Education
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General background we wish we'd had earlier. Always confirm with your own specialist.
Emergency warning signs
New or worsening slurred speech, facial drooping, or sudden weakness on one side can signal a stroke or another emergency. Call emergency services immediately — do not wait to see if it's a medication effect.
What is Parkinson's?
A progressive neurological condition involving loss of dopamine-producing cells. It affects movement and many non-motor functions, and varies greatly between people.
Levodopa and carbidopa/benserazide
Levodopa is converted to dopamine in the brain. Carbidopa or benserazide is combined with it to reduce breakdown outside the brain. Dose labels like "25/100" or "125" describe both parts.
ON and OFF periods
ON is when medicine is working well; OFF is when symptoms return. Wearing-off before the next dose is common over the years and worth recording for the doctor.
Dyskinesia
Involuntary movements that can occur, often related to levodopa timing. Only a clinician can diagnose it — families should describe and record, not label.
Non-motor symptoms
Sleep problems, constipation, urinary urgency or frequency, dizziness and blood-pressure changes can be part of life with Parkinson's — or may have other causes needing review.
Keeping a motor diary
Record each hour as ON, OFF, ON with troublesome dyskinesia, asleep — and honestly mark hours you didn't observe as unknown.
Educational guide
Stages & treatment options →
The five Hoehn & Yahr stages, plus medication, Vyalev, DBS, apomorphine and supportive care — not all used by my father.
Educational guide
Diet & levodopa timing →
Foods to eat, foods to limit, and how meal timing can affect levodopa.
Caregiver reading
Caregiver guide · 21 October 2026
Parkinson’s ON and OFF Periods: A Caregiver’s Guide to a Symptom Diary
What ON and OFF mean, which changes to record, and how to bring a clearer symptom diary to the neurologist without guessing or changing medication.
3 min read
Caregiver guide · 21 October 2026
Parkinson’s Caregiver Stress: Asking for Support Without Guilt
Recognising caregiver strain, making specific requests for help, and finding support while respecting the person with Parkinson’s and your own limits.
3 min read
Caregiver guide · 21 October 2026
Parkinson’s Sleep Problems: What Caregivers Can Notice at Night
Insomnia, nighttime waking, dream enactment and daytime sleepiness: useful observations, safety concerns and questions to discuss with the care team.
3 min read
General background: NINDS — Parkinson's Disease. This is not an assessment of my father's symptoms.
Personal experience, not medical advice. This is one family's account. Never start, stop or change any medicine without your doctor. New or worsening slurred speech, facial drooping or sudden weakness can be an emergency — seek urgent medical help immediately. Full disclaimer