Feeling my way

[grower]

I have started my third attempt with l/c and am having problems. Diagnosed just over two years ago I was then started on Madopar ramped up too quickly, after a week I couldn't move I felt so ill so stopped. A month later I tried it with Sinemet, same reaction. So the past couple of years I've just been on Selegeline.

Now I've been advised to start on just 1/2 tab 25/100 twice a day, yesterday was first day and after my pill last night I felt very lightheaded. This morning 15 minutes after I took it I'm now in hot sweats, literally dripping sweat pouring off me and light headed again.

Do some people find this and work through it or does it seem that I just shouldn't take this? I was hoping it would help with my worsening bradykenesia.

[Bailey_Texas]

I have no problem with C/L. But have never taken such a small dose the least I have taken is 2 25/100 4 times a day. I now take

3 25/100. 5 times a day with no side effects

[grower in reply to Bailey_Texas]

I'm a small guy ( 53kgs) so maybe it effects me more> I did read someone saying that you had to take over 3 tabs /day to avoid nausea but I don't feel that symptom. Sure hope it goes away soon

[jeffreyn]

My neurologist starts new patients on the Madopar 100/25 tablet according to the following schedule:

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

1st week quarter quarter quarter (after meals)

2nd week half half half (after meals)

3rd week full full full (after meals)

4th week full full full (half hour before meals)

5th week etc. (same as 4th week)

Jeff

[jeffreyn in reply to jeffreyn]

I hope the above schedule is readable. I used "spaces" to make the table look neat, but they were all taken out automatically when I posted the comment!

In case it's not obvious, "quarter" means one quarter of a Madopar 100/25 tablet ...

Jeff

[grower in reply to jeffreyn]

That's really helpful thanks, I think I'll try it that way. Hard part will be quartering them, these ones seem to crumble...

Appreciate the come back.

[jeffreyn in reply to grower]

I'm not sure why that's happening. My Madopar 100/25 tablets are double scored, and I have a pill cutter. I've not had one crumble in the 9 months I've been taking them. I hope the schedule works for you.

Jeff

[grower in reply to jeffreyn]

Never heard of a pill cutter, I'll look for one and I think I might need to get a new bottle of meds since this one has been sitting around for a year or so waiting for me to decide to try them again. ..

[BillDavid]

Share my experience. Been on Selegine for a long time, have added sinemet for past 30 months..Also take an agnost (repr;iprol). Focused

on the sinemet. Fast an hour before and hour after taking.. The get something on stomach for Selegine, which take with agnost. Same at miday. then late after noon, only sinemet snd agnost, finally late night, senemet alone.

BillDavid

[paddyfields]

I was violently sick and ill a few minutes after taking my first 25/100 sinemet plus tablet. I cant remember how long I was on one tablet but it got better with the same happening when I moved up to two and finally three. The 25 figure refers to the amount of carbidopa which is added to make better use of the levodopa and which also helps with nausea etc. However, you need at least 75 mg, i.e. three tabs a day before there is enough carbidopa to help with effects of levodopa I could easily have decided that sinemet was not for me. nb there are only one or two anti-nausea tabs which don't seriously clash with c/l Initially a little food with the levodopa may be advised but not as a long-term strategy as it should ideally be taken at least half an hour before or 2 hours after meals because protein can interfere with levodopa.

[michaela13]

I have problems with low blood pressure when I take it in the morning. ???

[Beckey]

Yikes. I don't eat meals. I graze all day, small amounts of food at a time. Does this mean c/l will always be a failure?

I have been putting it off but I'm slated to start on c/l in a week.

[jeffreyn in reply to Beckey]

No, it doesn't mean that c/l will always be a failure. For maximum benefit though (after you've got used to it), my neurologist recommends to try not to eat (especially protein) during the hour before each dose, and the half hour after each dose.

Jeff

[grower in reply to jeffreyn]

Thanks for the encouragement. Terrible night last night clammy with sweats and not sleeping. Sure hope I get used to it soon.