Parkinson's Disease

Frequently Asked Questions

15. Does levodopa have side effects? - cont'd

In some people who take levodopa, the period of effectiveness after each dose may begin to shorten, called the "wearing-off" effect. Levodopa can also cause sudden fluctuations in movement, from normal or dyskinesia to parkinsonian slowness and stiffness and back again, referred to as the "on-off" effect. These effects indicate that the person's response to the drug is changing as the disease progresses.

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