Subtle Early Signs

The early signs of Parkinson's disease may include:

• tremor
• stiffness
• anxiety
• depression
• overall slowness (bradykinesia)
• soft voice
• arthritis
• handwriting that’s hard to read
• complaints that it’s hard to do the usual things

Many people who display the most common symptoms of Parkinson's never experience anything worse. However, if the subtle symptoms shift, patients may notice things like:

• more tremor
• increased muscle stiffness
• noticeable slowness of movement
• difficulty swallowing and speaking
• sexual problems (in men)

In cases where these symptoms are present, the disease can be managed successfully for many, many years, especially with the help of prescription drugs. Often, people taking these drugs may never experience the worst symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

The later stages.

As PD progresses, symptoms may get more serious and include:

• problems maintaining balance
• periods of extreme confusion or hallucinations
• severe depression or withdrawal

PD happens most commonly to middle-aged and elderly people; only 10% of people with PD are under the age of 40. About a million Americans are believed to suffer from PD. Approximately 50,000 new cases are reported every year.

Emotional and nonmotor symptoms.

Not all symptoms of PD have to do with movement. People with Parkinson’s disease can also experience the following symptoms, whether or not they are experiencing movement (motor) difficulties.

• depression
• arthritis
• anxiety
• heart disease
• diabetes
• osteoporosis
• handwriting problems
• loss of sense of smell
• sleep disturbances or nightmares
• loss of energy

In fact, many people say that in the long run, they suffer more from the effects of these symptoms than from movement-related symptoms. There are many ways to combat emotional and nonmotor symptoms. Start by asking your doctor, then try looking into the resources section of this site.

The ON/OFF cycle.

When people start to take medication for their Parkinson’s disease, they usually notice that their symptoms go away for hours at a time (ON times), then return (OFF times). Symptoms also return during the “wearing-off” period.

Moving back and forth between ON and OFF times is a reality for Parkinson’s disease patients. ON times can also be accompanied by side effects called dyskinesias — sudden jerky or uncontrolled movements of the limbs and neck.

Zelapar® (selegiline HCl) is designed for Parkinson’s disease patients.

Nearly 60% of PD patients report that they have difficulty swallowing. This can be very troublesome, because the average PD patient takes 19 tablets over the course of the day.

Some PD patients report that they must often crush their medication, dissolve it in liquid, or skip taking it altogether because swallowing is so difficult. Because Zelapar is freeze-dried and dissolves in the mouth within seconds, it is very easy for PD patients to take.

» Learn More About Zelapar.