“I felt dizzy every time I stood up and wondered if it was my Parkinson’s. I later learned it was a separate condition called symptomatic neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (nOH)” Sponsored Post

I’m Gail, and I’ve been living with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s since 1999. Even before my Parkinson’s diagnosis, I’d experienced symptoms of dizziness and lightheadedness. But I didn’t tell my doctor about the symptoms for a long time, because I thought that they were due to my Parkinson’s.

“I would feel very lightheaded and dizzy. I really felt like I was going to faint, or just black out. As time went on, the symptoms began to make my world feel smaller and smaller. I started staying in my house more and I avoided driving and doing other social activities that I enjoyed.”

Symptoms like Gail’s may be due to another condition, called nOH. This condition can cause dizziness or lightheadedness upon standing or changing position.

“Although not every patient with Parkinson’s has symptomatic nOH, about 20% of us do. Since my diagnosis, I have been managing my salt and fluid intake and taking NORTHERA^® (droxidopa) to help manage my symptoms of nOH.” While NORTHERA works for Gail, not all patients may experience benefit from this treatment. Talk to your doctor to see if NORTHERA could be right for you.

The NORTHERA clinical study included 171 adults with Parkinson’s disease and symptomatic nOH. The majority of patients in the clinical trial experienced an improvement in symptoms of dizziness, lightheadedness, and the feeling that you are going to black out by Week 1.

If your doctor prescribes NORTHERA for symptomatic nOH, he or she will likely start you at a low dose. Based on how you feel, your doctor may gradually increase the amount you take until you reach the dose that best manages your symptoms—a process known as titration. It is recommended that the dose of NORTHERA be increased every 1 to 2 days. Once you and your doctor find the dose that works best for you, your doctor may prescribe capsules at a higher dosage strength for your maintenance dose. Ask your doctor about your options.