What is Tasmar?
Tasmar is a medication that is used in conjunction with several other medications in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease—namely levodopa and carbidopa. The generic name for this medication is Tolcapone. Tasmar is part of a drug class called COMT inhibitors. Tasmar blocks a natural enzyme in the body (COMT enzyme) which breaks down levodopa in the body. The medication inhibits the breakdown of levodopa which then allows the adjunct Parkinson’s medicine carbidopa/levodopa to function for longer periods of time.
What is Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s disease is a disorder of the nervous system. The disease affects the movement of the limbs and then gradually the entire body. It often begins with subtle tremors in the hands and progressively gets worse—basic movements become altered. The person’s arms may not swing when they walk, or their movement may become slowed which makes simple tasks such as lifting yourself up out of a chair more difficult than they used to be. Muscles can become rigid in some places which may be painful and limit your total range of motion due to stiffness. Naturally, this leads to postural problems and issues with balance. It is not unusual to see kyphosis or lordosis in Parkinson’s sufferers. Certain tasks like writing become very difficult as they require fine motor control. Symptoms typically begin asymmetrically—starting on one side and gradually spreading to another. It is possible for one side to have worse symptoms than the other.
Why Does Parkinson’s Occur?
In Parkinson’s, neurons in the section of the brain that regulates movement gradually break down and die. It is said that many of the symptoms are due to a dopamine deficiency because many of the neurons that die are responsible for producing it. Another brain related issue is the loss of nerve endings that are responsible for producing norepinephrine. Norepinephrine is the main chemical that contributes to the automatic functions of the sympathetic nervous system. This largely explains why non-motor response functions such as digestion, blood pressure or general fatigue occur in those with Parkinson’s.
The treatment protocols for Parkinson’s is addressing dopamine deficiency and using drugs that help the non-motor function symptoms. The main treatment methods are supplementing levodopa—L-dopa. The brain’s cells use levodopa to produce dopamine since dopamine is typically deficient in Parkinson’s patients, this helps with that. Carbidopa is used to mitigate the side effects of levodopa medication. Such side effects can be nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure and general fatigue/restlessness.
Tasmar Side Effects
Side effects of Tasmar can be nausea, vomiting, erratic and involuntary movements. Diarrhea is also common as well as headache, insomnia and conversely a higher frequency of dreams. Heightened sweating, cotton mouth, abdominal pain, and gas.
A notable side effect is suddenly falling asleep during activities with little to no warning beforehand. This can happen at any time even if the medication has been used for a long period of time without such a side effect happening prior.
Tasmar Prescription Assistance
Do you need help paying for Tasmar? Rx Solution offers many uninsured or underinsured Americans access to manufacturer discounted prices on brand name drugs such as Tasmar. Contact us here if you’d like to see if you qualify for discounted coverage of this drug.