Until you see a new😉 Dr or have an appointment try taking one before each meal. Pay attention to how you feel. If you feel like you are buzzed on caffeine then cut (or bite) it in half. If you fel no change maybe you need one every 4 hours. You may need to take 1/2 more often (every 3-4 hours) or stay on 1/2 3X a day. It is an individual and daunting process. Don't be afraid ! I look at it like I am in control of my brain's dopamine and my body will tell me when it is happy with the dose. And then expect when you get comfortable with that dose your body will eventually give you its next orders🙄

At the end of 2017, I was diagnosed and dispensed a prescription instructing me to take one tablet 4 X a day. I wasted a year looking for the meanimg of take one tablet 4X a day and finally I transfered from a neurologist to my neurologist and Parkinsons Doctor who is a movement disorder specialist. She suggested times and dosage changes, she sees me at least every three months. She did baseline tests to determine if I am improving in my movement or not and watches over my mental and emotional well being. She writes prescriptions for my PT and OT theapists and my walker.. There are natural and prescriptions for almost all of your symptoms and it can get to be confusing. Once you find a Dr you can trust, then factor in that we, who are diagnosed with Parkinsons, are all unique in symptoms and in solutions. One may take 3 tabs a day, another 8 tabs a day, and another - none!
I started with 1/2 tablet 4X a day. And do take whatever dosage with either crackers or with your meals. Talk it over with your Dr. Look up CL and you will read that CL and protein don't play well together so you will learn to plan ahead.

And here is the blessing of Myparkinsonsteam.com... I am not the only one who experienced a clueless neurologist!😉

Although I now take Rytary my neurologist suggested eating a saltine about 10 min before morning dosage to eliminate nausea. It worked. Kind of like being pregnant!😊
🌈TheaD

You and your medical team should work together to determine what will be best for you. I get frustrated when I hear how little direction many of us receive. As soon as I was prescribed, my med team
asked me when I wanted to start my day and went from there. I take meds at 8 am, 1 pm and 6 pm . I was over medicated with an additional evening dose and ended up hospitalized for reaction to too much carbidopa/ levadopa . I am just beginning a switch to Rytary. Med team wants me to keep to current schedule with instructions to immediately contact them if symptoms do not improve or worsen.As to
meals etc it is confusing. You deserve the best care and direction as possible. Be proactive and ask for for answers. I know it can be difficult for even
the best med team to
have the answers and a journal of symptoms etc can help them know what may work for you but you shouldn’t be left in the dark or be expected to experiment on your own. Be your own best advocate. Sorry to be so wordy but this is an area that I am passionate about. Wishing you all the best in finding what works best for you.
🌈TheaD

My husband also takes c/l 3 times a day. He started with 1 pill, now takes 2 each time. We usually sleep fairly late, so his first pills are when he wakes up at 9:00-9:30, second at 4:00, third before bed at 11:00 or so. He eats breakfast 30-60 minutes after the morning pills and dinner a couple of hours after the second dose but well before the third, so meal times don't impact the pills.