I was diagnosed in 2019 and have been struggling ever since to take the medication my neurologist wants me to take. I suffer from severe side effects. I’m currently taking half a Madopark Quick Mite four times a day, but my mobility is only getting worse – my feet get stuck to the floor – and I use a walking frame and go to physiotherapy. I’ve tried most Parkinson’s medicines, but they make me so drowsy. Am I a hopeless case?

The question is whether the drowsiness is actually a side-effect of Madopark – it may well be, of course, but that’s by no means certain. Madopark is actually the ‘gentlest’ of all Parkinson’s medicines, so in your case it’s probably best to stick with it and try increasing the dose gradually. So you’re currently taking a total of 200 mg of levodopa, which is a very low dose – you’d probably need at least double that to feel the effect, but if so, it’s best to increase the dose gradually. Ask your neurologist for a plan to increase the dose, and do check that there isn’t any other cause for the drowsiness, such as low blood pressure or anaemia. /Dag Nyholm