cc: PIE/CARE - SINEMET - HALVES AND WHOLES ETC!

[Cari Barrett <CareBear4PD@xxxxxxx>]

i just want to thank all of you for responding about the Sinemet questions -

Michel - we haven't tried the liquid options yet, because the first dose in
the morning is the one that must get him started - and we figured it was
easier and faster for mom to just crush the 1/2 25-100 between two (2) spoons
(then eat the crushed pieces with applesauce) than to try and figure out the
liquid recipe at 5:45 each morning!

maybe we're getting the Vitamin C just by eating some applesauce at the same
time w/out realizing it!  (should be so lucky...!)

The main thing we learned is (as you've all stated) DON'T CRUSH CR!  it loses
all predictability and doesn't work - but the regular 25-100 can be a wonder -

i'm not familiar with CR 25-100 and i'm surprised the doctor hasn't even
brought it up - i could swear i even asked about it before - is it available
here in the US?  Especially since Daddy NEVER takes a whole CR 50-200 -
always 1/2 or 1/4s - anyway....

Ivan stated:
I  take partial tablets of both Sinemet and Sinemet CR, to avoid
dyskinesia caused by whole tablets of either medication  being too
strong.  [SAME REASON WE DO]

 I also regularly (on my tongue) crush only the regular Sinemet, not the
CR. [ SAME HERE - LEARNING THE HARD WAY]

With both of these, I stick to  3 hour intervals. [DITTO]

 I limit myself  carefully to well-cut half-tablets (50 mg) of
 100 mg Tasmar, at 4 to 5 hour intervals, again to avoid dyskinesia
that a whole Tasmar causes.

With all these partial-pill doses, lately I am getting 8 TO 10 HOURS
of on-time with very little off-time.  I have never done so well before!

   I also will add 1/4 of a tablet of  Sinemet 25/100 to boost myself ,
when I need more l-dopa, such as when I have leg cramps in the late
afternoon..  [YOU'LL NOTE WE'VE TRIED THE SAME WITH SUCCESS AS STATED
BELOW...]

Two questions:

  1)  Have you tried cutting the  Tasmar tablets at all?          [NO, BUT
IT'S A GOOD IDEA  - WE'RE AT 2/DAY (100MG) 4 OR 5 HOURS APART]

   2)  Do you give your dad any medications at all after 5 PM?    [NO]

 I have doses  at 9:15 PM, at 12:15 AM(after midnight),
and at 3:45 AM.            [OF WHAT - TASMAR OR SINEMET?]

Looking at his schedule, I am wondering how he feels
after his  5 PM.dose has worn off.  [BELIEVE IT OR NOT - HE DOES PRETTY WELL
FOR THE MOST PART - HE MAY BE SLOWER UNTIL AFTER 6p, BUT THEN HE'S OKAY - AND
BEDTIME VARIES...

How does he get through the night?   [HE'S HOOKED UP WITH MENTOR 8200(!) SO
HE DOESN'T HAVE TO GET UP AND DOWN AND HE SLEEPS WELL]

 I avoid breaking CR at night,.so that at least in theory,
 I can get  a slow release of l-dopa over a longer period
of time, to enable me to sleep more  comfortably.      [IT'S THAT "IN THEORY"
PART THAT'S TOUGH - WE'RE JUST MORE CONCERNED WITH HIS 6a AND 9a DOSES
KICKING IN - GETTING UP AND ACTIVE AROUND 8:30 IS DESIRABLE AND WHAT WE SHOOT
FOR...]

Anyway, again - thanks to all of you!


Cari
  daughter of Dempsey-PWP (71/16+)
  & Jo Ann-CGiver