Some help, please - Parkinson's Disease Message Board

libloom · 07-08-2003, 01:54 PM

Dear folks....

I am writing about my 70 year old aunt, who has been diagnosed with PD. Her symptoms have been progressing at such a rapid rate, that it's hard to believe. she's gone from cane to walker in the past 3 months and has become totally housebound. A few weeks ago, she was found slumped on the bathroom floor in a puddle of urine....and doesn't remember how she got there. She complains of extreme muscle pain and that her left leg gets weak and tingly when she sits making it hard for her to walk...that leg seems so much weaker.

She is taking Cinamet 50/200 3 x day plus an anti-depressant (not sure which one). She's seeing a new neurologist...just had another MRI and is now hassling with the insurance company to have a memory test done.
She goes back to the doc on August 2nd.

I've read here that the Cinamet can be broken and spaced out...lower doses 6 x a day rather than the 3 x? She complains always that she wishes she could take more medicine......especially after her noon dose. She seems to go downhill from lunchtime on. Best time is the morning after her first dose of meds at 6 AM.
She has no noticeable tremors, but does rock back and forth while sitting.

I realize that this is something she needs to discuss with her doc, but came to you....ones who know better....for any and all advice. I am not familiar with PD, but was a caregiver to my husband who had Myasthenia Gravis.....a dreadful disease.

So many thanks for any thoughts and/or advice....

God bless your day,
Linda

Bruce · 07-08-2003, 03:05 PM

Linda, their are a couple of things that i noticed in your message. First, your aunt feeling well after the first morning dose. If you split the Sinemet pills, that would mean you would be cutting the dose in half and her dymptoms woulf become worse. She should wait one hour after taking the later doses until she eats any food containinng protein. Protein prevents the absorption of the Sinemet

It is hard to determine the cause of the muscle pain. The most common causes of muscle pain in pd patients is either due to ridgity or dystonia, which is our muscles stay in a state of contaction causing pain or cramps.
This might improve with an adjustment of the dose of Sinemet.

Everyone with pd progresses at a different rate. So this is another facter to be considered.

Your best solution id for your aunt to see a movement disorder specialist. It takes a lot of experience for a doctor to adjust the meds.

Hope this helps.

Bruce

jennifer44 · 07-08-2003, 06:29 PM

I've replied to another person who mentioned that their loved one with PD was experiencing pain. I hate to keep repeating myself but my father also experiences pain with PD and recently went to a massage therapist. (My father also experiences the movement back and forth as a side effect of medication). The massage therapist was really able to help my dad with his pain. The pain was gone for close to a week and a half. He is going back again this week. It in no way got rid of the PD but at least it helped him with the pain. I've also read that massage therapy can help with the rigidity of muscles. Hope this helps.

libloom · 07-09-2003, 02:37 PM

Thanks for your replies Bruce and Jennifer....I appreciate you both taking the time.

God bless,
Linda

Googy · 07-10-2003, 08:41 PM

Linda,

Your Aunt is lucky to have you looking out for her.One thing,she does need to see a Movement Disorder specialist as Bruce stated.We did: we paid for it ourselves many years ago,Bill has had PD over 29 yrs,now is in a nursing homeI could no longer take care of him.Good luck,

Googy