Started Carbidopa/Levodopa Today

@hopeful33250 I am sorry I am new and hopefully get in the swing of your way of responding but thank you for letting me know! I have some many things going on but my Vyalev is responding really well! The exercises I am doing include: Tai Chi two days a week, Boxing two days a week and I walk one day. That keeps me very busy. I feel strongly that exercise has helped me for as long as I have had my tremors (over 20 yrs) I have known about Parkinson's for about one and half years so exercise is a must in my routine. Thank you again

@wkrebs59
I am new to all of this too and just started the med c/l.
One thing you said caught my eye...20 years with tremors and just diagnosed 1.5 years ago? What did they think you had? Sorry if I maybe misread that?
Thanks for the encouragement to make sure to stay on exercise program.

@wkrebs59 I am so pleased that you are exercising. Exercise is as important as medication in treating PD. I've known of many who enjoy boxing. Is there a boxing for Parkinson's near you?

@hopeful33250 Teresa I did answer your question and put a like and lost my reply so I will repeat if you didn't get it but I have blamed myself all these years that I must of done something wrong when I only had medication that caused some people like myself to forget things and I did not feel comfortable in my profession any longer. So when I got the diagnosis I stopped blaming myself but would like to talk to a professional to help sort out my many questions. It has been quite a journey so far. I hope too help others in sharing what I have gone through so they might not find out 20 years later that they don't really have memory issues. That part was encouraging.

To answer your question again since I might of deleted the first comment. I was first diagnosed with Essential Tremors but had all the symptoms that I have for Parkinson's. My dr said that it is young onset Parkinson's. the medication they put me on 20 years ago caused memory loss. It was Topamax. I don't think the us it anymore for that very reason. Then they put me on a high dose of Propranolol 287mg. 1 1/2 yrs ago it started to affect my heart by slowing the heart rate down to below 40. The Neurologist at that time gave me lisinopril. It did not stop my tremors so they tried Carbidopa/Levodopa which finally controlled my tremors. I ended up having to leave my profession because I had tremors and could not start my patients I V's. I blamed myself for 20 years that it was something that I did to not be able to work on my patients. I was not happy to have been diagnosed Parkinson's but could finally quit blaming myself. ( This is the first part of what I wrote in response to Teresa.

@wkrebs59 - having medication that caused forgetfulness and discomfort in one's profession would be painful, for sure. I don't have Parkinson's, but having any medication do that to me would probably humiliate me. It would probably tear down my self-confidence.

I know that one of the Mayo Clinic Connect volunteer mentors, @santosha, who helps with the Epilepsy & Seizures support group, talks a lot about how a neuropsychologist has helped her sort out issues with her disease, its impact on her life and career, coping and acceptance, etc. See example here https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/960290/

How did you feel when you could no longer start your patients' IVs? Have you looked into a neuropsychologist to help you walk through your questions?

@kathy49 when I started the medication it was slow stepping amounts from 1/2 up to three pills a day over about six weeks and I had no side effects from it and have been on it for some four full months

Has anyone had or heard of the side effect from this being lucid dreaming and excessive talking in sleep?

@wkrebs59 I am sorry to hear of the struggles you had finding the correct medication. Those must have difficult years. I am sure that sharing your experience here on Connect will help others!

@dedhambeth - this is a discussion on Mayo Clinic Connect about vivid dreams and Parkinson's you may want to check out:

- Do you have vivid dreams with your PD? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/parkinsons-and-vivid-dreams/