My husband is suffering from stiffness in the mornings and in the middle of the night. Is this what others have happen to them?

[lmbanni]

Every night and morning for the past few months my husband wakes up very stiff and it is sooo hard for him to move. Walking is almost impossible. We talked to the doctor, his neurologist, about it and he told him to take two Sinemet when he wakes in the middle of the night to go to the restroom and then again in the morning before he gets out of bed. It really doesn't help. Are any others having this problem and what helps? He is getting sooo upset about this. Is this what happens when the disease is progressing?

[honeycombe3]

It is hard to help without more information. How old is your husband? How long since dx? What drugs is he taking, how much & when? Have you put a short biography of PD related life on the personal profile section of this site? It will save you having to repeat basic information each time you have a query.

Re your question this is how wearing off & off time also affect me, though I'm rarely so bad in the night. I can't move around much in bed anyway. If this happens during the day I chew 1 Sinemet 12.5/50 (quarter dose) & this usually puts me right in less than 5 minutes. As we are all different it is hard to know if this would work for you.

[honeycombe3]

It is hard to help without more information. How old is your husband? How long since dx? What drugs is he taking, how much & when? Have you put a short biography of PD related life on the personal profile section of this site? It will save you having to repeat basic information each time you have a query.

Re your question this is how wearing off & off time also affect me, though I'm rarely so bad in the night. I can't move around much in bed anyway. If this happens during the day I chew 1 Sinemet 12.5/50 (quarter dose) & this usually puts me right in less than 5 minutes. As we are all different it is hard to know if this would work for you.

[Peaches]

I also have this problem. When I straighten out my arms or legs it hurts a lot and it takes a while after getting out of bed to feel limber again. I have wondered if this is from the PD or arthritis or just getting older?

[lmbanni in reply to Peaches]

Read the answer below from Pete-1!! It makes sense to us. PD has to be the reason and during the day when he takes the meds he is better. Well during the night he doesn't take as much medicine so of course he is worse! Hope this helps you also.

[Kadie57]

I take meds at 2 a.m this helps me function at 6 a.m I m able to get up by myself etc.

[lmbanni in reply to Kadie57]

That's great Kadie57. He takes his meds whenever he wakes for bathroom but it doesn't help much at all.

[Coblrman]

I have my bed and bathroom close at night for this reason.

[lmbanni in reply to Coblrman]

Thank you coblrman. We do also. He is even having to use a urinal now.

[rch21]

at night I take 2 tabs of the sinemet 50/200 slow release which helps. I still wake up at night and have to stretch and roll out the muscles, but it is not as bad

[lmbanni in reply to rch21]

Thank you rch21 for your response. My husband tried the slow release and nothing was any different for him.

[Pete-1]

Very often get cramp, usually in calf muscles but not always.

Disturbed sleep pattern, i .e. not more than 4 hours at any one stretch. Often get up really early. Sometimes after having gone to sleep for only a couple of hours.

Dreams rather vivid including acting out parts of dreams.

Turning over in bed is really hard work. Can't see why it should be but it is. Get backache at night so want to turn over - hmmmm.

Body temperature control seems a little off. Nearly always too hot at night.

Plus all the normal symptoms that occur during the daytime don't magically disappear at night. so that includes my worst symptom which is gait freezing, etc, etc etc.

[lmbanni in reply to Pete-1]

Pete-1 thank you!! Your answer made sooo much sense!! I don't know why we didn't think that of course the symptoms would get worse when he was not taking the medicine during the night and of course they would still be there!!! So that is what is happening!! He is having stiffness and rigidity and during the day the meds keep it away and under control!! We don't even hardly see it during the day! He takes the meds every 3 to 4 hours!!! He is going to have to take more medication during the night when ever he wakes up!! I just hope he doesn't get that swaying movement due to too much medicine. Take care of one problem and another comes up!! Sooo exhausting!!! Of course we will tell the doctor and see if he agrees with us about more medication. He can't take more without the prescription. Bet that is what is happening to him though!! Thanks for helping us see the obvious!! I hope things get a bit easier for you as things are always changing for PWPs. Best regards.

[Pete-1 in reply to lmbanni]

I hope your night time routine may be more settled and comfortable in the future.

One thing that may work for your husband is a variation on Sinemet sometimes called Half Sinemet. This is a modified or extended or prolonnged release version that delivers a steady dose of Levodopa over a 12 hour period. It is supposed to minimise off-periods. No doubt there are variations on time and make. I don't know if there is a half Madopar. Anyway it may be worth discussing these slow release options with your Dr.

[Pete-1 in reply to Pete-1]

I've just noticed an older post of yours saying you have already tried a slow release version of something - shame that didn't work. Bigger dose perhaps?

[Pappy214]

i've had pd five years , started yoga after diagnosis and its the best thing to keep limber and looose and strong . i highly recommend trying this it take time and effort but is well worth it.

[lmbanni in reply to Pappy214]

Thanks Pappy214. My husband said he may try it!

So happy it helps you!

[soup]

Parkinson's is not a static disease and all things change. Have you been back to the doctor to tell him or her about this stiffness?

There are slow or controlled release meds which can be taken before bedtime to help with this problem so medic first would be my advice.

[lmbanni in reply to soup]

Soup thank you for your answer. I don't know what you mean when you say it is not a static disease?? Anyway, yes we have talked to the doctor and that is why he takes the meds when he wakes for bathroom use and before he gets out of bed for the morning. It just isn't enough medication is what we think now! We agree with Pete-1's answer!!

[soup]

Not a static disease was my way of saying it is progressive.