Amantadine questions

[Cira]

For those of you taking amantadine for fatigue - Is this something that can be taken just as needed? Or do you have to take it all the time? Have you found it to be effective?

I would really like to have something to get me through the really bad days, but I don't know if I need it all the time. Right now, I'm much more comfortable with something that I can take just if needed...I think it's honestly kind of a control issue.

Anyway, I would appreciate any input! My neuro has told me that there's nothing to help with the fatigue (which I know is not true) so if I'm going to get on something, I'm obviously going to have to know what I'm getting into, because I'm probably going to have to beg for it.

[SNOOPY]

Cira:
My neuro has told me that there's nothing to help with the fatigue

Oh good grief

There are different medication options for fatigue and non-medication things that can be tried.

I used Amantadine for while. I noticed a slight difference in fatigue but not enough for me to stay on it. For me, Amantadine caused hand tremors pretty bad.

Yes, Amantadine needs to be used daily. It is an anti-viral med which has been used many years to treat MS fatigue. The anti-viral part is definitely true, when I stopped Amantadine I ended up getting a cold I had not been sick while on Amantadine


About Fatigue:
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/abo...gue/index.aspx

[Bob698]

Try it and keep an open mind for the first week.

For some of us, Amantadine works just fine with a minimal number of complications. A lot of this depends on how bad your fatigue due to MS is and how well you tolerate the med.

There are other Rx meds for MS-related fatigue but most are considered potent stimulants which is why some Drs. are hesitant to write the script. I find it helpful to think of Amantadine as a "first tier" med. If it works for you, stick with it. Stronger meds may be called for but many of them have "trade off" issues you might have to deal with.

While I still have an active Rx for Amatadine, I haven't taken any for a while. My DMD has been very effective and I haven't had fatigue issues in quite a while.
Amantadine can have some complications, however. In my case I tend to get constipated after several days.
Still, its still nice to know that if I need it, its there.

[Cira]

Oh good grief

There are different medication options for fatigue and non-medication things that can be tried.

I think he was mostly referring to drug options, as we have discussed a few non-drug options. But still... I almost laughed when he said that, because I know better. Apparently he has forgotten that I have actual pharmaceutical experience.

Anyway, thank you both for your input!

Bob - I also think of amantadine as a first-tier option. If my neuro & I decide I need something, I think I'd prefer to try amantadine before a stimulant.

[MSer102]

My doctor told me that amantadine only works for about half the people who take it. I tried it first and it didn't do anything for may fatigue it just made me feel weird. Then I tried Provigil and did much better. My doctor said that Provigil only works for about half the people who take it too. So for me I was in the Provigil half.

I took Provigil every day and felt OK on it. I only noticed when I didn't take it. Amantadine is good for the people it works for - it just might not work for you. Later I started taking a vitamin D supplement and that helped my fatigue so much I didn't need to take anything else for it and I still don't if you don't count my morning cup of coffee.

[Cira]

I'm so encouraged by the fact that you noticed a difference with the vitamin D. My MS specialist tested my levels when I was there last month & found that I was very low. I'm now supplementing, but it's only been 3 weeks. Given how low my levels were, I'm sure that I'm probably not yet up to where I need to be. Perhaps as my levels increase, the fatigue will improve. It would be nice...

[Bob698]

Yes, Amantadine needs to be used daily.

Actually, its taken "as needed".
If I couldn't get out of first gear in the morning I'd take one. If I had stuff I needed to do later in the day and I thought fatigue could be an issue, I'd take one as insurance.

In my experience, I couldn't tell if I took Amantadine or not. No buzzies and no rush, just no heavy fatigue.

Some days I'd definatly need two, some days it was just one, some days it was none at all. Its not like a DMD where you have to stick close to a schedual.

[SNOOPY]

Actually, its taken "as needed".

Thanks for the correction, Bob698

When it was prescribed for me it was once daily, I don't remember being told I could take it "as needed" but it's been awhile.

In my experience, I couldn't tell if I took Amantadine or not. No buzzies and no rush, just no heavy fatigue.

I wish I would have had your experience. I simply could not handle the hand tremors it was creating.

I have long given up on being able to take any medication for fatigue due to side effects. Stimulants make me more tired