My husband was diagnosed as having PD by a specialist 10 days ago. I had been worried about him for a couple of years after he stopped using his left hand (unless he had to) and his running gait seemed strange with his head forward of his feet like he was going to tip over, feet running short steps to keep up.

Friends started commenting that he was looking very stiff although he had no complaints of pain. Very slow movements from both hands, tricky to button buttons etc.
So the diagnosis wasn't really a surprise to me but unfortunately it was to Bob who had noticed all this but insisted he was "just getting old" (at a very fit surfing and skiing 62!).

The Dr wanted to confirm the diagnosis by putting him on Madopar, starting on just 62.5mg pills with meals and gradually increasing over the week to be 3 pills/meal.
We had been warned of possible nausea but had none of that. Just incredible weakness/tiredness and as we're orchardists in the middle of the busy season he was finding it increasingly hard to work.

Clammy and shrunken looking, I don't think I've ever seen him look so bad. Kept up his food though. Not sleeping either didn't help.
The Dr expressed surprise that we hadn't noticed an immediate change in his physical actions. Eight days after he started Bob had enough, said he had to be able to work and so stopped taking them.

My questions are: have other people had this reaction from the drug? How long did it take from starting to get a "good" reaction from them?
Also we've just realised that he's lost 4 kgs (8 lbs) in 5 months. Have other people had such weight loss associated with PD?

The Dr has now ordered an MRI so we can discount other possibilities and I guess all we can do is watch him to see if his problems seem to get worse.

Appreciate the forum. Jennie