my dad has been a drinker all his life mainly whiskey, he is 86 now and is diagnosed with parkinsons he is being tube fed as he can't swallow were hoping he will regain his swallowing and the tube can be removed
does anyone know if alchol over a lifetime can contribute to parkinsons?
i agree...i don't believe that drinking has anything to do with parkinson's. the folks that study the disease can't say for sure. there are theories that it's got something to do with an injury to the brain (not just physical injury but possibly viruses and such) and i've heard it could have something to do with exposure to toxins.
I came to this thread after a search about Parkinson's and alcohol. Not whether it causes it, of course I think it's toxins or something we do not yet understand.
My question is: Is it OK, or unwise for a Parkinson's patient to drink alcohol? A very small glass of dark red wine was OK as far as I was concerned.
But what about the advisability of vodka? I'm thinking it's not a good idea and sticking to the red wine a couple times a week is better.
I have searched the internet for this, and the only search results I get are like this thread, with the questions and information about whether or not alcohol is the *cause* of PD.
I need to know whether drinking vodka along with PD and 2 Parkinsons meds + 3 or 4 for cholesterol, BP and angina is risky. Obviously I think it is but will take the advice of those here that know more about it than I do.
Any replies or information would be appreciated...... TIA,
CLSC
Hello, I think the issue is how it interacts with the meds, my hubby enjoys liquors and the odd glass of wine, but it pretty much stays with just one drink, rarely any more.
I find the best advice from our Pharmacist, every precription has a fact sheet they can print off and give you.
Balance is a real issue for later stages of PD so drinking more then one or 2 could for sure be a problem, falling etc.
My hubby falls enough, does'nt need the help of booze
In regards to alcohol consumption I can only tell what my experience is with my father's disease. He was diagnosed with Parkinsons in 1995.
He is now in a very advanced stage of the disease and is taking the maximum dosage of meds that he can have. It is now out of the question for him to add alcohol to that mix because the effect would be immediate and unpleasant.
However, earlier in his disease say 5 to 10 years ago when he was less affected, he would from time to time have a beer or a glass of wine. In moderation it did not seem to be a problem. Hard spirits like scotch which he did like were not a good idea. Anything strong seemed to have a bad interaction with the meds.
So, I am not advocating that people with Parkinsons disease drink. I'm just saying that for my Dad, for a while, it was something normal and pleasant that he could still enjoy occasionally and in moderation.
Hope this helps.
In regards to alcohol consumption I can only tell what my experience is with my father's disease. He was diagnosed with Parkinsons in 1995.
He is now in a very advanced stage of the disease and is taking the maximum dosage of meds that he can have. It is now out of the question for him to add alcohol to that mix because the effect would be immediate and unpleasant.
However, earlier in his disease say 5 to 10 years ago when he was less affected, he would from time to time have a beer or a glass of wine. In moderation it did not seem to be a problem. Hard spirits like scotch which he did like were not a good idea. Anything strong seemed to have a bad interaction with the meds.
So, I am not advocating that people with Parkinsons disease drink. I'm just saying that for my Dad, for a while, it was something normal and pleasant that he could still enjoy occasionally and in moderation.
Hope this helps.
Thanks to you two for responding to this.. Any other replies are welcome. I sure hope that he will *not* have any other decline. I'm trying to be positive and also try to stay informed about what are the requisites for a candidate to be eligible for Deep Brain Stimulation. He has balance issues a lot but hasn't taken such a hard fall that he has injured himself. The Sinemet & other things do not help with balance as I guess you all know.
Hope everyone will at least stay as healthy in 2010 as you are now, even tho things may be hard, may they become more manageable to you (and us) and may everyone be given the best treatment available!
Last edited by clsc; 01-09-2010 at 05:24 AM.
Reason: mistake!
happy new year to you clsc.
i want to say to you that i have another friend here in canada whose father was diagnosed with parkinsons in 1986. his journey has been different than my father's and the effects of his illness have not been as harsh for him as our situation. it's not uniform. all the people affected that i know are different and i know in the case of my father's path that he's had times when it's been difficult and they've been followed by times that have been easier. it's a strange disease as you well know.
deep brain stimulation was something that we considered but my father was not a good candidate for it. all i can say is that it's important to inform yourselves of the liabilities versus the benefits.
just wanted to send this to you because i didn't want you to be discouraged about the long haul.
i wish you well.
