Taking Azilect

[Joanne_Joyce]

I've just started taking Azilect 0.5MG this week in addition to Stalevo and Pramipexole. I'd love to hear from others who are also taking Azilect and learn about your experience with it.

[stevie3]

You'll find a lot of discussion on aziclet if you put it in the search facility for this site. I've been taking it since November and had no ill effects. I take 1mg daily and I'm not on any other prescribed meds for PD yet. I made this response to someone who asked a similar question a few days ago:

'I went and looked at the list of symptoms I took to my neurologist in November which was when he prescribed aziclet. I had written: stiffness, especially left hand and wrist (I actually can't flex my fingers), low mood, inability to sleep, weird dreams, some loss of concentration (needing to wait until the afternoon to do complicated stuff at work), tingling in my arms and trembling. All these symptoms, except the stiffness and inability to flex my fingers, are either much better or gone. My mood is fine, I sleep ok, and my concentration is much better, although I have noticed that I don't watch TV with the same appetite that I did - maybe a good thing, as I read more. I've done some complex stuff at work and been able to maintain my concentration. So something is working! I'm seeing the neurologist again this week. He's been very keen to start me on some kind of dopamine but I'm not keen yet. I know the time will come, but right now, PD doesn't stop me doing anything, except I am slower'.

[Joanne_Joyce in reply to stevie3]

Good to learn that you are doing well. Stevie.

[Hidden]

Hello Joanne_Joyce

I have taken Azilect for 10 years but i don't know if it does any thing for symptoms I was told that it helps slows the progression of PD.

Bailey

[Joanne_Joyce in reply to Hidden]

I've just started taking it so I guess I can't really tell what difference it makes. It does seem that my on/off transitions are a little smoother now.

[JohnPepper]

Hi Joanne. Azilect is designed to help you retain the use of the dopamine you already have in your brain. Your body has a natural function to destroy all chemicals it has produced if they have not been used within a certain time. I don't know what that time is, but it makes no sense to get rid of dopamine if we are short of that. The other medications are designed to relieve other symptoms, mainly rigidity and tremors. They do NOTHING to slow down the progress of the Pd. So whether you take them or not, your Pd will still continue to decline at the same rate.

John

[Joanne_Joyce in reply to JohnPepper]

Right John. We still need to exercise!

[PatrickW]

how much is your co-pay for Azilect? Mine is $350 a month but when I buy it from Canada where they have a generic version I pay $350 for 3 months and works just as well. Still, it ain't cheap. These drug companies are screwing people big tim. When I asked for some financial assistance the first question they asked was - do you own a car? I said yes, that was it I didn't qualify! I'm on full disability and make 20% of what I used to make so I may be living in that car soon and still won't qualify because I still own a car!!

[Joanne_Joyce in reply to PatrickW]

Patrick, mine is $7 a month since I'm on medicare. But I just learned that when I reach something called a "donut hole" I will have to pay something like $60 a month. I don't understand it. It has something to do with there not being a generic brand. I'm happy to learn of the Canada option.

Sorry about your terrible expense. I hope something can be worked out.

[PatrickW in reply to Joanne_Joyce]

I'm on medicare too and I'm getting screwed it sounds like!

[Joanne_Joyce in reply to PatrickW]

Do you have medcare insurance? That is why I pay less. But now medicare switched my insurance and they say they can't pay for Stalevo!! So I'm writing to my neuro to request an exemption.