Sinequan is prescribed in the treatment of:

1. Psychoneurotic patients with depression and/or anxiety
2. Depression and/or anxiety associated with alcoholism
3. Depression and/or anxiety associated with organic disease (interaction with other drugs should be considered)
4. Depressive disorders with associated anxiety including manic-depressive disorders.
5. Chronic pain from a variety of conditions, eg. fibromyalgia, chronic headache or migraine

Symptoms that respond particularly well to Sinequan include anxiety, tension, depression, sleep disturbances, insomnia, guilt, lack of energy, fear, apprehension and worry.

Clinical experience has shown that Sinequan is safe to use and and well tolerated. Although some of the newer anti-depressants can have fewer side effects than the tricyclics, individuals will respond differently to particular treatments and the response may also vary over time. The type of treatment will depend on many factors, including the type of depression, other medications a patient is taking, the presence of other medical conditions, and a patient’s response to previous therapy.

Side effects are usually most common when first starting the treatment, and should be reported to your health care professional if they do not clear up or worsen.

Common Sinequan side effects include: constipation or difficulty urinating (more likely in the elderly), dizziness (try standing slowly), drowsiness (problems with fatigue may be reduced by taking Sinequan in the evening or at bedtime), dry mouth, sensitivity to sunlight , temperature sensitivity, or weight gain.

Occasional Sinequan Side Effects: blood sugar changes, dental cavities, fainting, headache, hives, increased appetite, indigestion, nausea, rash, shaking, swollen face or tongue, unsteadiness, weakness. Getting up slowly may prevent dizziness rising from a sitting or lying position. If this condition worsens you should contact your doctor. Sinequan is best taken with food in most cases, to prevent indigestion and nausea.

Rare side effects: brown or red spots on skin, change in sense of taste or hearing, irritated tongue or mouth, nightmare, sexual side effects (impotence, difficulty with orgasm), sweating, restless feeling, vomiting.

Advise your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, or if you are breastfeeding, as Sinequan’s effects on unborn babies and nursing infants has not been established.

Some medications should not be mixed with Sinequan at all, and with others your doctor may want to adjust your dose to decrease the risk of adverse side effects. Make sure your doctor is aware of all the medications and supplements you are taking, as well as any other medical condition you may suffer from.

Symmetrel Information

Influenza (or the “flu”) is a viral infection caused by the influenza virus which weakens the immunity system causing symptoms like muscle aches, extreme tiredness, runny or stuffy nose, and a temperature of more than 37.8 degrees Celsius. Anti-viral medicines like Symmetrel help prevent the spreading of the virus inside the body.

In Parkinson’s disease Symmetrel is used on its own or together with L-DOPA to treat L-DOPA-related motor fluctuations and L-DOPA-related dyskinesias. Although the mechanism of its effect is not clearly understood, amantadine appears to help release dopamine from the nerve endings of the brain cells, coupled with the stimulation of the norepinephrine response.

It has been reported recently that avian flu in China and Southeast Asia are resistant to Symmetrel, but it is quite effective to treat other strains.

Not everyone can take Symmetrel so let your health care provider know if you have:

• problems with your liver, kidneys or heart
• a history of psychosis or mental illness
• breathing problems
• stomach ulcers
• confusion or hallucinations
• or if you are debilitated

Adverse reactions to Symmetrel include:

• drinking alcohol while taking the medicine may cause dizziness, fainting or confusion
• if depression or thoughts of suicide appear tell your doctor immediately
• the drug may cause dryness of the nose, month and throat
• and may also cause convulsions, difficulty in coordination, loss of memory, increase in body movements, decrease in sexual desire, anxiety, agitation, congestive heart failure, psychosis, urinary retention

Symmetrel is contraindicated in patients who have hypersensitivity to amantadine hydrochloride or to any of the other ingredients in Symmetrel.

An overdose of the drug has resulted in respiratory, cardiac, renal, and central nervous system toxicity and there have been situations in which death has been reported from overdosing.

The medicine should be taken exactly as prescribed. The usual daily dosage for an adult is 200 mg (two 100 mg tablets or four teaspoonfuls of syrup) as a single daily dose.

See more detailed information on Symmetrel here

Typical symptoms of mania include pressure of speech, motor hyperactivity, reduced need for sleep, flight of ideas, grandiosity, elation, poor judgment, aggressiveness, and possibly hostility.

Lithium carbonate (eg. Lithobid) and lithium citrate are known to alter the periods of the rhythmic cycling of the brain, and help to even out the moods of people suffering from manic depressive disorder. It is usually taken by mouth in capsule, tablet, or liquid form. Lithium has become unpopular because it can be toxic and alternatives are available. Despite this, lithium has the largest body of research available for any mood stabilizer, while alternative has not been as well researched. When 12 placebo controlled trials examining the value of lithium to prevent relapses were combined, the relapse rate on placebo and lithium was 80% and 35%.

Despite the potential side effects, evidence suggests that lithium should be the first choice to prevent manic episodes in most patients with bipolar disorder. Lithium’s most important role is to prevent and decrease the occurrence of manic episodes and alternative drugs should only be considered when Lithium is not tolerated well by patients.

Lithobid action and benefits

Preclinical studies have shown that lithium alters sodium transport in nerve and muscle cells, but the specific biochemical mechanism of lithium action in mania is unknown.  Lithobid targets the  central nervous system, and has a stabilizing effect on the patient’s mood and improves control over emotions and reactions in general.

It is important to to point out that an individual response to Lithobid is essential for the success of the treatment, and individuals may not react quite the same way. If the dosage is too low, no benefits will be derived; if it is too high, there is a risk of lithium poisoning. The correct dosage need to be found by finding out how much of the drug is actually circulating in the bloodstream, using blood tests. Signs of lithium poisoning include vomiting, unsteady walking, diarrhea, drowsiness, tremor, and weakness. If any of these symptoms appear, stop taking the drug and call your doctor.

During Lithobid administration, you should regulate your salt intake at a moderate level. In case you suffer from other health conditions that require a low-sodium or low-salt diet you have to inform the doctor right away. Lithobid administration is ideal after a meal or a light snack since this is the most effective way of reducing digestive problems, tremors, and the possible laxative side effect of the medication.

See more here about the side effects and purchase information for Lithobid

Levodopa often produces a dramatic improvement in patients with Parkinson disease. It helps many people to return to a nearly normal level of activity, sometimes enabling those confined to bed, to walk again. Sinemet is anti-dyskinetic, which means it helps with impairment of normal movement, and is helpful in the management of involuntary shaking movements, speech impairment and excessive salivation.

Dopamine is the neurotransmitter most affected by Parkinson disease, which is why levodopa is important in the treatment of this illness. Levodopa is a precursor of dopamine, which the body then converts to dopamine in the brain, thus making up for the decreased levels of available dopamine. But levodopa is also converted to dopamine early, on its way to the brain, increasing the risk of side effects such as nausea and vomiting and reducing the concentration of levodopa available to the brain. Carbidopa inhibits the converting enzyme in the body, enables more levodopa to reach the brain and lower dosages of levodopa is needed resulting in fewer side effects.

As with most drugs, consumers should be aware of side effects and interactions with other drugs. Sinemet side effects include:

• nausea
• vomiting
• dry mouth
• dizziness
• dyskinesias (abnormal movements) which may occur as the dose is increased
• confusion, hallucinations, or psychosis in some patients
• response fluctuations occurring after 2-3 years of use

More information on Sinemet can be found here, including side effects, precautions and discount offers.