FAQs

While Parkinson’s symptoms tend to get progressively worse over time, symptom severity can vary from day to day and even from hour to hour. Symptoms that cause problems on one day may be less problematic the next. Medications to control symptoms may help to improve the experience of living…

Although Parkinson’s disease symptoms tend to worsen over time, how quickly these symptoms progress varies from patient to patient, and it’s currently difficult to make accurate predictions about the speed of disease progression.

Like many other symptoms of Parkinson’s, tremor is caused by a lack of dopamine signaling. Dopamine is a chemical that nerves use to communicate with each other and the rest of the body. Parkinson’s is caused by the death and dysfunction of brain cells responsible for making dopamine.

Early warning signs of Parkinson’s disease may include tremor, difficulty rising from a chair, constipation, loss of smell, weak voice, small handwriting, trouble sleeping, reduced facial expression, arms not swinging normally while walking, and stooping or hunching over.

Parkinson’s disease can cause a wide range of motor and nonmotor symptoms. Common motor symptoms include tremor, rigidity, slowed movements, and difficulty with balance and walking. Common nonmotor symptoms include constipation, sleep issues, loss of smell, and depression.

While clinical trials have not reported hair loss or weight gain as side effects of Stalevo, some individuals taking levodopa-based medications have reported hair loss. Additionally, weight gain can occur due to compulsive eating, which is a potential side effect of the medication. Patients who experience hair loss or weight…

Based on clinical trial data, Stalevo can result in significant benefits for patients as early as after eight weeks following the start of treatment. However, because the treatment may require initial dose adjustments, the timeframe for seeing the full benefits from Stalevo can vary depending on the person and the…

Individuals who are taking Stalevo may experience severe drowsiness or sudden episodes of falling asleep while performing daily activities. To avoid any potential risks, it is important that patients starting this treatment refrain from driving or engaging in any potentially hazardous activities until they understand how the medication affects them.

Although animal studies have shown that Stalevo could potentially harm a developing fetus, it is unclear how it affects pregnant patients and babies due to the lack of clinical data. Therefore, it is uncertain whether Stalevo is safe to use during pregnancy. Patients who plan to become pregnant while on…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Stalevo in June 2003 to treat people with Parkinson’s disease. Indications include the use of Stalevo for patients already on levodopa/carbidopa plus entacapone as separate medications, as well as its administration as a replacement treatment for people experiencing motor fluctuations despite being…