Because of the Sinemet shortage I have been swapped on to Madopar. Although I am taking the same dosage I am finding that I am much more sluggish and have less control of movement on the Madopar. Has anyone else had this experience and is there a solution?

Hello
I take Madopar dispersible first thing to get me going and then take sinemet through the day. Madopar gets me moving but I too feel sluggish and lack of energy until I take my first sinemet dose at 11.00 and then I perk up and feel preety good (all things considered!) until about 2.30 when I always fall asleep. I don;t think I wouyld like to take Madopar all the time instead of Sinemet. My chemist/GP have just changed the sinemet prescription from 62.5 to 125 because of the shortage - I can cut the tablets in half.

Hi jennyb
Are you finding supplies of sinemet 125 readily available where you are? It is the shortage of this that has pushed me on to the madopar.
It is the slow release I have been taking though. Maybe the normal sinemet is more readily available.

Hello Mrtoad
I've been taking the normal Sinemet 62.5 which my chemist is now having difficulty obtaining so I have had a prescription made up of Sinemet 125 which I am told I can cut in half. I think the shortage is beginning to cover all Sinemet tablets unfortuantwly. If I can't get the 125 then I shall probably have to go over to Madopar for all the meds instead of just having them in the morning but I;m not comfortable with that so will hang on as long as possible to Sinemet ordinary. As if we don;t have enough to deal with without having to cope with meds shortages. Off my soapbox now!

Hey! So if my mum is taking Madopar, can she switch for part of the day to Sinemet with no poor symptoms? It might be worth the change.

Needless to say, when I suggested changing to Sinemet to my mum's physician, he poo-pooed it. This was a year ago, he really was a useless idiot.

Controlled release tabs must not be cut in half. This breaks the external coating, which is the way in which the contents are dispersed gradually.

You are absolutely correct - only cut tablets in half with advice from GP/nurse/chemist and never cut controlled release ones. These larger tablets I have been given are Sinemet Plus. Mind you, I would have to chop them in half even if I needed the whole dose as I can't swallow them whole - too large!