First, let me commend you on the excellent questions that you asked. It is so evident that you want to be the best carepartner that you can be to your wife.

Some, here, have already spoken of and warned about the possibility of Obsessive/Compulsive behavior that affects some people who take Mirapex. In my case, my pwp not only became extremely O/C, but also, she became someone I hardly recognized, and I had known her for 32 years! It was a heartbreaking time for us, and we were totally unaware of the POSSIBILITY of O/C behavior until one day...quite by chance, I read a post at another forum wherein the O/C behavior was being discussed as related to Mirapex. Thankfully, I saw that post, and we immediately brought it to the attention of her neurologist who, at the time, had no knowledge of the possibility of O/C. This had just recently been "brought to light" so that even her neurologist had no idea about the O/C nature of Mirapex. He carefully titrated her off Mirapex which, in a way, was unfortunate because she had an all-round good feeling in every way while taking Mirapex...and, it definitely controlled her tremor (she is primarily symptomatic w/tremor)...actually, eliminated it. She originally started the Mirapex at the lowest possibe dosage and gradually titrated up to the recommended 4.5 mg. per day. She has never had the same good results with Sinemet so that we are now wondering..and considering asking her neurologist if he would even prescribe Mirapex again, but at a lower dosage that might not affect her as did the 4.5 mg. dosage. As I believe others have already stated...Mirapex can work very well for some individuals without the unwanted side effect of O/C.

I wish both of you the best in find a drug regimen that will give your wife the most optimal health that anyone who has PD can expect...that is exactly what my pwp and her neurologist are "working on" presently.

Virginia