I was just diagnosed with PD on Wednesday and am going to a movement disorder specialist on Monday.

[nervous1]

The neurologist said he thought the best med to start off with would be Azilect not Sinimet because of my age, I'm 62. He said the down side of Azilect is that it takes 12-14 weeks to start having any effect. I was wondering if anyone has started off with

Azilect and found this to be true?

Thanks Nervous

[Hikoi]

Sorry to hear of you diagnosis nervous.

Azilect is a good med to start on. Just remember it is ok to take your time about starting medication. You don't have to start the minute you are diagnosed. Below is a link to medications in Parkinsons. Hope you find it useful.

Best wishes

parkinsons.org.uk/PDF/B013_...

[shall1019]

I started azilect immediately after diagnoses and felt better almost right away. I am on it only after 15 months.

[Dennis in reply to shall1019]

Wonderful. I started on Azilect and went to pick it up at Walgreens and it was over $300 for one RX. Out of my budget with all the other drugs sthe doc has me on.

~~~~Dennis

[landman in reply to Dennis]

go to Azilect.com to get discount card.

[shall1019 in reply to Dennis]

Write to the company - they have programs to help you pay for azilect. It's made by Teva.

[shall1019]

I meant I am taking only azilect.

[Bitbit]

Me! I was diagnosed almost 2 years ago at age 50. I have still not needed Sinemat and I am still working and finctioning very well. And yes, I paid for and took that ridiculously expensive Azilect. At first I took it on the off chance it was neuroprotective - which it very well might be. Now I pop it with gratitude every evening. No side effects and after a few months I did indeed notice that it very much helped. Go for it - good drug!

PS: I also started 300 mg COQ-10 daily when I was first diagnosed. That probobly isn't doing diddly, but I do keep taking it because I am afraid to stop whatever cocktail has helped me so much.

[charlton]

i was diagnosed 3 yrs ago prescribed ropinerole only recently started azilect low dose also modipar combination seems to work. try tocarry on doing normal things try to forget pd

[jillannf6]

hi )

i hav e PSP (no meds ot take for it and therefore no side effects!)

but if yoru dr has recommendded you start on it then try it when u feel ready

good luck and plz stay on th esite -

lots fo good advice here - different meds all affect people differently adn it may mean tryign 1 ro 2 and at different doses until u fidn 1 tha tsuits you

is it to control a tremor ?

what r your main symptoms?

lol JIll

[nervous1 in reply to jillannf6]

Tremors, foot and hand on left side.

Thanks

[Jash]

I took Azilect only for a year or so; I couldn't take it because of nausea. I started sinemtnCR and, again, because of nausea, I couldn't take the prescribed dosage and therefore, tremors were never controlled well and did progress to the point that my doc recommended DBS. That was six months ago and I am doing well; I take 4 mg Neuro patch now (no nausea). If you can take Azilect, and it was brand new when I started it and is more accepted now with fewer restrictions, go ahead. If it works, great-- you have nothing to lose but fear. If you can't take it, there's always another way.

[Mast]

My Husband started Azilect a little over a year ago. He had improvement within the first week on the starter dose of 1/2 of a 1mg tablet. When he moved up to the full 1mg results are even better. He has tremor in his mouth , right hand and leg. His has very stiff movement and soft slurred speech. Last week he had some minor surgery and they asked him to wait until after the procedure to take his Azilect. That showed us just how much the drug is working for him!

[Dennis in reply to Mast]

That that is a fantastic uplifting and encouraging post. Although Azlect is $300. for one scrip here in Arizona.

Sure hope Azlizect conrtuinues to work for you.

[landman]

I take Azilect and did not notice any change until Dr added Amantadine. For me this drug was a miracle. 3 hours after taking I could walk. Instead of shuffling my feet and needing the walls to hold me up. For the pain I smoke pot, exercise, and pray all day long. The prayers are about what I am grateful for such as" I am grateful for my healing." Exercise, low resistant stretchy rope and 2.5 pound weights. One hit of pot is enough to change my state of mind. Good health and GOD bless.

[Dennis in reply to landman]

until Dr added Amantadine. For me this drug was a miracle. 3 hours after taking I could walk. Instead of shuffling my feet and needing the walls to hold me up. For the pain I smoke pot, exercise, and pray all day long. The prayers are about what I am grateful fo What are you on now? I took Amantadine but now I forget how it effected me. I am finding out, I think, that the doctors play it cool on the meds and make their best professional guess and if it does not work then he changes durgs untill he finds you that suit you. ~~Dennis

[Dajudge]

Several years ago I started on Azilect when it was first approved by the FDA---within several hours of the first dose of Azilect I felt better and walked better than at anytime since diagnosis---ALL OF US ARE UNIQUE----Azilect was an immediate godsend for me.

[NanCyclist]

If you haven't started any medication yet, please consider being part of the Michael J. Fox's biomarkers study, PPMI. Just google PPMI to see if you can participate. It's hard to find PwPs who have not taken any medication yet.

Personally, I take very little medication (ReQuipXL 4 mg) and ride my bike according to the Pedaling for Parkinson's protocols nearly every day. The key part of the cycling is to maintain 80-90 rpm for 40-60 minutes at least 3/week. It doesn't matter how fast you go, but that you maintain the cadence of 80-90 rpm. Since being diagnosed at age 62, I've cycled across Iowa (450 miles) three times, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro with a group of MS and PD patients and trekked to Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal. Next summer we're aiming to climb the Inca trail to Machu Picchu in Peru. When people tell me they don't have time to exercise, I remind them that they will have plenty of time when they're in a wheelchair. Harsh but true. The exercise also helps with cognitive issues.

Here is a link to the most recent cycling study: rsna2012.rsna.org/search/ev...

All the best.

[Parkinson_Schmarkinson]

Suggestion: plan your visit, and list your symptoms and questions so you don't forget; it's easy to get overqhelmed. It's good if your significant other, potential caretaker, or good friend can cme with you for a reality check. Don't hestitate to ask for a secong opinioon or even to change docs. My first neurologist was a parkinson-of-a-bitch and I fired him.

As for exercise there are many different approaches but do SOMETHING. You gotta MOVE. I do yoga, qi gong, isometric and isotonic routines, and walk briskly 40-60 minutes daily.

[Parkinson_Schmarkinson]

As for PD meds, I think my primary care doc is right when he told me that to some extent it come down to trial and error; theh dox give it their best shot and them observe how you respond. So it helps to pay attention to how you are throughout the day and include everything when you report to the doc. PD symptoms are so varied, and the side eeffects of the drugs are wide-ranging too.

[Parkinson_Schmarkinson]

Note the comments on the blog post "It's a daily fight".

[AndyC]

Hi Nervous I was diagnosed in Oct 2011 at age 49 and was put straight onto Ropinirole, small doses at first and it has now built up to 8mg a day which really helps my mild tremor in my right hand, strange thing was on the smaller doses I had terrible nausea but now on 8mg theres no sign of it.

Take care

Andy

[Susie01]

I started azilect the day I was diagnosed. The Dr. said I should see changes in about 3 days and I did. My tremors lessened, my mind was clearer and I could walk without falling. It took about 3 months to seem a lot better.

I have taken it for 2 years now, I have had two episodes since then when the tremors were bad and I could not walk. It happened when I thought I could go back to work, the stress was too much. Another time when the airconditioning went out in my house and it was over 100 degrees outside. My Dr. told me that heat and stress are two big factors that affect PD.

Do be aware there are many medications and even foods that are contraindicated with Azilect. Look on WebMD, do a search for contraindications with Azilect, it it a long list, don't just take your phamacist advice because some of them are not very educated on the medication.

[nervous1]

thanks to all. Your answers were very helpful

nervous..

[bawford]

Praying for you tonight. You will do fine. After all you have us. Azilect works good for me.

[UMass67]

Call me nervous2- I was diagnosed on Thursday and feel nervous and woefully ignorant. Started on sinemex that night and already symptoms correcting themselves. Slight tremors and left hand functioning properly.