Amantadine

I started generic amantadine 6 days ago. I take 1 tablet (100mg) first thing in the morning alongside my first c/l dose. It has worked well to control dyskinesias. The main bothersome side effect for me has been insomnia. It has been much harder to sleep - I wake up in the middle of the night wide awake and takes about 2 hours to fall back asleep. The second major side effect is constipation. It is much slower. I used to go once a day and now I go every other day. The third side effect has been less frequent trips to pee (which is better for me as I used to go a lot).

I am 44 years old. The author has been fighting Parkinson's for 1 year. The author started with Azilect for 1.5 months 6 months ago. The author has not seen any benefit. But when the author left Azilect, their complaints increased and started tremors and shaking on their right feet when they had no tremors. And now, Bradykinesia in their right arm that impressed them the most. The author is young, and has difficulty in doing their job and profession. They don’t want to start Levadopa/Carbidopa for resistance in the future. They avoid and are afraid of these treatments. Now their Neurologist recommended Amantadine for their symptoms and they’re afraid it would make them worse. Anybody can tell me experience about Amantadine using in PD.

Dr. Raj Pahwa discusses the use of Amantadine, an older medication, for managing dyskinesias in Parkinson's patients. Dyskinesias are involuntary movements that can occur as a side effect of Parkinson's treatments. Amantadine works by targeting neurotransmitters like glutamate, which may play a role in dyskinesias. Extended-release versions of Amantadine, such as ADS-5102, are taken at bedtime and provide peak levels in the morning, helping to reduce dyskinesias and 'off' times throughout the day. Phase 3 studies showed significant improvements in both dyskinesias and 'off' times, making it the first medication approved in the U.S. for levodopa-induced dyskinesias.

Amantadine, originally a flu medication, is being studied for its potential to treat dyskinesia, which are uncontrolled movements often linked to long-term use of Parkinson's medications like Carbidopa-Levodopa. Experts emphasize the importance of thorough testing to ensure safety and effectiveness, as off-label use of drugs can lead to side effects and interactions with other medications. The scientific community is encouraged to collaborate with patients and researchers to clearly define treatment goals.

This study investigated the effects of daily intravenous infusions of 200 mg amantadine sulfate on motor symptoms and the ability to perform movement sequences in people with Parkinson's disease. Thirty-one participants received the infusions over three consecutive days, alongside their usual medications, and their motor symptoms and task performance were assessed before and after treatment.

The study found that amantadine sulfate improved motor symptoms requiring higher cognitive effort, such as tasks involving complex brain functions. However, simpler motor tasks that required less cognitive effort did not show improvement.

For individuals with Parkinson's disease, this study suggests that amantadine sulfate may help improve motor functions that rely on cognitive abilities, potentially enhancing daily activities that require focus and mental engagement. However, it may not be as effective for simpler, automatic movements.

This study is moderately reliable as it is a clinical study published in a reputable journal, Clinical Neuropharmacology. However, the sample size of 31 participants is relatively small, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.

This paper reviewed and analyzed data from multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate how effective amantadine is in treating dyskinesia, a movement disorder in Parkinson's disease. The researchers focused on clinical outcomes using specific scales like the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale IV (UPDRS IV) and Dyskinesia Rating Scales (DRS).

The meta-analysis included 11 RCTs with 356 Parkinson's patients and found that amantadine significantly improved scores on both the UPDRS IV and DRS, indicating reduced dyskinesia. However, higher doses of amantadine were associated with more adverse side effects, suggesting a need to balance effectiveness with safety.

For people with Parkinson's disease experiencing dyskinesia, this study supports the use of amantadine as an effective treatment option. However, it highlights the importance of carefully managing the dosage to minimize side effects while achieving symptom relief.

This meta-analysis is reliable as it combines data from 11 randomized controlled trials, which are considered a high standard in clinical research. However, the journal 'Oncotarget' is not primarily focused on neurology, which may slightly affect its relevance to Parkinson's disease research.