Parkinson's symptoms/Florrie

July 19, 2005

Florrie....... My Dad most probably has LB. He never had any tremors, but has

the mask-like facial expression, and the slow hunched gait. He also had

trouble with the slow heartbeat, low blood pressure and vision difficulties.

For several years, he'de say he was " dizzy on the inside " but the neurologist

missed putting everything together for quite a while. He was tried on Sinemet

for 4 or 5 months and although it seemed to help the stiffness, it made his

mental state worse and gentle hallucinations more frequent. It also contributed

to a " small bowel obstruction. " Long story made shorter, in April of this

year, after severe throwing up and liquid stools (per illeostomy because of

cancer 20 years ago) they went in and did abdominal surgery to relieve the

" obstruction " Well.....turns out the Sinemet was playing a part in causing the

diarhea/vomiting, LB was also slowing down the little bowel dad had left and

surgery probably was never necessary. But...... while in

the hospital, he was given several doses of Haldol and Ativan per IV

push....made things (aggitation/hallucinations) ALOT worse. We got Dad

home....... and i called Hospice. Its been 3 months and pretty much a steady

slide downhill. Dad is as comfortable as possible. I know that the Haldol and

Ativan has played a part in this and the fact that Mom and Dad were able to cope

and pretty much deny some of the symptoms to delay a probable diagnosis. And

in all honesty, maybee this rapid decline is ok for Dad. . Moral of my

venting...sinemet may help some of the stiffness for a time but it has alot of

side effects. And that everyones path is a little different. Kathy

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