Isradipine, the generic instead of DynaCirc CR (R)
I've been taking Isradipine for one and one-half years to control my high blood pressure and to see if it would be effective in controlling my Parkinson's disease symptoms while slowing or stopping the progression of the disease.
Keep in mind no two Parkinson's patients are the same, so what has helped me may not help you at all, or you may not even be able to tolerate it.
That said, when I started DynaCirc CR within the first two weeks I noticed that my swallowing problems had decreased greatly, co-workers asked me why my voice sounded so much better. I felt better like I had more energy and that helped me get rid of a lot of my depression. I had been taking Mirapex, I was able to stop taking it. Once the Mirapex was out of my system, I stopped having most of the hallucinations and complusiive behavior that had been plaguing me.
My PDRS has been at 14-18, pretty much straight-lined since I started Dynacirc CR and these are the medicinal and supplemental treatments I have been taking:
Azilect 1mg/day
CoQ10 1200mg/day
Sublingual L Glutathione 300 mg daily under tongue
Atenolol 50mg/day
Lovastatin 40mg/day.
I take the following herbs and supplements: Turmeric, Saw Palmetto, Milk Thistle, Nettle Root, Omega 3 fish oils, Slippery Elm, Fenugreek, Green Tea extract, Vitamin B complex and Zinc on a temporary basis to see if it will improve my senses of taste and smell.
The last few weeks I have been comparing Dynacirc CR which contains Isradipine, a calcium agonist that crosses the blood brain barrier, with generic Isradipine because the generic drug costs me $3.00 /month and Dynacirc CR cost $151.00 for the same 30 day supply. My doctor told me they should work the same, plus or minus side effects.
I've been using generic Isradipine for three weeks now. The only negative things are having to take two 5 mg capsules instead of one. I don't think I'm taking it at the same time each day and that's giving me a little more tremor than Dynacirc CR which stays at the same level in your blood all day. It has been suggested that I could take four 2.5mg capsules to come closer to the time release effect but that would just be two more pills which I could forget to take because I hate taking any pills.
Positive effects are that I have more energy than I had before. With Dynacirc CR I took naps several days a week. Now I take naps only infrequently.
Monday, February 9, 2009
25 comments:
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Where do you get Isradipine for $3 ? The best that I have been able to find in S Florida is $46 for 30/5 mg.
ReplyDeleteGeorge
Through my Aetna insurance it is $3.00 for 1 month of Isradipine 30/5mg caps and @45 a month for DynaCirc CR
ReplyDeleteSteve
I have been using isradipine 5 mg, 4 times per day for about 6 months. This in combination with Mirapex and Stalevo 200 mg has pretty much controlled my symptoms. Only when I forget to take my pills do I have tremors.
ReplyDeleteI have been taking the DynaCirc for about 4 months and everybody has seen a difference. My "mean look" has gone, my gait is back, everybody says I "look great, what are you taking". I wish I had started taking when I first heard about it 4 years ago.
ReplyDeleteI was afraid that it was going to effect my blood pressure. My pressure had always been around 120/80. I did not need another problem. Seems there has been no effect to my blood pressure though. A lot of fear over nothing.
For reference, I am 57 and have had PD for 6 years. My problems that I had prior to taking DynaCirc were tremors and no gait on left side, drug my left foot a little, frozen stare on face--the mask, weak voice projection. Everything has improved. Would recommend to everyone. Another friend said it bother him and his doctor put him on a different blocker. Can't remember which one but he is much better too.
My Dad has had PD for 15 years. I can't get him to try it. Dr. has prerscribed, he says he can live like he is and does not want to take a chance of messing up and not being able to get back to where he is now. I try to convience him to take for a month. If he does not feel better, stop.
Never taken the generic so I have no comment.
hi,
ReplyDeleteI live in iran , here i cant find Dynacirc ,
i am 68 years old and i have parkinson about 9 years. i finally found isradipine in "Dubai" ,
and my doctor prescibed it for me to test it on me.
i will start it from a lower dose from tomorrow.
and i will report here what will be happened.
Babak
We look forward to hearing from you.
ReplyDeleteWe have been thinking that taking small doses 3 or 4 times a day might create some of the effect of the controlled release. Since I haven't tried it, I'm not sure. It is something to discuss with your doctor.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteIts about 45 days , which i am using "Lomir" (Iradipine) . I started with a 2.5 mg per day mixed with my other blood pressure medicine.
After Some days i felt further energy , i lost many of my depression !
At the end of the week i use just "lomir" for controling my blood pressure as 2 x 2.5 mg Per day.
Once morning and once at night.
I now have many good condition , and feeling more happy.
I recently found "Lomir Sro" and using one 5 mg capsule per day.
As i seen on the box of "Dynacirc Cr" : Its manufactured by "novartis" company But ordered by USA.
And "Lomir" or "Lomir SRO" are manufactured by "novatris" co. too .
Thank you very much for this nice website.
Babak
Hi,
ReplyDeleteIts about 45 days , which i am using "Lomir" (Iradipine) . I started with a 2.5 mg per day mixed with my other blood pressure medicine.
After Some days i felt further energy , i lost many of my depression !
At the end of the week i use just "lomir" for controling my blood pressure as 2 x 2.5 mg Per day.
Once morning and once at night.
I now have many good condition , and feeling more happy.
I recently found "Lomir Sro" and using one 5 mg capsule per day.
As i seen on the box of "Dynacirc Cr" : Its manufactured by "novartis" company But ordered by USA.
And "Lomir" or "Lomir SRO" are manufactured by "novatris" co. too .
Thank you very much for this nice website.
Babak
We're glad that Lomir SRO (Isradipine)is working for you.
ReplyDeleteWe appreciate the information. Sometimes it is easy to miss some of the names used for a medication in other parts of the global community.
Thank you for sharing that information with us.
It's been several months since we've heard from any of you.. how goes it?
ReplyDeleteThank you for your concern - we've been making updates and some small changes to the blogs, responding to readers through email and the comment sections but you are correct, we have not made any new posts although there have been several in the works.
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeleteMy father was diagnosed with PD about 2 years back and much before that I think he started getting the symptoms in 2005. He however started taking L-Dopa since 2009. He does not have high BP and he is 75. I am going to ask his neurologist to prescribe Isradipine and I hope he does so. If not- can I still get the medication and have him start at a low dosage?
Thanks
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhen you go to the doctor with your father, take printed information about DynaCirc CR, Isradipine, and CCRs and Parkinson's with you. It might be easier to prescribe if there is information specific to your father's needs. There are doctors who are now prescribing the off label use. And often that began with a proactive patient and/or caregiver.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing to consider is exploring clinical trials now enrolling.
There are 2 specific Isradipine trials: Just copy and paste:
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00909545?term=Parkinson%27s&recr=Open&intr=isradipine&rank=1
and
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00753636?term=Parkinson%27s&recr=Open&intr=isradipine&rank=2
It may be that Isradipine will work about as well as DynaCirc CR if taken a few times a day in smaller doses.
I just stumbled upon this website himand thought I would offer my experience with DynaCirc.
ReplyDeleteI became aware of the British work over two years ago and, over two years ago I started taking two 5 mg tabs per day. I have deliberately avoided exposure to the annecdotal experience of others with Parkinsons because I am intimately familiar with the placebo effect as a veteran of an Amgen study of a drug thought to have the ability to reverse the disease process.
I was diagnosed in 1999 by two different neurologists, the second being highly regarded for his practice devoted exclusively to Parkinsons. In each case the diagnosis was made on the spot, with estimates that I had been symtomatic since 1994. For the last year the second doctor has said he has never seen anything like it, but that if he had not been treating me for 10 years he would not be able to diagnose me as having the disease. 6 months ago I switched to another well regarded neurlogist in my home town, and he used the same terms, "unprecedented,"in observing that he would be unable to diagnose if he didn't have my medical records. Many friends and relatives think I have been cured as my arm swing has returned, I have no trace of tremor, etc. I often absentmindedly miss one, sometimes 2 of my 5 daily 25/100 sinemet with only mild off symptoms, but curred I am not. My drug prescriptions have not been increased in more than 5 years, and I could probably cut down and still function better that I did before DynaCirc if I misses a dose by as little as an hour. As a participant in the Amgen study of a neuroimuniologic (sp?) drug I had 3 separate exotic brainscans at Yale University Medical Center; I was on the placebo. It would be interesting to undergo that procedure today, as the only thing I have done since that study completed was to add DynaCirc. I will be 70 in January, and if a new scan showed an increase in neural activity suggestive of increased native dopamine production it would be an encouraging finding.
WOW!
ReplyDeleteIf you do have another brain scan, please keep us posted.
Has anyone without high bllod pressure had any
ReplyDeletedrop in pressure form dyna circ. My neuro wont
prescribe because he is afraid of liability if something goes wrong. Havd had pd 2 years and it is very slowly progressing. This might be wwhat would really keep me where i am at. I only take amantadine but am reaching the end with that.
steve
Why not ask your doc to give you a non-refillable 1 month prescription. You'd probably need to have an appointment for your blood pressure to be checked again but perhaps this could be done by a nurse at a reduced cost.
ReplyDeleteIf you already have orthostatic hypotension, blood pressure is a concern.
Have you and your neuro discussed Rasagiline (Azilect)?
Has anyone seen an increase in libido since trying Isradipine?
ReplyDeleteBecause I began taking DynaCirc CR (Isradpipne) after stopping Selegiline and Mirapex which did cause that symptom, it is difficult to determine in my case.
ReplyDeleteWhat about other folks out there? Libido increase after taking Isradipine or any of the CCBs which cross the blood brain barrier?
Yes, I am 45 and started taking isradipine for blood pressure and I am horny all the time, just like I am 17 again!
DeleteAnonymous of 4-25-18, Are you taking any other medications or interesting supplements or diet?
DeletePrednisone 2.5 mg, Prograf 1mg per day, and Immuran 50 mg per day,(due to having had a kidney transplant) and 5mg of Bisoprolol also for blood pressure.
DeleteI'm curently taking Azilect 1 mg and Requip XL
ReplyDelete8 mg daily. If I decide to try Isradipine should I discontinue either or both?
Now you know we can't provide medical advice, Anonymous. This is a discussion for your doctor and it will probably be based upon your blood pressure.
ReplyDeleteThe Requip XL apparently does not enter the equation as a problem with drug interaction. However, you want to consider that the Azilect (rasagiline) is an MAOI and as such can cause a hypotensive response on its own. Combined with the generic Isradipine there is more potential for hypotensive episodes or orthostatic hypotension.
I don't know why you'd want to discontinue taking Azilect but your still have options as Azilect comes in 2 doses: 1 mg and .5mg. If you aren't having a problem now and it might be helping you, why discontinue its usage?
The other preferable option is that DynaCirc CR, while more expensive than isradipine, is steadily released into the system meaning the risk is probably reduced. Isradipine is not a time or controlled release capsule.
We can't make suggestions about what to do but you need to be aware of the risks. As to your options, that is a medical decision which you will discuss with your neurologist or primary care doctor.
Do you have any other medical reasons to take the calcium channel blocker?