My very elderly Dad (97) has just been diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Strange as it may seem, I actually welcomed the diagnosis because it means we might be able to alleviate his symptoms and give him a better quality of life in the short number of years he has remaining. Practically speaking, it is not a disease he will have to live with for a long time.
He just started an L-dopa drug (I’m not sure which). He took his first dose yesterday and so far isn’t seeing any difference. Is this usual? Can the drugs take awhile to take effect?
I’m sorry to hear about your dad’s recent diagnosis, however, you’ve come to the right place for information and support. As you probably know, Parkinson’s everyone differently and as such, people respond differently to the medication so it may take some time before you start to see any improvements to your dad’s symptoms.
In the meantime, I’d advise you to speak to his GP or Parkinson’s nurse about your concerns so that they can look into his medication and make any necessary amendments. You can also check out the ‘newly diagnosed’ section on the Parkinson’s UK website for information that is both helpful to you and your dad here: https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/information-and-support
Our helpline and Parkinson’s local advisers are here to answer any questions you have about Parkinson’s. Call us on 0808 800 0303.
Hi Brooke,
Response is not immediate. I’m on Senemit, which is a levodopa med. I had to start on 1 3 x a day for a week and then 2x3 daily for a week then 3 - giving a total of 6 a day going forward. I found, and your dad may now have found, that my stiffness eased by the end of the first week and by midway through the 3rd week the last but one symptom was gone. I was told it wouldn’t deal fully with the tremor, which it didn’t.
i hope this helps you both. Heather
