Hello. My mum (86 yrs) ) has just started taking Sinemet . Half dose for a week then she will go up the full dose. She is feeling extremely tired after taking it and a bit more shaky. Is this usual?
Any advice be helpful so I can support her. Thank you
Good morning Goodgrief20 … I am 70 & was diagnosed with Atypical Parkinson’s just over a year ago. I was first put on Madopar for a week, then Ropinirole for 10 days. Then Sinemet & like your Mum I started with a low dose & upped it week by week to where it is now. My experience with the first two drugs was negative but I am pleased with Sinemet & it does help me.
But I do have sleep issues with nightmares & being unable to sleep & I feel tired & fatigued a lot of the time. I have been put on Quetiapine to help me sleep & control the extreme nightmares.
I am not sure & my Parkinson’s nurse is not sure whether these fatigue / sleep issues are down to Parkinson’s OR Sinemet OR the other medication I take OR other not-diagnosed problems.
So what do I do / what should your Mum do? I guess it is working out whether the benefits of Sinemet are worth the side issue problems.
Your Mum is quite an age & fatigue issues do happen when you are the grand age of 86.
It does take quite a while for our bodies to tolerate a new drug. Things may get easier for her in time.
Any questions please ask.
Best of luck
Steve2
Thank you for the reply.
Mums fatigue is more than the usual for her age so I guess it’s just getting used to a new drug. She is suffering a lot of pain from her knee which is ‘shot’ so we are working in getting her stronger before she gets a new knee. Hopefully she will get used to the sinimet - early days.
