I agree about keeping her doctor informed about all the symtoms and actions of the medicine.

[Hidden]

I thought stammering or stuttering was from PD.

Can it be a side effect of Amantadine?

[ParkinsonSpouse in reply to Hidden]

I'm no sure is stammering/stuttering is a side effect of Amantadine...all I know is my husband stopped stammering when he stopped taking it.

When the neurologist prescribed Amantadine, he told us that it was used in the 1800's to ward off the flu & it was accidentally discovered that it helped alleviate PD symptoms.

[MagicMax]

Amantadine is made using Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. SLS has A LOT of very BAD comments on the internet!

[SandyRose in reply to MagicMax]

I'll look-up Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. thanks for the information!

[larry33b]

Amantadine worked for me for a year before I started Sinemet. I have been on it for nearly 11 years with minor side effects. I was told I shouldn't stop taking it because it helps keep the Sinemet from causing diskynesias.

[SandyRose in reply to larry33b]

Mom couldn't take Sinemet. It caused her legs to jump without permission or thought. I'm hoping this med will help her. The shakiness is getting bad. Her body actually hurts just from shaking.

Thanks for answeriing.

[Moderator_1 in reply to SandyRose]

SandyRose

I am sorry to read about your mother's situation. I was curious about the side effect she had from Sinemet and whether the jumpiness was still a problem if the dose was lowered. Did the doctor start her on a very low dose and slowly work up? I hope she finds relief soon.

[SandyRose in reply to Moderator_1]

My Mom said that she was started on the regular dose, four times a day. It was dropped a little, but didn't work well. Now, since she's also changing and adding meds, her doctor has just started it again. He wants to up the Sinemet from the last dosage. Mom has refused this due to problems before. We're hoping the Amantadine will help.

Thank you so much for your message. This cite is an answer to prayer.

[PatV in reply to SandyRose]

My neuro is strict about titrating (slowly substituting one med for another). Still had difficulty adjusting. Good luck to mom.

[SandyRose in reply to PatV]

I was worried that Mom was given the Med full strength. She's adjusting fairly well, but does have trouble sleeping at night.

[maryalice]

I couldn't take sinemet either so I was put on amanadine and mirapex. I never had a problem with sleeping on these medications. If anything the medication made me sleepy. My ankles do swell and I have like little dark freckles on my legs, which I think may be partly due to the amanadine. I tried to come off it but, but my tremor got worse so I started taking it again. I've been taking it for about 11 years. Hope this helps. Blessings.

i

[SandyRose in reply to maryalice]

She needs sleep, so maybe that will help too. She's very hopeful with all the messages from people like you. Thank you for everything! Happy Easter!

[PatV in reply to maryalice]

I bet the marks on leg are from Mirapex. I have them and never took Amantadine.

[maryalice in reply to PatV]

Thanks for the information. I started the drugs about the same time, so it was hard to tell which was causing it.

[SandyRose]

Thank you to everyone! I've passed your messages on to Mom. She's going to start the Amantadine on Monday. We've discussed the medical, physical, etc. with her. She and I appreciate all of your help and thoughtfulness!

[camper]

I take 2 amantadine tablets a day and 3 madopar. I don;t have a tremor so I'm not sure what its done for me but I was told to not take it after lunchtime as it can affect your sleep so I take one at breakfast time and one at lunchtime. I was given amantadine to help with balance but I'm not sure it has as my balance has got worse but that could be a problem for me. I've been taking it for about 9 months.

[SandyRose in reply to camper]

Thanks. Mom started it yesterday. She didn't have a choice. Her balance and dizziness became so bad Mom was up into the hospital over Easter. She's still there. I've heard it takes 48 hours to several weeks to take effect, Amantadine. Yet her doctor came in this morning and said she looked better after just 24 hours.

Thanks for the "lunchtime" warning. I'll let her know.

[gazelleuk]

I wonder if us parkers people have been given different answers when they have questioned the reasons for taking amantadine.

Amantadine is given to help enhance the effectivness of the other drugs we take. Also it should be taken either in a morning or afternoon but no later than 4pm or it may keep you awake at night

[SandyRose in reply to gazelleuk]

Thanks. I'll let Mom know. One other answer said the second should be given no later than noon. Mom took it before bed, then couldn't sleep, so this makes sense. Once she takes it her face is back to normal and her tremors are all but gone. (She does have trouble with tremors if she gets nervous or upset.)

Thanks again.

[maryalice]

I was told by my neurologist that I was taking it for tremor. I take one in the morning and one when I go to sleep at night. I usually sleep though the night. I guess it affects people differently. It says on the sheet that I get from the pharmacy that it may cause drowsiness.

[SandyRose]

Drowsiness, yes, but not enough to sleep for more than 2 hours.

[maryalice in reply to SandyRose]

I'm sorry that it didn't help your mother to sleep well. I've never had any problem and I've been taking it for about 11 years, It may be the combination of drugs that I.m taking that makes me sleep or the combination of drugs you mother is taking that causes her not to sleep.

I just tried to share my own experience. I wish your mother the best.

[SandyRose in reply to maryalice]

Thanks. I appreciate any and all information. I watch he actions and behaviors, but to say I truely understand it, no one who hasn't experience it could. I'll give Mom your best wishes.

[dottie]

Amantadine causes significant side effects with me. Major flluid retention; pariperhal edema, mild hallucinations,and a thousand songs running around my head, like a jukebox.

Pretty funny. Anybody want to hear my rendition of "The Sound of Music"??

How about "In the Name of Love"?

[SandyRose]

Thank you. I'll keep an eye and "Ear" out for Mom.