Joan's question re Amantadine

[Charles Countryman <kap@xxxxxxx>]

My experience with Eldepryl & Amantadine, later supplemented with Parlodel, over
several years, is that they brought me immediate & continuing help with tremor,
but only modest help overall.  My experience with Sinemet over only 4 months is
that it brings dramatic improvement!  I would advise that all PWP are different,
but Sinemet has taken me back to a physical condition that existed before
symptoms appeared, well before diagnosis.

I accept my Neurologist's advice that younger patients postpone the use of
Sinemet, if possible.  However, Sinemet's benefits should be recognized. I
think
that sometimes PWP get use to feeling miserable unnecessarily.  Right now my
daily medications are Sinemet 50/200CRx2, Eldepryl 5mgx2, Amantadine 100mgx2,
Parlodel 2.5mg 3 or 4 per day depending on how I feel.  Before adding Sinemet, I
was taking Amantadine x3 and Parlodel x6. I felt "wired" in the evening and had
difficulty sleeping before reducing Amantadine & Parlodel and adding Sinemet. I
now sleep well for about 6 hours, but am very stiff upon rising, before taking
Sinemet & Eldepryl with orange juice. A continuing problem that I believe is
caused by Parlodel is hypotension, leading to cold hands & feet.  I believe that
these meds reduce my need for Sinemet.  Recent research suggests that Amantadine
may have protective benefit (Scientific American January 1997).
                Charley Countryman (46/6)  kap@xxxxxxx