New Sinemet prescription

[Inaquandary]

Hi, mum(80, newly diagnosed with PD) has been prescribed 50mg Sinemet 3 times a day. Is she likely to get the side effects she was told about or is it a small chance? Her only PD symptom is right arm tremor. Any advice very gratefully received.

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dyskinesias, and dizziness. In some individuals, levodopa may cause confusion, hallucinations, or psychosis. Motor fluctuations develop in about 40% of people treated for 4-6 years.

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Which medications are right for me? Medications that are effective for one person with Parkinson's disease, may not work well for another person. The best way for a person to identify the right medications is through an evaluation by a doctor or nurse practitioner who is knowledgeable about Parkinson's disease. Several general comments may be helpful in providing general background. For an individual with the first symptoms of Parkinson's disease (for example, a mild tremor in an arm or stiffness in a leg), no medication may be necessary. Mild intermittent symptoms (particularly when it involves the non-dominant arm) may not limit activity. At this early stage, adequate rest, a balanced diet, and an exercise program that emphasizes range of motion may be the most appropriate treatments. Over time, people with Parkinson's disease note worsening of symptoms. Common symptoms that may limit activity include: tremor, slowness, and stiffness. The threshold for beginning treatment varies considerably between individuals. When starting medical treatment for Parkinson's disease, it is important for people to have a realistic expectation about the degree of improvement to expect from medical treatment. For most, an improvement of 20-40% is typical. If tremor of a limb becomes a troubling symptom, treatment with an anticholinergic or amantadine may be tried. pdcenter.neurology.ucsf.edu...

"Her only PD symptom is right arm tremor." My neurologist state tremor is difficult to prevent.

I am similarly afflicted. I have asked him his opinion of me stopping C/L to avoid med caused movement issues. Waiting for his reply. In past appointments he said med was intended to prevent oncoming instances of falls. Not that falling is predicted.

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Researchers therefore assessed what happened when L-dopa was withheld for a long time after somebody had developed Parkinson's Disease. They studied Ghana, because in Ghana access to medication for Parkinson's Disease means that initiation of L-dopa is often delayed for many years after the onset of Parkinson's Disease. Their data was compared to people with Parkinson's Disease in Italy, where the use of L-dopa is initiated far earlier. Demographic features, frequency and severity of motor and non-motor symptoms were comparable in the two populations.

Although L-dopa therapy was introduced much later in Ghana, the duration of Parkinson's Disease when motor fluctuations and dyskinesias started was similar to people in Italy who initiated the use of L-dopa far earlier. Instead of how early L-dopa was initiated, what was most associated with motor fluctuations and dyskinesias was (1) the duration of Parkinson's Disease and (2) the daily dose of L-dopa (mg/kg of body weight). The average time to the development of motor fluctuations and dyskinesias after the initiation of L-dopa was surprisingly short as it was only six months

viartis.net/parkinsons.dise...

[Jeansm]

We are all different but other than a little nausea in first couple of days, I have not experienced any side effects from this amount off Sinemet, but I am younger than your mother. I don't know if this makes any difference.