Boann,
Amazing to read this. You do not mention slowness below, I wondered if you have this symptom too? It's lovely to hear that you feel normal, that is the single most frustrating thing about PD and meds...... just lovely. It does make a good argument for the docs delaying medication as long as possible. Perhaps at point of diagnosis they should also be asking us what is right with us, and telling us what the potential trade off is. I know mine didn't, I had no idea.

Lindy

"Do I wish I could walk normally, type again, write with pen and paper, and stand without tipping over, not to mention dance, and all of the other less-essential things I have not been able to do for many years? Sure. I could take levodopa, and it would fix all of those problems – but for how long, and at what long-term cost? My lack of rigidity and dystonia means that I'm comfortable always – in fact, I feel completely normal, I just can't move the way I would like to – I don't feel "sick" in any way. If I did, it would likely be a completely different story. Oh, and I started using a personal trainer, and since I've been doing squats, I seem to have remembered how to get out of a chair on the first try – and this was while off Mirapex – what else might I be able to regain without drugs? So, i am going to stay med free for a while, see how it goes.

I hope that all makes sense."