Madopar

About Parkinson's and health Treatments and therapies
21

Thanks for replying,

Yeah been on 50/12.5 twice a day for the first 2 weeks now three a day for 2 weeks tomorrow so overall 4 weeks tomorrow.

I have felt little to no improvment.

All I was wondering was should I have felt a better improvement on my starting dose after 4 weeks? And what peoples response was to the starting dose?

Trev

22

Hi Trev,

I was dx almost 3 years ago now after one year Madopar was added to my mix of meds, I started on 3 tablets daily at 62.5mg and now I am on 10 per day at 62.5. How your dosage is worked out is by your weight. I was basically put on weight then you can take more pills or consider surgery as it is the pills which have made me loose over 2.5 stone since dx then I really don't have to many options I have to take the Madopar in conjunction with 3 other parkey meds but no one persons PD is the same as anothers.The Madopar is a excellent drug but it really depends on how you body reacts to it.I have found taking Entacapone actually improves how the Madopar work and lengthens to life of it. If things don't improve it may well be worth asking if you can try the Entacapone as well and don't wait and suffer in silence ring your PD dr's sec and tell them you are not having much luck. I am sure when ever I call my hospital next to my name on their PC probably says pain in the butt but I could not care less. We all deserve the best care and I am not backwards at coming forwards.

 

Good Luck BB

23

Hi BB thanks for the great reply,

How did you respond to the starting dose?

If the tablets are worked out on weight then I may well need an increase as I am between 17/18 stone. 

I'll write down the name Entacapone and bring it up.

Cheers Trev.

24

 

Entacapone is used too lengthen the effective dose of madopar or sinemet, sometimes its a combination dose of sinemet/entacapone called stalevo, Ideally you need a dose of madopar/sinemet first as entacapone on its own does Nothing. 1 in 10 dont tolerate it.

Ive never been weighed or asked my weight.

 

25
Hi Trev because it was used in conjuction with another drug can't say i really noticed much at all It we last Nov after a med review I was took of type then went from 6 MADOPAR up to 10 my max being 12. Now they are my main drug without them and the others I use i would be wheelchair bound by now. I am only 50 and i refuse to let PD win. Regatds BB.
26

Dosage and weight????????????

Not once have we heard this in 18 years.

27
I only found this out myself about a month ago from a friend at first, checked it with PD specialist because my meds have made me loose weight I was told straight put weight on and you can take more pills as we need fat reserved to distrutbute the drug effectively. With some drs unless you ask they seem to not like to give us info. BB x
28

Well I have been on Madopar for almost 5 weeks and shown little improvement (walking) but my arm/hand still the same.

Is it possible the meds will work when the dosage is increased as am still on the low starting dose?

Am just waiting on my letter from the PD nurse my referal has been sent to them by my neuro then I can discuss my dosage as next neuro appointment us in 11 weeks.

Also I read there's a small percentage of people with PD that don't respond very well to levodopa is this true?

Thanks Trev

29

I believe so Trevor you can call help line on here and a PD specialist nurse will call back within 24hrs.

Number on home page.

It is possible your dosage may be to low they generally start us on a low dosage otherwise it can make us feel sickly.

let me know how you get on.

BB