Stalevo - Cement foot
 

Symptom or side effect?

I just up'd my dosage to 1 125mg Stalevo 4 times a day, 4 hours apart. My left leg, already symptomatic, more and more feels like a cement boot that I have to drag around, stiff and heavy. I still can discern no direct relief from the Stalevo which I consume on an empty stomach. I guess I'll keep upping the dosage and take a wait and see attitude... like the doctor.

Am I wrong in the comparison between hospice care and Parkinson's treatment. So far, all the care/diagnosis I have received has been an effort to "make me more comfortable" and I'll add, until I die. I feeling a little bitter this week :)

Hope you all are doing well.

Robert

Cement suit
 

Yes, one of our neuros described PD as "living in a cement suit", slow, heavy, and exhausting. Some have it worse than others, though. All I can suggest is exercise and lots of stretching, as well as eating well, etc. The exercise/stretching seems to take 3-6 months on average to really see an "improvement", but worth it. It's also good if you have a buddy you can do it with, for motivation, encouragement, social interaction. A PD exercise class is great if your community offers one (ours doesn't, unfortunately).

My only challenge, and maybe it's a coincidence, this element of my symptoms seems far worse after the last upping of my dosage.

Maybe instead of raising the Stalevo, you could add a drug like Azilect. Have you spoken to your neuro about your situation?

What makes it feel like a cement boot? I can't get my mind around it. When I try to exit the train, especially at night, I walk like Frankenstein and my leg feels as if it's being pulled down by some force underground. Where does that come from?

I'm lucky in that walking further, like the length of a block, my leg feels lighter and lighter and I can walk faster and faster.

Perhaps walking longer than you are right now would give you some relief in the cement foot department.

Oh, that was my 700th post!

I've been on Azilect for 2 years maybe 3 now.

Your Frankenstein description is an apt one. It's like wearing a boot made of cement, my ankle doesn't bend and I have to drag my leg around. Like Egor only not so noticeable :)

I will talk to the doc, i just prefer to talk to you guys. I know what the doc will say, "medication affecs all PD'rs differently" or "let's up the dosage".

Are there conditions where l-dopa is contraindicated for PD like symptoms. I know schizophrenia is an excess of Dopamine and I'm reasonably sure I'm not dealing with that.

..and why is it PD isn't naturally occurring in other species, or is it maybe just not documented?

Thanks again for your responses and insight.

Robert