Options for Levodopa if Your Having Surgery

At the World Parkinson’s Congress, there is one hall of the convention center set aside as the display hall. This is where you mix and mingle with researchers displaying posters of their research, admire the displays of the artwork skillfully created by people with Parkinson’s, and learn about products from vendors. As a writer, this is one of many places I learn and absorb, and look for interesting stories.

As I walked through the elaborate displays erected by the pharmaceutical companies, I asked questions, and perused brochures and handouts. Then, I had a novel experience. One vendor handed me a "dummy" pill. It was designed to simulate the experience of taking Parcopa. After a few seconds in my mouth, it dissolved and disappeared. I suppose I swallowed whatever remained.

Parcopa is a carbidopa-levodopa disintegrating tablet. The vendor’s rep touted its benefits for those who have trouble swallowing - - bravo to a novel application. My career has been in hospitals and clinics. I have worked on solving countless problems in those hospitals and clinics, to help patients have a better experience. So, I quickly defaulted to that environment. What if a person with Parkinson’s was having surgery, but they had been instructed not to consume food or drink prior to that surgery? How would they take their levodopa? What about after the surgery? Truth be told, there are likely a number of applications for a dissolvable tablet.

If you are anticipating surgery in the future, contact your surgeon, and discuss Parcopa. It may also be worth a phone call to the hospital’s anesthesiology team, to bring them up to speed as well. Of course, those physicians will ultimately decide if this is a good option for you. However, your surgeon or anesthesiologist may not be immediately aware of Parcopa. With thousands of drugs, in all of their forms, who can blame them? If the hospital does not have it in their inventory, the advanced notice may allow them to get it for you.

Click here for more information about the Parkinson Disease Treatment, Levodopa.