Thursday, February 19, 2009

I Switched Back to DynaCirc CR

I Gave Generic Isradipine a 3 Week Trial but...

About a month ago I switched from DynaCirc CR to the generic form of Isradipine, which is not CR. I switched because I could save $1800 a year with the generic form of the drug. My doctor said they would both work about the same and if I got side affects I would get over them in a few weeks time. He suggested I take the generic for a month and see what happened.

So what happened was my left arm tremor which was almost gone came back strongly. People who know me commented on it. It wasn't as bad as before I started DynaCirc CR but it seemed to be getting worse I also started having swallowing problems again along with speaking problems. Sometimes I couldn't think of the a word or follow through on a thought process. Also having occasional trouble thinking about what's coming next. My typing problems are nothing new but the very act of typing seemed to be more difficult; my typing was worse.

All of these worsening symptoms prompted me to email one of the Isradipine researchers to get his opinion of the two drugs. This was the reply: "The CR formulation maintains a more stable serum concentration of Isradipine than the non-CR pill. This should better protect the DA neurons. So if you can afford it, stay on the CR format. If it is a matter of going off the drug or using the non-CR format, obviously I would recommend the non-CR format."

So I switched back to DynaCirc CR(R) 10 mgs a few days ago and my symptoms are already improving although it will take time for that process to complete itself. Another positive side is I feel I have more energy and that I am less tired during the day. I'd already stopped taking naps but I would still tire by early evening. I would have been happy to have that money each month but I'm not going to be selling any of my dopamine neurons for $1800, I've lost enough as it is.

The point is that Isradipine was helpful, no question about it. If your only choice is generic I think the suggestion to try it at the 2.5mg dosage 4 times a day is a good one. Since I can get DynaCirc CR through my plan although not at any appreciable discount, I'm back on it because the steadier time-release is very important to maintain the levels of the medication in the bloodstream. If they ever come out with the generic as a controlled-release, I would certainly be willing to try it because there is no question that DynaCirc CR is very tough on the budget.

4 comments:

  1. thank you very much for all the information. I will buy dynacirc for my father who has parkinson.

    Yiannis
    Greece

    ReplyDelete
  2. DynaCirc CR may not be for everyone, so please consult your father's doctor. Since it is a prescription medication, you will need to do that anyway.

    We are not doctors and we cannot recommend one medication over another. We do not prescribe. We only discuss medications with which we have had personal experience. When we may discuss side effects of other medications, we will state that our discussion is not from experience but rather from the experiences of others.

    Whether this medication would be effective or not in your father's case might depend, among other things, upon what stage of Parkinson's he is in now.

    Dynacirc (Isradipine is the generic name - not a generic drug) is a calcium agonist originally used to lower blood pressure. It should not be used by anyone in congestive heart failure.

    You should print out information on Dynacirc CR, the controlled release version, for the physician. Since there is a recognized "off-label" use for this medication, doctors are now prescribing it. But that is your father's doctor's decision.

    Best Wishes
    Parkinson's Focus Today

    ReplyDelete
  3. Could you please post contact information of the isradipine researcher you contacted? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Anonymous,
    I'm afraid that we can't disclose the source because that was a condition Steve accepted.

    I would refer you to current research results for NCT00753636 The Parkinson's Disease Isradipine Safety Study, a Phase II trial I believe from Northwestern University. funded by MJFF.

    In the article below is the link to that completed trial (I don't see a Phase III yet)
    http://parkinsonsfocustoday.blogspot.com/2009/02/isradipine-phase-ii-trials.html
    or you can go directly to the results page (sorry, you will have to cut and paste):
    http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/results/NCT00753636

    Another interesting article from 2010 can be found in the Alzheimer's Research Forum:
    http://www.alzforum.org/new/detail.asp?id=2611

    ReplyDelete

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