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Can you have Parkinson's and be levodopa resistant?
I have been diagnosed using DAT scan. My main symptoms are fatigue, and slowness of movement. Brain fog in parallel with the fatigue.
Levodopa/carbadopa "gold standard" in various forms, fast and slow release, did not help at all and made the symptoms worse. Amantadine gave me hallucinations and prevented sleep. Rasagiline seems to have helped a little. I have been cleared to try apomorphine infusion.
Back to the original question:why am I resistant to the go-to drug for PD (levodopa)? Can you have PD, and be resistant to any good effects of levodopa?
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@bmfoster
thanks!
Has your neurologist ruled out Multiple Systems Atrophy (MSA)? Parkinsons and MSA share many early symptoms, but MSA is resistant to Levodopa.
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thank you!
Yes, patients with Parkinson’s disease can become resistant to levodopa, either from the beginning of the onset or by developing reduced responsiveness over time. Resistance often happens as a result of disease progression, peripheral metabolic factors, or an misdiagnosis, such as atypical parkinsonism. Bacteria in the gut can prevent the metabolic breakdown of levodopa before it reaches the brain. Poor absorption or wrong dosage can also cause Levodopa not to be effective. My husband is on Ropinirole and low dose Tramadol for PD pain. Carbidopa levodopa caused problems for him too. Hopefully, you will find the right regimen for you. Remember, one pill doesn't always work for all!
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