I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s a year and a half ago due to cramping of my hands and arms. I’m now eating 100 mg of levodopa 3 grams a day. My cramping has almost completely disappeared, but I have painful cramps all over my body about every night/early morning. After that, muscle aches much of the day. I’ve been advised to take an extra levodopa when the cramping comes, but it doesn’t help. Now I’ve been told by my neurologist that this has nothing to do with Parkinson’s and was referred back to the primary care where I’m waiting for time to visit again?

It’s good that primary care physicians can take samples to see if there’s any other cause of muscle cramps and pain. In Parkinson’s, muscle cramps aren’t uncommon in the early mornings, but it’s most commonly a body part, usually the lower leg or foot, that is affected. For Parkinson’s cramps, you can try adding a longer-acting medication, such as a dopaminogonist, at night or in a depot form.