pd is a 20 year illness. it does not progress rapidly. in the next 4-6 weeks you should notice a benefit from your medications and i hope you have been started on levodopa increasing to 300 mg per day (sinemet/stalevo) pramipexole increasing to 3 mg per day (mirapex) or ropinirole increasing to 8-12 mg per day (requip). you will need to reach these doses to see a benefit. if you do not please revisit the diagnosis with your neurologist. if you have a clear improvement i would be satisfied with the diagnosis. here are my average patient timelines: years 0-5 you will do well no matter what medications you are taking. years 6-10 you will do well but it will require good communication with your doctors - to insure good medication adjustment. after 10 years treatment responses and other health issues make predictions too difficult but most people are still doing fine. some general tips: be positive. exercise more. drink more water. plan for the worst hope for the best - especially when thinking about work. if you have an opportunity to buy a disability policy do so. in my practice i define disability as "12 hours or work to complete the usual tasks of an 8 hour day. " on average that does not occur until after 12 years.
i'm newly diagnosed with parkinson's disease. what general information can you provide about living with this disease?