How does amantadine work

Not all individuals will experience such side effects. For many people who do experience side effects, they can often be effectively limited or eliminated with careful adjustments to dosage or the timing of the individual doses. Speak to the treating physician immediately if any side effects are experienced. It is recommended that all prescriptions be filled at the same pharmacy to avoid interactions between medications. Interactions can be dangerous and even life-threatening, so make sure the pharmacist knows of all medications and supplements being taken, including over-the-counter medications and supplements.

Caution: PD medications may have interactions with certain foods, other medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, over the counter cold pills and other remedies.

Anyone taking a PD medication should talk to their doctor and pharmacist about potential drug interactions. Learn more about symptoms and stay up to date with treatment options by signing up for email updates now. We are proud to have you as a part of our community. If you do not see our email, it may be in your spam folder. This site uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience. By clicking "Allow", you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage and assist in our marketing efforts.

The Parkinson's Foundation is a c 3 nonprofit organization. EIN: Taking amantadine with anticholinergic medications can increase side effects of both drugs, such as dry mouth, urinary retention, blurred vision, and drowsiness. Examples of anticholinergic drugs include:. Taking certain heart drugs with amantadine can increase the level of amantadine in your body.

This can increase your risk of side effects such as nausea, dizziness, or insomnia. This can also increase your risk of death or other serious side effects from overdose of amantadine.

Examples of these heart drugs include:. Taking certain malaria drugs with amantadine can increase the level of amantadine in your body. Examples of these malaria drugs include:. People who take amantadine should receive this vaccine either 2 weeks before taking amantadine or 48 hours after taking it. If that is not possible, you should receive a different type of flu vaccine called an inactivated vaccine. However, because drugs interact differently in each person, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible interactions.

Always speak with your healthcare provider about possible interactions with all prescription drugs, vitamins, herbs and supplements, and over-the-counter drugs that you are taking. Taking it again could be fatal cause death.

Drinking alcohol can increase your risk of side effects from this drug. These side effects can include dizziness, confusion, lightheadedness, and positional low blood pressure low blood pressure when you stand.

If you drink alcohol, talk to your doctor. For people with epilepsy or seizures: Taking amantadine can increase the severity and number of seizures you have. For people with kidney disease: Deaths have been reported in people with kidney disease who took more than the recommended dosage of amantadine. This can happen with doses as low as 1 g and can cause heart failure, breathing failure, kidney failure, and central nervous system failure.

For people with heart disease: People with a history of congestive heart failure or peripheral edema swelling of legs or arms are at increased risk of heart failure when they take amantadine.

For people with glaucoma: People with certain types of glaucoma should not use amantadine because it can cause the pupils to dilate. For people with recurring eczema-type rash: Taking amantadine can increase the severity of the rash or number of rashes you get. For people with psychiatric disorders: Taking amantadine can make your disorder become more severe. You may also have increased suicidal thoughts or behaviors. For pregnant women: Amantadine is a category C pregnancy drug.

That means two things:. This drug should be used only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to your pregnancy. For women who are breastfeeding: Amantadine passes into breast milk and may cause side effects in a child who is breastfed. Talk to your doctor if you breastfeed your child. You may need to decide whether to stop breastfeeding or stop taking this drug. All possible dosages and drug forms may not be included here.

Your dosage, drug form, and how often you take the drug will depend on:. It has not been confirmed that amantadine is safe and effective for use in people younger than 18 years. The kidneys of older adults may not work as well as they used to. Any specific brand name of this medication may not be available in all of the forms or approved for all of the conditions discussed here.

As well, some forms of this medication may not be used for all of the conditions discussed here. Your doctor may have suggested this medication for conditions other than those listed in these drug information articles. If you have not discussed this with your doctor or are not sure why you are taking this medication, speak to your doctor.

Do not stop taking this medication without consulting your doctor. Do not give this medication to anyone else, even if they have the same symptoms as you do. It can be harmful for people to take this medication if their doctor has not prescribed it. For treatment of Parkinson's disease, the recommended adult dose is mg once daily to start. After 1 to 2 weeks, your doctor may recommend increasing the dose to mg twice daily. The maximum daily dose is mg in divided doses.

To treat symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease that are caused by medications, the recommended dose is the same as the dose used to treat Parkinson's disease. When used for this purpose, the maximum daily dose is mg daily in divided doses. For treatment and prevention of influenza A infections, the recommended dose for adults and children 10 years of age and older, weighing more than 40 kg, is mg daily in 1 dose or in 2 divided doses.

For children weighing less than 40 kg or those who are under 10 years old, the dosage is based on body weight. The recommended dose of amantadine is 5 mg per kilogram of body weight. The maximum dose for children 10 years and over is mg daily. Children under 10 years of age should not be given more than mg daily.

Many things can affect the dose of medication that a person needs, such as body weight, other medical conditions, and other medications. If your doctor has recommended a dose different from the ones listed here, do not change the way that you are taking the medication without consulting your doctor. It is important to take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as possible and continue with your regular schedule. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. If you are not sure what to do after missing a dose, contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice. Store this medication at room temperature in a dry place and keep it out of the reach of children. Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information.

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