quote:Originally posted by lizzy4451: You are fortunate that your docs started you out on a dopamine agonist like Requip. Mirapex is another. I was diagnosed 5 years ago and have taken Requip for that period of time. I have been fortunate to have had a slow progression.
The 'normal' range for Requip is 9-24 mg a day with 24 being the max. I take 6 mg a day - 2mg when wake, 2 mid-day, 2 in eve. Works for me. Doesn't work for everyone. Some folks have side effects ...which can be true of any pd med.
It's important that you educate yourself about your meds. As a young onset person, you have many years ahead of you. Learn to make the best of those years (that can mean different things to different folks).
You are your own best advocate - get involved, educate yourself!
My original post read that I was presently taking 0.25 mg Tablet - 3 times a day. My second post read that I initially started with 1 tablet 25 mg at bedtime. It should have read 0.25 mg. Thanks for the clarification.
By the way, are some people diagnosed with PD taking exclusively Requip and not Sinemet (Carbidopa/Levo) in addition? A maximum dosage of 24 mg of Requip daily seems excessive.
Posts: 30 | From: Southern California | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged
Thought it might be of value to update my condition. The last time I saw my neurologist (a month ago) he observed that I had slowed and was somewhat shaky so he recommended that I double the dosage on the requip and carbidopa/levo. It did actually help.
My only complaint is still with my stomach discomfort. Something which has been a chronic problem. Nexium, once a day, seems to subdue it. I have completed a endoscopy and colonoscopy and found only minor erosion in the esophagus and stomach lining. Last week I had a CAT scan and awaiting results. I'll keep you posted.
Doug
Posts: 30 | From: Southern California | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged
posted
I am 63 years old and have had PD for 18 years. I am on Requip 0.5mg three time a day. I take Sinemet (carbo-levadopa)25/100 once a day at 8am as a jump starter. Prior to my DBS surgery in July 2002 I took Sinimet CR 25/100 four times a day and Sinemet 25/100 six times a day. I take Nexium 40 mg at 82m. I take Amantadine 100 mg.8AM AND 8PM to help control side effects of Sinimet and to reduce the risk of my contracting influenza.I take Stelevo 100mg (carbo-levadopa and Comtan)at 8:Am, noon, 4PM, and 8PM. I take a number of additional pills,for sleep disorder, depression, memory, and urinary flow problems and frequesncy. I have had no known side effects from these meds other than sleepiness which is a side effect of six oof the drugs I take.I hope this answers your question.
Posts: 35 | Registered: Jan 2005
| IP: Logged
Just an update: The cat scan did not reveal anything out of the ordinary. My GI doctor suggested that I take Pepto Bismol (for excessive gas}. No Kidding. See him in four months.
Doug
Posts: 30 | From: Southern California | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged
posted
Hi everyone I have recently been diagnosed with PD at the age of 49. My symptoms are right side of body only. I am right side dominant so learning to increase usage of left side. My treatment has been requip starting at .25 mg 3 times a day with steady increase to 2 mg 3 times a day. I have found that more often then not, particular to the first dose of the day that approx. 30 minutes to an hour after taking the pill I feel very uncomfortable for about 1 hour. I would not say it was nausea as I know it, but more a tightening of the throat or chest area almost as if there was something caught in my throat. The feeling increases until it is relieved by burping gas several times then I feel good again. I have tried taking requip with and without food, I take the pills with lots of water. I feel that on the next visit to the neurologist that my dosage will again be increased to control my symptoms as they are still affecting my ability to work (writing becoming very difficult). Not sure if the pain is worth the gain if requip is not controlling my PD as I hoped. Not sure how bad I would be if stopped taking the drug. Or tried a different agonist. Any shared experience or thoughts would be appreciated.
I saw my nuerologist on Monday and he wrote a prescription to again double, after only three months, the dosage of Requip (Now up to 1 mg). He did not double the carbidopa/levo this time round.
I woke up this morning shaking,after having taken both drugs mentioned a couple of hours earlier. Took an amantadine which helped.
I do wonder where this is going and how I am going to cope.
Doug
Posts: 30 | From: Southern California | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged
posted
Hi ya all in this group, My name is Suzie Q. and I usually post under the Paroxysmal Dyskinesias group - but I was just curious to ask you all a few questions - if that is all right with you all - I know that after taking certain drugs to try to help stimulate the brain to produce more dopamine in PD, that with some drugs, some people experience the side effect now known as Dykinesia - when the brain then goes the other way and starts producing too much dopamine and thus causing the hyperkinesias or involuntary muscle movements - if you don't mind me asking and I say this with the greatest due respect for all of you - have many of you experienced this problem? And which drugs specifically have you noticed that cause it? and one last question - have any of you found any drug or combination of drugs that have helped to curb this problem and make the side effect of the Dyskinesia go away? I am asking this question because myself and all the other folks that post under the Paroxysmal Dyskinesias group - all have similar difficulties with Dykinesesias as well = except that we get "episodes" or "attacks" that come on sometimes very suddenly and sharply (or Paroxysmally) that are "bouts" if you will of hyperkinesias or the involuntary muscle movments - the only diffence is that ours or these attacks can be triggered by sudden motion, come on spontaneously, can be triggered by exertion or can be triggered by sleep - these bouts of hyperkinesis can last as little as 10 seconds or up to several hours continuously - but then they eventually go away and just as mysteriously as the attack started, it will suddenly stop - just like that. Now, I understand that those of you with the Dyskinesias from the side effects of certain drugs for PD sometimes experience the Dyskinesia all the time, or that the involuntary muscle movments are constant for you, and believe me, as one who has experienced this as well, my heart goes out to each and everyone of you with this side effect to the drug - but I was wondering - if any of you had found any drug that had helped to curb the this Dyskinesia side effect to the drug for PD, what it was, how long it took for it to start working and if you had to continue to take it constantly to combat this side effect? I was just hoping that maybe if say one of you all had found a good type of drug that was very helpful in fighting off the side effects of your Dyskinesia, that I was thinking that maybe that same drug may work for people who have the sudden bouts of Dyskinesia too, that are, for us, brought on by these different triggers as opposed to being brought on by a side effect of a PD drug - if any of you all have ANY information on this, that would be SO GREAT!! -_- I would really really appreciate it!! -_- Because any time of Dykinesia is hard to live with, whether it's Paroxysmal or not - I was thinking that maybe if we could share some information on this - that maybe we could help each other out!!~ And if you have any questions for me, I would be happy to talk to anyone of you as well!! -_-
Well, take care ya all and thanks for letting me join and post in your group today!!
Being diagnosed with PD about two and a half years ago, I don't think I can be of much help. However, I have improved and do not experience much shaking and seldom any dyskinesia. Oh maybe two or three times, over the past two years, while I was dozing. I think that this is a side effect of the carbidopa/levo. And maybe this is why my neurologist, at my last visit, only doubled the dosage of requip and left the other alone. It looks like the trend is to rely more heavily on the Requip.
Also, Amantadine has helped buffer the effect of carbidopa/levo. It helped, especially in the begining, to relieve my shaking.
Still, my most single complaint is with my stomach. Could be a slowing metabalism. Hopefully the Requip or Petobismo may help.
Regards,
Doug
Posts: 30 | From: Southern California | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged
posted
Greetings Doug! Thank you so much for your responding note - I am so sorry to hear that you were diagnosed with PD two and a half years ago - that must have been tough news to take. How have you been doing lately? I am glad that the Amantadine buffeted the effects of the Levo. medicine - and helped to relieve your shaking - just curious - I was just started on this same drug this past Wednesday - and for the first day, it did seem to help with the shaking as well - but I noticed that it made me incredibly dehydrated - no matter how much water I drank with it - to the point that it actually made me feel sick - did that happen to you too? And if it did, is this something that will go away soon after my system gets use to taking it? I know each person is different - but I was just wondering if this particular medicine had any bad side effects on you? Because if it will help in the long run - I will definitely keep taking it - but if not, I am just wondering if it is worth getting this sick over it?
Thanks for your help, Doug! I really do appreciate it!
I have had no side effects with Amantadine. And that is with taking a 100 mg capsule twice a day. At the time, Michael J. Fox, had mentioned in a TV interview that he was taking Amantadine.
And thank you for your empathy. It was very tough to take the diagnosis. But I had to come to terms with it. I was going to pieces and started to think I wouldn't last another week.
It was very difficult to acclimate myself to all these drugs.
I have since regained my weight and half my strength.
Doug
Posts: 30 | From: Southern California | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged
posted
Hello Douglas! Thanks so much for your response! I am glad that the Amantadine did not have any bad side effects on you - that's great! I may try this drug again - it's just that they have tried me on SO many drugs over the last few years that my system is pretty fried in responding to new meds. but occassionally - one will work - out of the blue! So, maybe I will give this drug a try again. I agree that it is very difficult acclimating to all the drugs but I am glad that you have regained your weight and your strength - that is a good thing! I finally, after long last, actually found a good Neurologist and his PA that knew alot about Movement Disorders - at long last! - so that was helpful - to finally have a doctor and his PA that actually know what in the world they are talking about and can actually help you with your movement disorder - imagine that!
So, I guess if Amantadine is good enough for Michael J. Fox, then it's good enough for me!! -_-
Take care and thanks again for all your help and info.!
posted
Hi Doug! Actually, I just realized that the drug that I was trying to say was actually acetazolamide -not Amantadine - have you ever tried the Acetazolamide? Sorry for my mix up!
Have not heard of Acetazolamide but that isn't unusual. I don't know many drugs. I look them up on the Internet when I encounter them.
Acetazolamide shows to have a long list of possible side effects, dehydration among them.
I would suggest that you proceed only after consultation with your doctor.
I have eliminated a lot of drugs that are questionable, especially drugs prescribed for pain. One prescription given me by my GI doctor, I found disagreeable, showed in its side effects to contribute to symptoms of PD.
Doug
Posts: 30 | From: Southern California | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged
Printer-friendly view of this topic