Hi there..
This is a bit daft I know.. questions (2)
Im recently diagnosed. I'm taking Sinimet tablets every 3.5 hours throughout the day -they work but I do get fall offs. My doctor has prescribed Rotigotine patch; daily.
The Rotigotine patch is to presumably replacing the tablets?
Do the Patches work well?
Thanks in advance:)
Hello Leslie
I was diagnosed 4 years ago ,am now 59,and started on Pramipexole, a dopamine agonist drug(DA) . Rotigotine(Neupro patches) also belongs to this family of drugs.
I did not tolerate Pramipexole so was started on a levodopa drug, Madopar which has helped me with walking but not with extreme fatigue, anxiety and generally feeling unwell. I have been on 125 mg x 3 daily for about 2 years.
i was very worried about taking another DA but eventually agreed to try Neupro patches about 3 months ago. I started on 1 mg and have now been on 2 mg for about a month. No side effects and great improvement in energy, less anxious and feel better.
everyone s different but I do hope they work for you. Check with your consultant or Park nurse but I m pretty sure you ll need to tke both Sinemet and Rotigotine together. And finally the Rotigotine patches are used to give you 24 hour dopamine input.
hope that s useful and wish you all the best.
samdog
yeah your right there samdog there a 24hr release ,bit like sinemet cr slow release taking at bedtime tho,also i think they give a more even release !
The patches are not necessarily to replace but probably to use with Sinemet avoid going to a higher dose of sinemet. They may smooth things out for you.. Also they are a dopamine agonist, i.e. mimic the effect of dopamine and d.a.'s are known to have a roughly 1 in 5 chance of producing compulsive behaviours - see leaflet with packet although they dont tell you the real risk. Don't worry about what the leaflet says about at what stage patches are used - Im going to take is up with my PD nurse as it is misleading and liable to alarm people The neuro should warn you about the risk of compulsive behaviours but still some are not doing so.
Havig said that,I have very slowly - increased 1 mg a month - wortked up to to 4 mg a day along with a total of 450 mg levodopa in four doses a dayandAzilect (rasegeline) with no ocd's so far.
You might look at the elevant PD UK publications - free to download for further info..
Best wishes
Samdog thanks very much; Gus and Eileenpatricia. Thanks too.
