RE: Re: Parkinsons Drug - Kathy

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathy,

Which Parkinson's drug are you speaking of? Mom is on Sinemet, but if you ask

me, it doesn't help and the doctors want to increase it to 50mgs(she is

currently on 25/125 doses). I am curious. Mom has started in on her

hallucinations(at night only) and we were going to increase her Seroquel from 25

to 50mgs, but now I am wondering if we should back down her Sinemet, it really

doesn't seem to be helping her arms, she started with the right and now in the

past 6 mos. it has gone to her left arm/hand. That is why I never thought it

was helping since day one. Anyway, the doctors don't listen to me and Mom likes

to do what the doctor says. Do I sound sarcastic? I hope not, just frustrated.

Thanks,

Deb

KJ Hatcher wrote:

HI

Thank you for your kind words. In fact, when I reread the notes I took

while speaking with my Mom's neurologist - that is exactly what he said to

do.

I have had a very stressful week with worrying about Mom's sudden delusions

and her severe unhappiness and then dealing with my job that has suddenly

gotten very stressful at the same time. That is the reason I take notes as

my memory gets overloaded after a while :-)

Kathy

kjhatcher@...

Fax:

_____

From: LBDcaregivers [mailto:LBDcaregivers ]

On Behalf Of stimtimminss

Sent: May 9, 2007 06:42 PM

To: LBDcaregivers

Subject: Re: Non-adjustment at Assisted Living

Hi Kathy,

Welcome to our group and kudos for your first message to be one of support

to Susie! My

mother also suffered PDD and we found reducing her Parkinsons meds in itself

when

delusions hit reduced them. If you reduce the Parkinsons meds and increase

the Seroquel

at the same time, you will not know which change in meds is affecting

whatever changes

she exhibits. Personally I would advise the reduction in meds first, a good

course with

LBD, and then see if she needs an increase in the Seroquel. Our motto here

is to go low

and go slow. Less can be better. Once the dementia unfolds, the Parkinsons

meds can

become contraindicated. Then it becomes difficult to determine how much to

give, to

enable movement but negatively affect cognitive function, or limit movement

and enhance

whatever cognitive function we can. All the best to you at this difficult

time.

, Oakville Ont.

Mother, age 92, died Aug. 12/06 after 13 year decline from PDD

> Dad has been is AL for nearly 3 weeks now, and is getting angrier by the

hour; won't

go for meals, take showers, change his clothes. He's generally pleasant with

the staff, just

has reasons why he doesn't do what they tell him (I'm too tired; I already

did that (NOT!);

Maybe later; I'm not hungry; etc.) He called all us kids yesterday and

demanded we take

him home. He doesn't seem as confused; just angry. The director talked w/

him and

advised us to stay away for a week or two. I identified w/ Nina's comments

about hating to

be the one making her mom cry -- Dad told me the other night that he might

die that

night & I'd have to live with knowing I'd made him miserable for the last

hours of his life.

This was right after I'd had to fight w/ him to take off filthy clothes that

he'd worn day &

night for 3 days, and to put on oxygen because his blood oxygen level was

83%. Anyone

dealt with this kind of thing? Being strong and doing what I know is right

for Dad sure is

hard!! Is

> there hope of improvement?

>

> Susie1 - thankful for each good day w/ 80 yr old Dad (dx probable LBD June

06; dx PD

Aug 05; still lives alone)

>

> ---------------------------------

> Ahhh...imagining that irresistible " new car " smell?

> Check outnew cars at Yahoo! Autos.

>

>

[Guest guest]

My Mom was on a small dose of Sinemet in the morning only. I stopped the

evening dose ASAP because it made her hallucinate. She in now not on

Sinemet at all because the small dose was doing nothing any more to help

the stiffness in her arms.

Deb Heaney

<debheaney1@yahoo

.com> To

Sent by: LBDcaregivers

LBDcaregivers@yah cc

oogroups.com

Subject

RE: Re: Parkinsons

05/10/2007 12:04 Drug - Kathy

PM

Please respond to

LBDcaregivers@yah

oogroups.com

Hi Kathy,

Which Parkinson's drug are you speaking of? Mom is on Sinemet, but if you

ask me, it doesn't help and the doctors want to increase it to 50mgs(she is

currently on 25/125 doses). I am curious. Mom has started in on her

hallucinations(at night only) and we were going to increase her Seroquel

from 25 to 50mgs, but now I am wondering if we should back down her

Sinemet, it really doesn't seem to be helping her arms, she started with

the right and now in the past 6 mos. it has gone to her left arm/hand.

That is why I never thought it was helping since day one. Anyway, the

doctors don't listen to me and Mom likes to do what the doctor says. Do I

sound sarcastic? I hope not, just frustrated.

Thanks,

Deb

KJ Hatcher wrote:

HI

Thank you for your kind words. In fact, when I reread the notes I took

while speaking with my Mom's neurologist - that is exactly what he said to

do.

I have had a very stressful week with worrying about Mom's sudden delusions

and her severe unhappiness and then dealing with my job that has suddenly

gotten very stressful at the same time. That is the reason I take notes as

my memory gets overloaded after a while :-)

Kathy

kjhatcher@...

Fax:

_____

From: LBDcaregivers [mailto:LBDcaregivers ]

On Behalf Of stimtimminss

Sent: May 9, 2007 06:42 PM

To: LBDcaregivers

Subject: Re: Non-adjustment at Assisted Living

Hi Kathy,

Welcome to our group and kudos for your first message to be one of support

to Susie! My

mother also suffered PDD and we found reducing her Parkinsons meds in

itself

when

delusions hit reduced them. If you reduce the Parkinsons meds and increase

the Seroquel

at the same time, you will not know which change in meds is affecting

whatever changes

she exhibits. Personally I would advise the reduction in meds first, a good

course with

LBD, and then see if she needs an increase in the Seroquel. Our motto here

is to go low

and go slow. Less can be better. Once the dementia unfolds, the Parkinsons

meds can

become contraindicated. Then it becomes difficult to determine how much to

give, to

enable movement but negatively affect cognitive function, or limit movement

and enhance

whatever cognitive function we can. All the best to you at this difficult

time.

, Oakville Ont.

Mother, age 92, died Aug. 12/06 after 13 year decline from PDD

> Dad has been is AL for nearly 3 weeks now, and is getting angrier by the

hour; won't

go for meals, take showers, change his clothes. He's generally pleasant

with

the staff, just

has reasons why he doesn't do what they tell him (I'm too tired; I already

did that (NOT!);

Maybe later; I'm not hungry; etc.) He called all us kids yesterday and

demanded we take

him home. He doesn't seem as confused; just angry. The director talked w/

him and

advised us to stay away for a week or two. I identified w/ Nina's comments

about hating to

be the one making her mom cry -- Dad told me the other night that he might

die that

night & I'd have to live with knowing I'd made him miserable for the last

hours of his life.

This was right after I'd had to fight w/ him to take off filthy clothes

that

he'd worn day &

night for 3 days, and to put on oxygen because his blood oxygen level was

83%. Anyone

dealt with this kind of thing? Being strong and doing what I know is right

for Dad sure is

hard!! Is

> there hope of improvement?

>

> Susie1 - thankful for each good day w/ 80 yr old Dad (dx probable LBD

June

06; dx PD

Aug 05; still lives alone)

>

> ---------------------------------

> Ahhh...imagining that irresistible " new car " smell?

> Check outnew cars at Yahoo! Autos.

>

>

[Guest guest]

HI Deb

You do not sound sarcastic at all - hehehe. Mom was never able to tolerate

Sinemet. The only Parkinson medicine she is on now is Mirapex - .50 three

times a day. The neurologist cut it down to .25 three times a day. There

has been a definite improvement over the last two days. I went out this

evening for a meeting and she was not angry when I got back. Her delusions

only came once today and she was only mildly upset with me for about a half

hour. She is still having some delusions and while they are similar to

those she has been experiencing over the last two weeks - she has not been

as upset or angry.

She is also more alert which is bit dangerous as she seems to have more

strength to get up and move around on her own - yikes.

Of course after all the stress of the past few years, now I am finally

getting the spring cold the rest of the city has had. As Mom seems more

alert, I am afraid to take anything in case I sleep too soundly. Thank

heavens for the baby monitor that picks up everything.

Kathy

_____

From: LBDcaregivers [mailto:LBDcaregivers ]

On Behalf Of Deb Heaney

Sent: May 10, 2007 12:51 PM

To: LBDcaregivers

Subject: RE: Re: Parkinsons Drug - Kathy

Hi Kathy,

Which Parkinson's drug are you speaking of? Mom is on Sinemet, but if you

ask me, it doesn't help and the doctors want to increase it to 50mgs(she is

currently on 25/125 doses). I am curious. Mom has started in on her

hallucinations(at night only) and we were going to increase her Seroquel

from 25 to 50mgs, but now I am wondering if we should back down her Sinemet,

it really doesn't seem to be helping her arms, she started with the right

and now in the past 6 mos. it has gone to her left arm/hand. That is why I

never thought it was helping since day one. Anyway, the doctors don't listen

to me and Mom likes to do what the doctor says. Do I sound sarcastic? I hope

not, just frustrated.

Thanks,

Deb

KJ Hatcher <kjhatcherns (DOT) <mailto:kjhatcher%40ns.sympatico.ca> sympatico.ca>

wrote:

HI

Thank you for your kind words. In fact, when I reread the notes I took

while speaking with my Mom's neurologist - that is exactly what he said to

do.

I have had a very stressful week with worrying about Mom's sudden delusions

and her severe unhappiness and then dealing with my job that has suddenly

gotten very stressful at the same time. That is the reason I take notes as

my memory gets overloaded after a while :-)

Kathy

kjhatcherns (DOT) <mailto:kjhatcher%40ns.sympatico.ca> sympatico.ca

Fax:

_____

From: LBDcaregivers@ <mailto:LBDcaregivers%40yahoogroups.com>

yahoogroups.com [mailto:LBDcaregivers@

<mailto:LBDcaregivers%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com]

On Behalf Of stimtimminss

Sent: May 9, 2007 06:42 PM

To: LBDcaregivers@ <mailto:LBDcaregivers%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: Non-adjustment at Assisted Living

Hi Kathy,

Welcome to our group and kudos for your first message to be one of support

to Susie! My

mother also suffered PDD and we found reducing her Parkinsons meds in itself

when

delusions hit reduced them. If you reduce the Parkinsons meds and increase

the Seroquel

at the same time, you will not know which change in meds is affecting

whatever changes

she exhibits. Personally I would advise the reduction in meds first, a good

course with

LBD, and then see if she needs an increase in the Seroquel. Our motto here

is to go low

and go slow. Less can be better. Once the dementia unfolds, the Parkinsons

meds can

become contraindicated. Then it becomes difficult to determine how much to

give, to

enable movement but negatively affect cognitive function, or limit movement

and enhance

whatever cognitive function we can. All the best to you at this difficult

time.

, Oakville Ont.

Mother, age 92, died Aug. 12/06 after 13 year decline from PDD

> Dad has been is AL for nearly 3 weeks now, and is getting angrier by the

hour; won't

go for meals, take showers, change his clothes. He's generally pleasant with

the staff, just

has reasons why he doesn't do what they tell him (I'm too tired; I already

did that (NOT!);

Maybe later; I'm not hungry; etc.) He called all us kids yesterday and

demanded we take

him home. He doesn't seem as confused; just angry. The director talked w/

him and

advised us to stay away for a week or two. I identified w/ Nina's comments

about hating to

be the one making her mom cry -- Dad told me the other night that he might

die that

night & I'd have to live with knowing I'd made him miserable for the last

hours of his life.

This was right after I'd had to fight w/ him to take off filthy clothes that

he'd worn day &

night for 3 days, and to put on oxygen because his blood oxygen level was

83%. Anyone

dealt with this kind of thing? Being strong and doing what I know is right

for Dad sure is

hard!! Is

> there hope of improvement?

>

> Susie1 - thankful for each good day w/ 80 yr old Dad (dx probable LBD June

06; dx PD

Aug 05; still lives alone)

>

> ---------------------------------

> Ahhh...imagining that irresistible " new car " smell?

> Check outnew cars at Yahoo! Autos.

>

>