Side effect of amantadine?????????

[Joiedecour]

So I have been taking amantadine for about 6-7 weeks now, and really feeling the benefit in terms of its effect on fatigue. I have had days when circumstances resulted in me not taking any, or just one dose, and I really knew that I had missed it, and was back to being nap prone and knackered.
Today though, I noticed what looks like a bruise on my inner knee, purplish, puffy, and sore to the touch. I have not knocked my knee or otherwise injured it to my knowledge, but it's possible I did, I guess. Maybe in my sleep?????
What do you think? Possible side effect or unrelated?

[PeninaD]

Our pharmacist and our doctor both warned us that if used daily, Amantadine would not remain effective...that it would take higher and higher doses to help, and eventually would stop working, so that it would be best to use it occasionally.
But that is interesting about the legs, no one told us that.

[Joiedecour]

thanks for replies ess and supermum...I tapered dose and stopped for a few days altogether. that was a bad idea, cos the fatigue came back full force, so I went back to amantadine.....now I am worried that I am just used to it.....how can I not function efficiently without it? this worries me too for switching to modafinil. Appt in January coming up, so I can go through all this with neuro then.

[essdipity]

I would think that if Amantadine is causing this issue, it would have happened long before the 6 or 7 week mark. However, I agree that if you are worried, ask your prescribing doctor.

Keep in mind, too, that there are other meds people find helpful in counteracting fatigue.

ess

[supermum_ms]

To be honest that time frame doesn't exclude the possibility, it 'may' actually be related to Amantadine, but if it looks like a bruise and recovers like a bruise, it could just be a bruise....

"This medication may cause purplish red, net-like, blotchy spots on the skin. This problem occurs more often in females and usually occurs on the legs and/or feet after amantadine has been taken regularly for a month or more. The blotchy spots usually go away within two to twelve weeks after you stop taking the medication."
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Treating-MS/Medications/Amantadine

If your concerned about it, bring it up with your prescribing dr next time you see him/her and if it does change or get worse before then, please get it checked out.

Cheers...........JJ