protein and sinemet - Parkinson's Disease Message Board

pete · 12-09-2000, 06:15 PM

hello
PROTEIN AND SINEMET
I am aware that the diet people who have pd can range from very strict(rare) to "not very much of a diet at all." The diet i must keep is quite strict. I am one whose protein intake must be carefully observed. If i eat too much protein at the time my meds are suppose to be working, most of the effectiveness of my meds will be negated and my ability to move is drastically cut
In order to accomadate the eating of a minimun amount of protein that will do for me that which protein is suppose to do, I must eat relatively small amounts 5 times a day. For example, I take my first dose at 7am. I allow an hour for my meds to work and then i eat at 8am. I take my next mes at 10 and eat at 11. It seems the over-riding necessity in my case is to keep the protein intake low and spread it - don't bunch it tried eating almost all the protein amount in one meal at the end of or close to the end day. If i eat a high quanity of protein and take a customary amount of meds,, my mobility is going to close to non-exiistent.
At times this "diet" feels very restrictive and i feel that i want to jump in and eat a bunch of everything. I would ask any who may be having a similar reaction that i have to protein to let me know of any succeess that you have had in managing a situation like this

take care and thanks---pete

dbiker2 · 12-09-2000, 06:35 PM

Pete, Protein has just recently started affecting my meds. In the past I could eat anything and it didn't bother the effectiveness of the med's at all. But now, different story. I would say it started about 6 months ago and I really noticed it on Thanksgiving day. I really haven't got a diet per se, yet, I just try to watch what I am eating and when I am eating it as compared to when I take my meds. It looks like I will have to start monitoring it more closely in the near future.

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Darrell

Bruce · 12-09-2000, 08:58 PM

I don't know if this will help, but the stomach is normally empty about 30 minutes after eating, but it is supposed to take a little longer in PD patients. I havn't had that problem yet. Bruce

Googy · 12-09-2000, 10:38 PM

Pete,

The past 6yrs Bill has been on a 4hr Schedule.Starts at 7 /7:30am. Meds then eats 1/2hr after.Low protein always.One thing is he loves sweets.Have you noticed this?Pie is one thing he craves.Eats one pie a week.Candy I have to ration.But he does love fruit.If it was not for the PD he is healthier than I.Never gets colds.Sleeps like a baby.Mostly 10hrs a night.This is with long term PD.He only takes Sinemet now.I'm talking about the last 6yrs when we dropped all other PD meds.

Googy

Carole · 12-09-2000, 11:45 PM

Googy-
My support group was like that; I'd take veggies and healthy snacks, but the cookies and chips were the first to go - always - same with the drinks (I'd take herbal tea or distilled water - I was the only one inbibing! EVeryone else drank the sugary sodas) We talked about that at one meeting and everyone said it was because our tastebuds and sense of smell are so diminished, PWP prefer the stronger tastes of sweets or salts. Hmmmmmm......... (then why not bagels and lochs??) I know I'm borderline hypoglycemic and if I start eating sweets, can't seem to stop! (Why I've been painting walls instead of making Martha Stewart's Cookie of the Week, which really appeals to me - quite sinfully!!) I am also one of the only PWP I know who should drink Slimfast instead of Ensure! (and only recently - used to be a skinny minnie - I think it's "the change"!!)

Jim-
I was like Darrell in that this problem didn't hit me until years later in the disease. Dr. Koller's explanation was that the sinemet is absorbed through the small intestine and not the stomach and it needs at least 1/2 hour headstart (I try to put 1 1/2 hours before I eat or after; even now the sinemet can make my stomach upset). He said you should wait at least 1 1/2 hours after eating before taking sinemet. The amino acids that carry the dopamine to the brain are the same ones that carry protein. If the proteins hitch a ride first, the sinemet is left standing by the curb with it's thumb out (I guess until it's removed for vagrancy).
CC