• Symptoms of Parkinson's disease

• Treatment Options

  • Treating Parkinson's disease with medication
  • Medication options for Parkinson's disease
  • Surgery for Parkinson's disease
  • Complementary / alternative treatments for PD
  • PD Treatment Team
  • Tips for managing Parkinson's disease medications

• PD: What you need to know

Tips for managing PD medications

Every Parkinson’s disease (PD) medication has specific dosing instructions – the medication may need to be taken several times a day, at particular times, or before or after meals. These instructions are to ensure that the medication is working at its best. Therefore, it is very important to keep to the treatment schedule, without missing doses, as PD is a condition in which a small change in medication or timing can make a big difference to symptoms. In total, each person may need to take a combination of medications for PD, together with any medications that they are already taking for other conditions.

Jogging the memory

Here are some tips about how to remember to take Parkinson’s disease (PD) medications in the right way and at the right time!

• Make a written record of the medications you take (and have taken in the past), and the times at which you take them.
• In advance, prepare weekly tables with the names, doses and timing of medications – especially when the dose of medication is being changed (increased or decreased). This list can then be ticked as each dose is taken .
• Use a pill box with separate compartments to set out each day’s doses.
• If you are on a simple dosing schedule, e.g., one daily dose of a single medication, then set your watch or mobile phone alarm as a reminder to take your medication – if appropriate, ask your caregiver to do the same.
• If your treatment schedule is more complicated, set a timer as a reminder to take each dose of medication – some pharmacists sell timers especially for pill taking, including a wrist watch with an alarm that can be set to ring or vibrate up to ten times a day and which displays the medication required on its screen.
• If you have problems with vision, ask the pharmacist to prepare your medications with large-print labels.
• If you wish, ask a family member or close friend to accompany you to medical appointments. It can be useful for another person to listen to the doctor’s explanations and advice as, between both of you, more may be remembered afterwards! Ask for written information if you feel this is necessary.
• It is always helpful to learn as much as you can about the medications you are taking – ask your medical team or support group for all the information you need.

Out and about

Here are some hints about how to manage Parkinson’s disease (PD) medications outside the home.

• If you are leaving the house for a period of time, take extra medication with you – just in case the trip lasts longer than expected, and you need to take more doses.
• Keep your medication record (or a copy of it) with you at all times so that you can refer to it, or a healthcare professional can follow it if required.
• If you need to go into hospital, it is especially important to take a list of your medications. A small change in medication or timing can make a big difference to symptoms, and the hospital staff will need to be aware of your specific needs. If appropriate, and timing is a concern, ask if you are allowed to administer PD medications yourself (self-medicate).
• For tips on traveling on holiday/abroad with medication, see the ‘Travel and leisure’ section.

Taking Medication

Listed below are some practical hints and tips about taking medication.

• Ask your pharmacist to supply your medication in non-childproof bottles, as opening secured containers can become difficult for a person with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Remember to keep such bottles out of the reach of children. If popping tablets out of blister packs is a problem, inquire about other types of packaging.
• If taking your medication causes a feeling of sickness, this may be improved by taking it together with some low-protein food, e.g., a piece of bread or some vegetables. However, check this with your doctor first, as some medications should not be taken together with food.
• Keep the first morning dose of medication by the bedside, so that it is easy to reach if mobility is a problem early in the day. A small pack of crackers could also be kept there in case nausea is a problem.
• If you find it difficult to swallow pills, then taking a mouthful of water, or putting the pill into a spoon of fruit purée can help it slip down. (NB. It is generally advisable to take levodopa pills with water only, but ask your doctor about this.) Alternatively, it may be worth asking your doctor or PD nurse if your pills can be crushed, or if any liquid forms are available.
• If you experience any worrying effects such as hallucinations or confusion, then report these to your doctor immediately. They may be a side effect of your medication.