What is GOOD ON time and why is it so important?
Both OFF time and dyskinesia can impact the amount of GOOD ON time you have each day. GOOD ON time refers to those periods of time when you experience optimal symptom control and feel your best. When you are experiencing GOOD ON time, you’re not OFF or bothered by dyskinesia, and you can get back to the activities you enjoy.
What are the effects of OFF time on your day?
OFF time occurs when PD medication (levodopa) is no longer providing PD symptom benefit and motor and nonmotor PD symptoms reappear. You may experience muscle stiffness, slowed movement, shuffling, freezing, or “feeling stuck,” which can affect daily activities such as:
How does dyskinesia affect GOOD ON time?
Dyskinesia is a side effect of levodopa and/or other PD medications. It can look like uncontrolled, involuntary movement of the face, arms, legs, or torso and can interfere with daily life activities such as:
To better understand how more continuous GOOD ON time can be achieved each day, let’s take a look at different PD journeys:
Starting treatment with levodopa
As PD progresses, the brain makes less dopamine. Levodopa is a medication that helps replace lost dopamine and works well—often for several years.
Adjusting your current treatment regimen
Over time, you may find that your levodopa may not manage your PD symptoms like it once did and OFF time and/or dyskinesia arise. When this happens, your doctor may adjust your levodopa dose or frequency or add on different PD treatments.
Finding a balance for more GOOD ON time
Over time, you may develop gastrointestinal (GI) issues related to PD and/or the protein in your diet that can impact your body’s ability to process your oral medication. This can impact how your body absorbs and delivers dopamine to the brain, leading to OFF episodes.
Exploring therapies that bypass the GI tract may become increasingly important to help manage OFF time and/or dyskinesia:
Exploring therapies that bypass the GI tract may become increasingly important to help manage OFF time and/or dyskinesia:
Continuous Treatments Delivered Subcutaneously (Just Under the Skin)
Development is underway on device-aided therapies that may be able to deliver medication continuously throughout the day. They are non-surgical and deliver medication beneath the skin, similar to insulin pumps used by individuals with diabetes.
As-Needed Treatments
Treatments used as needed in your day to reverse your OFF episodes using a pen or inhaler.
Advanced Surgical Treatments
Surgical procedures involving implants in the brain or a direct delivery through the abdomen.
All of these therapies can play a role at some point in your PD journey depending on your needs and symptoms. By optimizing your medication regimen, these treatments can help reduce OFF time and dyskinesia so you have more continuous GOOD ON time each day.
It’s important to communicate both OFF time and dyskinesia symptoms to your doctor so they can determine the best treatment path to achieving more continuous GOOD ON time each day.
Start the conversation with the help of our discussion guide.