Hi
I’ve just been diagnosed with Parkinson’s. My consultant wants me to take Levodopa. I’m reluctant to take it because of the side effects. Has anyone else tried natural remedies? I don’t even take pain killers so am scared of taking the medication. Thank you.
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Medication aside, there are many ways people living with Parkinson’s disease can improve their health and well-being, preserve physical function, ease symptoms and enhance quality of life. Chief among these are getting regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, staying hydrated and getting an adequate amount of sleep .
Steve2
Hello FarhanaS and welcome to the forum.
You are not alone in having concerns about the medication and it is frequently something that occupies the minds of those, like yourself, who are newly diagnosed. It can be a scary time especially if you were not expecting it and probably know next to nothing about it. It is a lot to take in and you need to give yourself time to get used to it all.
As your immediate concern is about the medication, I will focus my reply on that at the moment. First of all, all medication and I mean all, come with side effects. It doesn’t mean everyone gets everything and you may not get any side effects at all whether it be Parkinson’s drugs or simple painkillers.
You will ultimately need to decide whether you take the medication or not however you will find that for many people with Parkinson’s the key factor is about quality of life and making the most of today. If your symptoms are mild and are not causing you any particular problems in your life you may decide to delay taking medication be it standard Parkinson’s medication or a more homeopathic approach. However there is at the moment, no cure for Parkinson’s and to maintain quality of life medication of some description will probably be needed.
There are people of the forum who try homeopathic type treatment regimes but be under no illusions that this will be an easy thing to adopt. You will need to do a lot of research to find out what sorts of things may suit you, the dosage and so on and also be prepared to amend and change your regime as your Parkison’s progresses,. .
Standard Parkinson medication, once you have got the right ones for you which can be a bit trial and error, can be extremely effective and continue to be effective for several years. You can also be guided by your consultant as and when changes may be needed. You could always try the medication your consultant is recommending and see how you get on. If it doesn’t suit you, glo back to him or her as there may be other options you can try.
Before my diagnosis my first aid box comprised a box of plasters and a packet of rarely used paracetamol, so I do understand your reluctance to take meds - and getting used to the idea of taking medication for the rest of my life was daunting when I rarely took anything at all. However it is the Parkinson’s meds and a regular exercise regime that means over 14 years on I am still doing well and enjoying life. Please don’t dismiss the medication because you are scared to give it a go. There are a great many people who, like me, use standard medication very successfully and we will all have read the list of side effects, but went with it anyway. We’ve all lived to tell the tale,
You will be on a steep learning curve over the next few weeks and months as you begin to find your feet and how to live with Parkinson’s. As I said ultimately the decision about medication has to be yours but I would encourage you not to see it in isolation but as part of giving yourself the best quality of life and don’t let fear of side effects that may not even happen, stop you making the best decision for you.
Best wishes
Tot
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