Taking mucuna with Azilect

[mezzomom]

I've been reading your posts for some time now and thought it was time to jump in with both feet, or at least one foot at a time..I was diagnosed about 8 years ago, but was in denial for most of them. I have right hand tremor, right side stiffness and my right leg progressed from slight tremor to sort of a limp. I tried the Neupro patch, but didn't really help, so I went on 1 mg. of Azilect in February, which helps a lot. I still have upper body stiffness towards the evening, but my neuro (also at Scripps La Jolla) says to get more massages and exercise so that I don't have to increase the meds. I'm working with a trainer twice a week and walk our dog every day and I do feel stronger.
I've been interested in mucuna after reading the posts here and want to see what you think of combining it with the Azilect? Should the Azilect be stopped first? My neuro's PA had never heard of mucuna. The foods to avoid with Azilect include fava beans so would mucuna make the Azilect less effective? Or cause a reaction of some kind?
Thanks to reverett for all the good suggestions: I've included most of the supplements you're taking in my diet now.
Thanks for this forum - fantastic way to keep up to date.

[Fiona]

Hi- I'm a new mucuna user, too, but from what I understand from my very incomplete understanding of the chemistry involved is that Azilect is some kind of MAO inhibitor which is something that should not be combined with mucuna...now the difference between various kinds of MAO inhibition is pretty complicated - at least for me - there are reversible Mao-A inhibitors which are different from other kinds - and not sure how this all ties in to Mucuna. This is where I get really frustrated that there seems to be no qualified advice from either md or herbal expert who can help with understanding the chemistry of both herbs and prescription drugs - a sorely needed resource - anybody out there know about someone who could advise? Even a less experienced but really wanting to learn chemistry buff who could help us figure this stuff out??
-Fiona

[bluedahlia]

I would also like to look into this. Would it eliminate dyskinesias? Also I'm taking effexor and tamoxifen and amantadine. Would it contradict those?

[reverett123]

...is that no one knows. The research has not been done. When a few of us adopted the name "White Rat" a couple of years ago, it was only half tongue in cheek.

I wish I could tell you more but I really can't. I have had no obvious problems with it and requip nor sinemet cr.

If you do experiment, start slow and low. And post here as you do it. It will help others and if someone sees a problem they can let you know.

[Slumpy]

Mezzomom,
Who is your doc at Scripps La Jolla. My MDS is also at Scripps. Just wondering if we have the same doc.

Slumpy

[mezzomom]

Hi Slumpy,
My MDS is Melissa Houser, but I've been seeing Sherry Gould, her PA, for the last two visits. I'll see Dr. Houser in July. Who is yours?

[Fiona]

Got the following info from www.yohimbebark.net. Forgive me if I'm not using proper protocol in quoting websites - not sure what that is these days....

"Q. have you had any positive reports of elderly Parkinson’s patients currently using the pharmaceuticals Stalevo, Azilect, Sertraline, Amantadine and Levothyroxine who added small doses of the herb mucana pruriens?
A. Stalevo is a prescription treatment for people with Parkinson’s disease. In addition to carbidopa and levodopa (active ingredients in Sinemet), Stalevo has entacapone (active ingredient in Comtan), a medicine that enhances the benefits of levodopa. Sertraline is an antidepressant. Amantadine ( Symmetrel ) is an antiviral drug used both as an antiviral and an anti Parkinson's drug. Azilect, rasagiline, is an oral drug that is used for treating Parkinson's disease. It belongs to a class of drugs called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO) that also includes selegiline and tranylcypromine. There can be unexpected side effects when mucuna pruriens is combined with these drugs. If one plans to use mucuna pruriens as an addition to these medications, it would be best to take only a third or half a capsule of the mucuna pruriens and to lower the dosage of one or more of the medications. Your doctor would have to make the final decision. No clear guidelines exist on how to combine mucuna pruriens herb with Stalevo, Azilect, sertraline, amantadine and thyroid medications. Mucuna pruriens is a potent herb and needs to be treated with respect, just as a pharmaceutical medication."

[mezzomom]

Fiona, thanks for that info...it makes sense. I'll have to do some more thinking about the mucuna.

[Chicory]

If you are on Azilect, you could have a bad reaction by eating something on the list of foods to avoid. Many people have said they have had no problem eating some of the foods, but I had a bad reaction after putting some grated cheddar cheese on my salad. I was not feeling well the next day and I ended up getting very dizzy while giving music lessons- I had to stop, lay down, and cancel the rest of my lessons that day.

Chicory

[suewessing]

I have ben using mucuna for nearly 1 month and am having sucess with it .

I had dyskenisia bad so thought i would give it a try .In that time i have only had about 4tablets of my parkinson medication.I hope it continues to work i feel much better on it than my Madapor and Tasmar.there is no dyskenisia at all.


Sue

[Slumpy]

Mezzomom,
Dr. Dee Silver at Coastal Neurological in the XIMED building behind the hospital. I have heard positive comments on Dr Houser. Dr. Silver is the Medical Director for APDA in San Diego and lectures on PD at UCSD. He also manages numerous clinical trials for the drug companies. He put me in a Phase IV trial on Azilect a month after he dx'd my PD.

I drive 240 miles one way to see him every 3 months.

Slumpy