VisualDude Posted August 2, 2014 Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 Has anyone tried Amantadine? I started yesterday and it helps. So far it shapens vision and reduces DR. Now it needs to stand the test of time... Like any med, who knows. Basically it increases dopamine and reduced acetylcholine a little - ideal for PD patients. For us its kind of like Sinemet with a pinch of Keppra. Will keep you posted. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hppd33 Posted August 2, 2014 Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 Cool. Monday i have an appointment with.my doc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VisualDude Posted August 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 Yesterday tried 1/2 pill. Today a whole one - prefer the half (which I'll take tomarrow). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hppd33 Posted August 2, 2014 Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 Are you getting happy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VisualDude Posted August 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2014 lol ... no I'm just the same miserable sob you all know This is day 3 so it will take time to evaluate. The higher dose was reminiscent of Wellbutrin though not agitating. The standard dose is 100mg/day though sometimes 200mg/day. Surprised that 50mg is useful. It is hard to fully compare because after being on Sinemet for a long time, the visual problems are a lot better, even when not taking the med. Really, the biggest problems since this all began is killer fatigue by midday and pain. These interfere with 'normal' life. Can drug the pain away but then am too doppy. It is a matter of choosing which non-quality of life to live with ... and the long term effects. It is true that Sinemet helps both these problem, but only some ... and then loading up higher doses doesn't help anymore and adds side-effects. You raise a curious question about happiness and dopamine. They are linked. In my case, dopamine circuits somehow got weakened. Dopamine meds help only a little. It is more of removing problems like depression rather than adding wonderful feelings and emotions. Have heard that cocaine and meth give pleasure. But do they really give happiness? Seems, particularly the latter, that they overload and burnout these and you end up worse than when you started. Guess this is an open question to those who have used these drugs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hppd33 Posted August 3, 2014 Report Share Posted August 3, 2014 how does it works with the shaking thing inside and muscle tension? If that goes better, i woule be alot more happy I never had happiness with drugs, only sometimes with beer in combination with lorazepam.. but probably that was because of the infuelnce, coke and other drugs never did anything really good, maybe only the MDMA hence that i took too much and got hppd. I have used too much drugs, 13 when i started weed and went on with everything till now, so happiness is someting i dont know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VisualDude Posted August 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2014 It has been 19 days so far. Good stuff. One pill (100mg) was too strong so went to 1/2 pill. Still a bit strong so stopped Sinemet. Five days of that started problem as levodopa levels went down. Had to boost gabapentin. So then took with Sinemet and leveled off. Finally stopped Keppra before bed (for sleep). Sleep a little choppier but ok. Schedual now is: 50mg Amantadine with 1/2 Sinemet 100/25 upon arising. 1/2 Sinemet at noon. Sometimes 1/2 Sinemet in afternoon. 300mg Gabapentin 1 hour before bed. Not a lot of medicine really. Am better off than before trying this med. Time will tell though... Amantadine is odd. It was developed for bird flu 50 years ago. Accidently discovered it helps people with Parkinson's. Still don't understand how it works in this regard. It: increases dopamine release inhibits dopamine reuptake increases norepinephrine mild MAO inhibitor (increase dopamine, norepiniphrine, serotonin) anticholinergic mild NMDA receptor antagonist reduces brain inflammation (neuroprotective) With all this it is difficult to understand which parts are most useful for HPPDers Anyone else tried this med? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonDraper Posted May 27, 2015 Report Share Posted May 27, 2015 How did the amantadine work out? Am considering it, but there are hardly any reports from those who've taken it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VisualDude Posted May 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2015 It is a good med to try. Perhaps only the dopamine-type-people would respond. I use 1/2 tablet daily however getting best help from cabergaline ... but genetics and symptoms indicated this for me. What have you tried and how did you respond? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonDraper Posted May 29, 2015 Report Share Posted May 29, 2015 Thanks. I've tried guanfacine (2mg/day) and diazepam (1-2mg, as and when needed). I had read that some people were successfully treated with clonidine, so thought that guanfacine, which is also an alpha-2 agnoist, might be a good bet. Unfortunately, the guanfacine didn't do anything apart from make me lethargic. Diazepam can be helpful and the positve effects on visual snow seem to last longer than the half-life of the drug, though the snow returns "to baseline" after a few days. I've not tried using diazepam continiuously for any significant period, as I want to avoid becoming dependent. Interestingly, guanfacine seemed to enhance the effect of diazepam on the visual snow, but I found the two together were incredibly sedating and the online interactions checker said to use them together with caution. Was the amantadine any good for the visuals or did you take it for the psychological symptoms? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VisualDude Posted May 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2015 The Amantadine is for visuals. Not sure about snow (don't have that symptom) but DR seems to be helped with Keppra - a little for me but some report good experience. What are your visuals like besides VS? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonDraper Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Visual symptoms are VS, photophobia and some slight afterimaging. The VS isn't too intense but the flicker rate is quite high. Combined with the photophobia, it can cause eye strain and headaches. When this all started, lights would sometimes flicker, images on the TV would pixellate when the camera moved, and there was some bleeding of colours. These symptoms subsided fairly quickly, though. As far as the psychological symptoms go, I've thankfully avoided DP/DR, but have occasional bouts of anxiety (I've always had a slightly anxious disposition). So far I've avoided trying Keppra or Lamictal as the side-effects look worse than those of the other meds. Wouldn't rule them out, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VisualDude Posted June 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 Keppra is quite safe but it is sedating. As far a light sensitivity, gabapentin was helpful for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonDraper Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 Cool, thanks for the advice. Dealing with the light sensitivity would be good, if only because it would be nice to not look like a pretentious douche for wearing sunglasses indoors ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VisualDude Posted June 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 Start a fashion statement ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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