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Archived Messages>
Amantadine [11-2-04]
10 Mar 2005
| From: survivor (Original Message) |
Sent: 11/2/2004 6:49 PM |
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I have been dx w pd for 1 yr. My movement disorder specialist just prescribed amantadine 100 mg. Any personal experiences with this drug? efffective? side effects? long lasting results? Thanks |
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I've been on it for 6 yrs - very effective for me.
Trevor | |
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HOW WAS IT EFFECTIVE FOR YOU? MY DR. WANTS TO PUT ME ON IT TOO. | |
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yes, what improvement did you experience? any ups and downs? I am encouraged by your 6 years experience. are you taking anything else? | |
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I was dx'd in 1994 at age 37, and took amantadine alone for the first few years, then with Mirapex, then with Mirapex and Sinemet. It worked well in ablating my symptoms - but caused complications that almost killled me! Although unusually intense in my case, the amantadine immediately caused edema in my lower extremities, along with a brown, mottled discoloration in the skin - which turned out to be rust, from the iron from the blood escaping from bursting capillaries. Several movement disorder neurologists - including ones at Mt. Sinai in Cleveland, and Johns Hopkins in Baltimore - told me 'not to worry about it'. Now, a number of hospitalizations later (usually for cellulitis of the legs, including Pseudomonas aeronigosa, and MSRA), I have permanent lymphedema in my legs, from chronic venous stasis, which requires the daily use of a Lymph-o-press machine. (I've also had DBS, and am now on Requip, which is not as effective, but has a much lower incidence of edema as a side effect.) Sorry to be the bearer of bad news... | |
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thanks, i think!? did the swelling start righ away?, my doctor warned me about swelling and said to stop immediately if it occurs. it is so hard to decide when to start taking drugs. my symptoms remain sloweness in the right side, dragging r foot, poor handwriting, fatigue and intermitten tremor r arm. | |
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At least some doctors (in particular, neurologists) are beginning to monitor edema as a side effect of dopamine agonists, after steadfastly maintaining for years that the two could not be related...in answer to your question, yes, the edema was immediate. When it's bad, (I believe) it's an indication of intolerance for that particular med - but ask any two parkies about an agonist, and I guarantee you'll get two disparateanswers. The edema does NOT respond well to diuretics, recedes very quickly when the med is stopped, and returns just as quickly when the patient is re-challenged. But don't let it scare you off the meds that will make you feel and function better - as I said, I couldn't tolerate amantadine and Mirapex, but am doing great on Requip. | |
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Thank you. I will strat amantadine next week - wish me luck. | |
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amantadine was one of my 1st PD drugs also and used it for several years...
i, too, experienced the mottled skin in which case it was ordered to discontinue it immediately.
As with any drug, side effects vary from person to person.
Best of luck to you..
Kathy Webster | |
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Sorry for the delay in responding. Theyre not sure why an antiviral like Amantadine is effective - all i know is that i start to get worse if I try and stop it. Added bonus - i've not had a bad cold or flu since taking it.
Trevor | |
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