Guest guest Posted October 6, 2002 Report Share Posted October 6, 2002 Hello, My Neuro is changing my meds and wants me to quit Amantadine immediatly. I have been on 200mg for 3 years. Has anyone else did this, were there side effects? Discouragement is a lack of faith! http://home.attbi.com/~lwalding/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 7, 2002 Report Share Posted October 7, 2002 All literature, plus personal experience, indicates it should not be discontinued abruptly. In my husband's case the neuro took him off it without telling me and he developed myoclonus, which is uncontrollable jerking. It took us awhile to determine why this was occurring and finally tracked it down to the abrupt stoppage. Marie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 7, 2002 Report Share Posted October 7, 2002 Hi Leo, There could be many reasons your doctor wants you to quit Amantadine. Do you have any of these side effects? Blurred vision; confusion (especially in elderly patients); difficult urination (especially in elderly patients); fainting; hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there); swelling of hands, feet, or lower legs Or Convulsions (seizures); decreased vision or any change in vision; difficulty in coordination ; fever, chills, or sore throat; increased blood pressure; increase in body movements ; irritation and swelling of the eye; loss of memory; mental depression; severe mood or mental changes; skin rash; slurred speech; thoughts of suicide or attempts at suicide; unexplained shortness of breath OR do you have any of these pronlems? Eczema (recurring)—Amantadine may cause or worsen eczema Epilepsy or other seizure disorder (history of)—Amantadine may increase the frequency of convulsions (seizures) in patients with a seizure disorder Heart disease or other circulation problems or Swelling of feet and ankles—Amantadine may increase the chance of swelling of the feet and ankles, and may worsen heart disease or circulation problems Kidney disease—Amantadine is removed from the body by the kidneys; patients with kidney disease will need to receive a lower dose of amantadine Mental or emotional illness—Higher doses of amantadine may cause confusion, hallucinations, and nightmares Substance abuse (drug or alcohol abuse), history of—The chance of side effects from this medicine may be increased Precautions While Using This Medicine Drinking alcoholic beverages while taking this medicine may cause increased side effects such as circulation problems, dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, or confusion. Therefore, do not drink alcoholic beverages while you are taking this medicine. This medicine may cause some people to become dizzy, confused, or lightheaded, or to have blurred vision or trouble concentrating. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or are not alert or able to see well. If these reactions are especially bothersome, check with your doctor. Getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position also may be a problem because of the dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting that may be caused by this medicine. Getting up slowly may help. If this problem continues or gets worse, check with your doctor. If amantadine causes you to feel very depressed or to have thoughts of suicide, check with your doctor immediately. Amantadine may cause dryness of the mouth, nose, and throat. For temporary relief of mouth dryness, use sugarless candy or gum, melt bits of ice in your mouth, or use a saliva substitute. However, if your mouth continues to feel dry for more than 2 weeks, check with your doctor or dentist. Continuing dryness of the mouth may increase the chance of dental disease, including tooth decay, gum disease, and fungus infections. This medicine may cause purplish red, net-like, blotchy spots on the skin. This problem occurs more often in females and usually occurs on the legs and/or feet after this medicine has been taken regularly for a month or more. Although the blotchy spots may remain as long as you are taking this medicine, they usually go away gradually within 2 to 12 weeks after you stop taking the medicine. If you have any questions about this, check with your doctor. There is also the question of "Is it helping you?" What were you taking it for? Take care, Bill Werre =============================== Leo wrote: Hello, My Neuro is changing my meds and wants me to quit Amantadine immediatly. I have been on 200mg for 3 years. Has anyone else did this, were there side effects? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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