Problems with tolerating medications

[Kelley]

My Dad was diagnosed with PD several months ago. He has also experienced episodes of atrial fibrillation for a number of years that is totally unrelated to the PD. He initially tried azilect and immediately started suffering from atrial fibrillation and high blood pressure. He felt horrible and got off the drug in a week. His doctor then prescribed amantadine. He experienced immediate improvements - his tremor virtually disappeared, he had more energy and his saliva issue went away. However, after 30 days on amantadine he started having atrial fibrillation again and he also fainted. He has been taken off amantadine and we are not sure what the next step will be. His history has shown that he is very sensitive to medications. All of his PD symptoms are back. Has anyone else experienced similar side effects on PD drugs? If so, have you found any alternative medications or treatments that help alleviate the PD symptoms?

[Janice]

Dear Kelley
wish I could help sounds like your dad is going through a really rough time. All I remember from my dad when he had Pd was that he tried lots and lots of different drugs and combinations of drugs before he found something suitable it was sinnemet that worked for him in the end. I think for most poeple including myself who was diagnosed recently it takes time to find what suits you
Best wishes Janice

[Gail]

Kelly, I have only been on reqiup and sinement and haven't had any problems with medication yet. I hope things get btter for your dad.

Gail

[PHEMBRY]

Hi,i Am A 60 Year Old Black Female Who Got Diagnosed With This Disease About Two Years Ago. My Probelm Is Falling. My Balance
Is Very Poor And Now So Am I. I Lost My Job A
Liitle Over A Year And A Half Ago. And I Have
Been Struggling Financially Ever Since. I'm About To Lose My Home To A "short Sale" Because I Just Can't Make It On 1100 A Month.
I'm Currently Waiting For A Disability Hearing Which I'm Told, With The Backup In
Ga, Might Take Another 10 Months. Just This Morning, I Sent My Lawyers Binder &
Binder The Letter Offering Me The Short
Sale As Opposed To Forclosure, In Orderto
Get A "dire Need" Hearing. Wish Me Luck Everyone! Now I Take Mirapex But So Far It
Hasn't Helped That Much, Mainly Because It Upsets My Stomach So Badly That I Don't
Take It Like I Should. Can Anyone Recommend A Really Good Doctor In The Atlanta Area, Preferably In Marietta ,so
I Can Ride The Bus. I Don't Think I've Found
One Yet That Is Really Interested In My Case, So I'm Open To Suggestions. I Do Have
Pretty Good Health Benefits So I'm Anxious To Hear Your Responses. Thanks!
P. Embry:

[ltd-addition]

Hi Patricia
God bless you and I can only say Apologies for no one responding to you in May when you first introduced yourself.

I'm a lass with Parkers in the UK and I hope I can be of some help !
Now do me a favour, sit down and do some slow deep breathing.
Parkers is going to be with us for a long time until a cure arrives so just give yourself a break and relax because nothing is going to change your life in the next 5 minutes unless you win the lottery !
Ok 1st
Medication can take 3 months or more to get into your system and you are currently on mirapex which is an agonist.
It aggrevates the remaining cells into producing dopamine which is the chemical messenger required to help you move.
Do not eat protein with your tablets, in fact eat the most of your protein in the evening, because it doesnt matter so much if they knock your medication out because your at home or in bed.
Mirapex lowers your blood pressure so be aware. Don't stand up too quickly. Get your ears and eyes checked out because if you have an inner ear infection it can affect your stability on your legs and eye sight can deteriorate due to parkers.
The why's or wherefore's of loosing your home is in your knowledge, I'd suggest you contact welfare rights and get someone to represent you.

You have been diagnosed 2 yrs why you have lost your job and the reasons behind your home are personal matters to you. However I suggest you contact your local parkinson representative and ask for assistance. They may be able to fund legal advice.
We all struggle but it's how we juggle that makes a difference.

Forgive me if you think i'm harsh but what is important to you at this minute ?
Put it in priority to you

What do you think you'd like to know about first ?

Then perhaps the other members can assist answering you too

[ltd-addition]

Originally Posted by Kelley

My Dad was diagnosed with PD several months ago. He has also experienced episodes of atrial fibrillation for a number of years that is totally unrelated to the PD. He initially tried azilect and immediately started suffering from atrial fibrillation and high blood pressure. He felt horrible and got off the drug in a week. His doctor then prescribed amantadine. He experienced immediate improvements - his tremor virtually disappeared, he had more energy and his saliva issue went away. However, after 30 days on amantadine he started having atrial fibrillation again and he also fainted. He has been taken off amantadine and we are not sure what the next step will be. His history has shown that he is very sensitive to medications. All of his PD symptoms are back. Has anyone else experienced similar side effects on PD drugs? If so, have you found any alternative medications or treatments that help alleviate the PD symptoms?

Hello Kelley,

welcome.
Firstly if amantadine helped him it could be that he has an infection or virus which can knock his drugs out and stop them working so well. antibiotics can do the same but at least it is only for a week but it may take longer for the drugs to start working again because they have to build up again in his system.


Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is a cardiac arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) that involves the two upper chambers (atria) of the heart. It can often be identified by taking a pulse and observing that the heartbeats don't occur at regular intervals, but a conclusive indication of AF is the absence of P waves on an electrocardiogram (ECG). AF is the most common arrhythmia; risk increases with age, with 8% of people over 80 having AF. In AF, the normal electrical impulses that are generated by the sinoatrial node are overwhelmed by disorganized electrical impulses that originate in the atria and pulmonary veins, leading to conduction of irregular impulses to the ventricles that generate the heartbeat. The result is an irregular heartbeat which may occur in episodes lasting from minutes to weeks, or it could occur all the time for years. The natural tendency of AF is to become a chronic condition.

Atrial fibrillation is often asymptomatic, and is not in itself generally life-threatening, but may result in palpitations, fainting, chest pain, or congestive heart failure.
Patients with Atrial fibrillation may be treated with medications which either slow the heart rate or revert the heart rhythm back to normal. Synchronized electrical cardioversion may also be used to convert AF to a normal heart rhythm. Surgical and catheter-based therapies may also be used to prevent recurrence of AF in certain individuals. People with AF are often given anticoagulants such as warfarin to protect them from stroke.

Check that he is taking his medication - actually physically see him swallow it because swallowing may be a problem to him and he may not be actually taking his medication but taking it out of his mouth.

Im just trying to help you go through a checklist of possible causes and hope you are not offended. I do not know your father and i am only trying to give you some broad advice.

I hope you both find relief and stability with his symptoms
soon. God bless you both

[PHEMBRY]

Originally Posted by ltd-addition

Hi Patricia
God bless you and I can only say Apologies for no one responding to you in May when you first introduced yourself.

I'm a lass with Parkers in the UK and I hope I can be of some help !
Now do me a favour, sit down and do some slow deep breathing.
Parkers is going to be with us for a long time until a cure arrives so just give yourself a break and relax because nothing is going to change your life in the next 5 minutes unless you win the lottery !
Ok 1st
Medication can take 3 months or more to get into your system and you are currently on mirapex which is an agonist.
It aggrevates the remaining cells into producing dopamine which is the chemical messenger required to help you move.
Do not eat protein with your tablets, in fact eat the most of your protein in the evening, because it doesnt matter so much if they knock your medication out because your at home or in bed.
Mirapex lowers your blood pressure so be aware. Don't stand up too quickly. Get your ears and eyes checked out because if you have an inner ear infection it can affect your stability on your legs and eye sight can deteriorate due to parkers.
The why's or wherefore's of loosing your home is in your knowledge, I'd suggest you contact welfare rights and get someone to represent you.

You have been diagnosed 2 yrs why you have lost your job and the reasons behind your home are personal matters to you. However I suggest you contact your local parkinson representative and ask for assistance. They may be able to fund legal advice.
We all struggle but it's how we juggle that makes a difference.

Forgive me if you think i'm harsh but what is important to you at this minute ?
Put it in priority to you

What do you think you'd like to know about first ?

Then perhaps the other members can assist answering you too

FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU MS UK FOR YOUR RESPONSE! THIS IS THE FIRST RESPONSE I'VE
RECEIVED ON LINE CONCERNING THIS DISEASE!
I GUESS I'D LIKE SUGGESTIONS ON A GOOD DOCTOR FIRST. THE DOC I'M GOING TO NOW IS THE 4TH ONE AND THE 1ST ONE TO SAY THAT WHAT I HAVE IS INDEED PARKINSON'S. I THINK
THE PREVIOUS ONE'S WERE RELUCTANT BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE TREMORS,BUT TRUST ME, I HAVE MANY OF THE OTHER SYMPTOMS.I'VE ALSO HAD A SECOND OPINION
SINCE. HOWEVER, I FEEL LIKE I'M BEING "HERDED" THRU THE OFFICE EVERY TIME I GO.
ALSO THIS DOC SAYS HE WILL GLADLY FILL OUT
MY DISABILITY PAPERS FOR $100. TO BE PAID BEFORE HE WILL EVEN BEGIN. IS THIS THE NORM
OR NOT?? IF SO, HE WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE 1ST OF THE MONTH WHEN I GET MY RETIREMENT CHECK FROM AT&T. I WAS FORCED RETIRED FROM AT&T JUST ABOUT A YEAR B-4
I STARTED HAVING THESE SYMPTOMS.ANYWAY, THIS IS MY PRIORITY CONCERN RIGHT NOW IS FINDING A GOOD DOCTOR, SO IF ANYONE CAN HELP ME WITH THIS, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT!
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, MY EYESIGHT HAS GOTTEN
MUCH WORSE, WHICH IS THE REASON WHY I WRITE IN ALL CAPS, AND RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK I'M TYPING THIS WITH ONE EYE CLOSED
BECAUSE I SEE DOUBLE A LOT. I HAVEN'T EVEN
ADDRESSED THIS WITH MY DOCTOR BECAUSE I
DON'T HAVE ANY VISION INSURANCE RIGHT NOW. THANKS FOR ANY AND ALL SUGGESTIONS IN MY PRESENT SITUATION

[PHEMBRY]

ALSO, MY E-MAIL ADDRESS IS phembry@bellsouth.net
I AM NEW TO THE COMMUNICATIONS PART OF THIS,AS YOU MAY HAVE GUESSED BY NOW SO I'M GOING TO ASK YOU HOW DO I GO ABOUT FINDING A PARKINSON'S REPRESENTATIVE??

[suzie Q]

Originally Posted by PHEMBRY

ALSO, MY E-MAIL ADDRESS IS phembry@bellsouth.net
I AM NEW TO THE COMMUNICATIONS PART OF THIS,AS YOU MAY HAVE GUESSED BY NOW SO I'M GOING TO ASK YOU HOW DO I GO ABOUT FINDING A PARKINSON'S REPRESENTATIVE??

Hi Phembry sorry i missed your post welcome to the forum .i am sorry i cant answer your question about a doctor i live in australia but welcome to the forum hope to bne able to talk to u again soon

sue

[ltd-addition]

http://directory.google.com/Top/Health
/Conditions_and_Diseases/Neurological_
Disorders/Parkinson%27s_Disease/


Patricia try this site above and contact numbers below

as it gives you various options to search for your area for Neurologists and parkinsons representatives.

Good luck and remember to come back if its no good or you need more questions answered.

American Parkinson Disease Assoc Atlanta Chapter
Atlanta, GA
(404) 325-2020
Parkinson's Disease Association
1841 Clifton Rd Ne, Atlanta, GA
(404) 728-6552

South Atlanta Neurology
1040 Eagles Landing Pkwy Ste 102, Stockbridge, GA 19.03mi (770) 507-7359 Website
Category: Neurology Specialists