Amantadine - first time user - haven’t tried yet

[MissRita]

Hello all!

Has anyone used this medication at all? Curious about reactions positive and negative. Thanks so much!

[ParlePark]

I did for a few years. At first stopped tremors. As time went on stopped being effective. I experienced C quite a bit of insomnia while on it. I’m on C/l now.

[MissRita in reply to ParlePark]

Thank you! Almost sounds like an ADHD medication which is a stimulant to counteract a persons hyperactivity.

[ParlePark in reply to MissRita]

At first it really worked well on tremors. Also experienced a little ankle swelling. Not a big deal though. The insomnia stopped when I quit Am.

[MissRita in reply to ParlePark]

Ok great thx!

[ParlePark in reply to MissRita]

Did not experience any other side effects. Just ankle swelling and insomnia. Just couldn’t get to sleep and when I did didn’t stay asleep.

[MissRita in reply to ParlePark]

Ah good to know! I’ll keep you posted tonight!

[glenandgerry]

My hubby swapped to Amantadine after several years on Sinemet. Amantadine seems to work for him with no side effects which is unusual as he is usually very sensitive to medications and doesn't tolerate many of them well at all.

[Hidden in reply to glenandgerry]

Does amantadine help with gait issues?

[MissRita in reply to Hidden]

I was given it for tremor, but it made my tremor worse until I look a little Mucuna and I feel better now. I do not have gait issues or movement issues. Mine is all tremor currently. I was given C/L which made me feel drugged so I am trying to figure a better combination at the moment.

[Janx in reply to MissRita]

What is CL?

[glenandgerry in reply to Janx]

Carbidopa/Levodopa

[glenandgerry in reply to Hidden]

I don’t think so but it is hard to say as hubby was diagnosed nearly 16 years ago. He has arthritis for which he’s had two knee joint replacements, spinal stenosis (for which he had a back op 18 months ago which wasn’t successful), one leg is slightly longer than the other, he has bad feet - hammer toes, bunions, callouses, etc.......all of which make walking difficult so he has an odd gait, but how much is to do with Parkinson’s, and how much to do with his other ailments is difficult to determine.

[SGlass]

I take 2mg twice a day to combat fatigue. I also take Sinemet. To much and anxiety kicks in. I have to balance Amantadine/Sinemet/ with exercise amount. Really works for me against fatigue and keeping tremors low. Been on this regiment about a year and a half.

[Danska in reply to SGlass]

I was just prescribed Amadatine, but haven't started it yet. You said you take 2mg twice a day. My script is for 100 mg. Confused about such a large discrepancy in amount- don't know much about it, but I have alot of fatigue. Any thoughts?

[SGlass in reply to Danska]

Danska, Sorry forgot a "0". I take 20mg twice a day to combat fatigue. That is still a very low dose. Dr tried to get me to 100mg twice a day in 50mg steps but anxiety kicked in big time so backed down from the 50mg to 20mg and for me that appears to be a good place. I appear to be one who is very sensitive to it. Because my dose is so low I get it as a syrup with concentration of 50mg/5ml then use oral syringe to measure dose. Before it all I did was exercise and nap and now I hardly have to take a nap. Be aware that it has a 30 hour half life in your system so changing dosage will take a while to stabilize. Hope that helps. Good luck! I sincerely hope it works for you as it really has for me.

[Danska in reply to SGlass]

Thanks for clarification- where do you get the syrup and how much does it cost? Many thanks.

[SGlass in reply to Danska]

I get at my drug store with Dr prescription as syrup. They order it in the 50mg/5ml strength. Uninsured cost is 71 USD for 450ml.

[Danska in reply to SGlass]

Appreciate your feedback- thanks!

[blogger_7 in reply to Danska]

I also take Amantadine. 100 mg. X 2. The doctor told me, maybe it will slow the drooling. I still drool, but I love the way It gave me more energy than I have had for years. The doctor told me to take two capsules a day, but to not take it too late in the day. I take one when I wake up in the morning, and am able to get up in about half an hour. I set the alarm for 2:45 to remind me to take the second capsule. My husband doesn't go to bed until 12:30 or 1 am,,, So I am fine and ready to go to bed when he is. But you might want to take it in the morning until you know. Each of us are so different. I don't have the typical tremors.. mine are action tremors and c / L makes me throw up, so I do not take it. Sue

[MissRita in reply to blogger_7]

Boy does it ever! It’s actually widely used for ADHD which is perfect for me because I have that and that is helping it as well. My focus is incredibly better at this moment. I was also worried about the insomnia but I started taking it two days ago and I went right to bed no problems.

[Zella23]

Husbands been taking it for a year to help with dyskinesia- no side effects so far.

[jocelyng]

I was on Gocovri (the CR version of Amantadine) for several months. I went that route because it’s once a day. Huge pain to get the prescription, but that was fine once we got it sorted out. It worked great except when the side effects hit. I could have with the marbling of my arms and legs even though it looked like someone took a red marker and scribbled on them. The biggest issue was the ankle swelling. I didn’t worry about it in the summer and early fall when I didn’t wear socks and lived in slip-on shoes. By October, it turned out that I couldn’t wear socks above the ankles or boots. Switched to Artane which I take at breakfast and lunch. No side effects.

[Godiv in reply to jocelyng]

Jocelyn, that’s interesting because I was taking gocavri l. I had to go to the ER Monday night, Because my ankle was swollen and my regular doctor was afraid it was a blood clot which it wasn’t. So with my neurologist blessing I quit the drug, but my ankle is still popping up. I wonder how long it stays in your system? Do you remember if your issue stopped pretty quickly or took a while? Thanks so much!

[jocelyng in reply to Godiv]

It took a while. IIRC, the marbling on my arms took over a month to go away. I feel like the swelling was shorter but definitely at least a week or two. Sorry I can’t be more specific.

[Godiv in reply to jocelyng]

That helps a lot thank you! I was expecting it to be better almost immediately so I couldn’t figure out why I still had a fat ankle LOL. So thank you. You actually did help a lot.

[jeffmayer]

Been on it a year no side effects I am aware of only positive

[MissRita]

UPDATE!

Well I took one pill last night and slept right through the night and no insomnia and no swelling of the feet.. As a matter fact it actually makes the tremor somewhat worse before it got better. So this is so crazy to me. After I took it last night the tremor got worse before it got better which in retrospect when I was taking MUCUNA that does the same thing too when I first take it because I start to tremor a little bit until I start to calm down. As I lay here this morning the tremor is back into full swing. I am going to take another one this morning and I shall see what will happen. Onward and upward!

[Trixiedee]

When I presented my prescription for it my pharmacist warned me that it was a very old drug and rarely used any more. He wouldn’t say exactly what was wrong with it but I took one and felt weird and spaced out and incapable of driving so I didn’t take it again. But some people tolerate it well.

[MissRita in reply to Trixiedee]

Yeah unfortunately it’s making my triemors much much worse.

[Janx in reply to MissRita]

Any advice on what medication works better for tremors? Thanks

[ParlePark in reply to Janx]

Amantadine worked great for tremors for a few years. But gave me horrible insomnia.

I’m on C/L now but not as effective for tremors, not like Amantadine was

[MissRita]

Update 2

Well it looks like I probably can’t take this anymore because I am tremoring like nobody’s business and it’s all resting tremors. Back to the drawing board.

[Phero]

If at first you don't succeed, try, try, again!

[EnterTheDragon]

I tried Amantadine. Had severe reaction within two hours after taking one pill.

Racing/ pounding heart and trouble breathing as my chest was tightening up.

Subsided , but almost called 911.

[Husbandsupporter]

My husband is taking it to help with the Dyskensia that was caused by increasing the Sinemet past his "toleration" level. We've cut back on Sinemet and for the most part, the Dyskensia is gone. Amatadine didn't help, didn't have any other adverse affect like constipation for him. He'll probably stop it soon now that the reason for him taking it is pretty much gone. I've read what effects that drug can have. Each person is different

[Kia17]

MissRita

Do you mind to share with us your diet?

How much protein and when do you take? Do you take any supplements like Magnesium? Sugar intake ? leafy green vegetables?

Gluten? Its been proved that people with Hashimoto's disease may have gluten sensitivity.

[MissRita in reply to Kia17]

My diet varies and so I try to eat the best I can. I’m gluten free to a point but sometimes it’s hard. My digestion is slow so I’m careful as to how much I eat and when.

[Kia17 in reply to MissRita]

In my experience there is no differences between less or more gluten. Even gluten from a cupcake will take a month to be cleaned from the body.

Leafy green vegetables help me amazingly.

[Janx]

Amantadine can cause you to retain water and you also can have troubles of not sleeping.

[MissRita in reply to Janx]

I have heard that but oddly enough I don’t have problems with either.