sinemet

[Parklove]

I take 20 sinemet tablets a day. Does anyone else take this many? to what benefit?

[Ruffner]

Hi Parklove, I see that you were originally diagnosed with PD in 2017 then changed to MSA this year. Does the Sinemet help your movement symptoms? There would be no reason to take it if you are not getting benefit. Twenty pills is a lot of Sinemet. If you don't mind sharing, what changes did you experience over the last five years that changed the diagnosis? Ruffner

[woollyheaded]

Hello Parklove,

I take Madopar which is much the same as Sinemet . I take 4 hard capsules (100mg/25mg) during the day , one controlled release before bed plus a dispersible one (100mg /25 mg)when needed during the day . Tbh I still find that my movement is getting stiffer and stiffer ,( although I do get some amount of benefit from the dispersible one . My parkinson's team inc my Neurologist reckon that 10 % of this drug still gets into my system.

[Schmall]

Hi Parklove. My husband is on Sinemet, but a much lower dose. At present he's on 6 tablets a day (2 taken 3 times a day). It has definitely improved his tremors and the moments when he freezes and can't move at all, but I thoroughly expect this to increase as his MSA progresses. He has bi-polar too so I guess they don't want to overdo the dopamine. I suppose it depends if you find Sinemet beneficial in managing your symptoms. If you're not experiencing any benefits from them, perhaps you could request a review?

[Parklove in reply to Schmall]

thank you, Schmall

[FredaE]

my late husband gradually increased his sinemet dose over the years until he was taking more than the maximum dose , each time it was helping keeping him stable. When he waas no longer able to swallow them and stopped taking he was dead within a few weeks, which is what we knew would happen so if you decide to reduce the dose do it very slowly, bearing in mind that you may then get no benefit back if you have found they were helping. Sinemet is of benefit to patients with MSA-P..(the Parkinsons version) and is often useless or worse for MSA-C The fact that you are tolerating it suggests it may be so in your case. NEVER be influenced by other patients experiece Everyone really is different