On      Thu, 17 Oct 1996 20:55:01 -0400
Sheila Chaudoin wrote:

>My mother is having trouble sleeping at nights.  What do others with PD
>take to help them sleep?  She's so afraid she'll become addicted to over
>the counter sleep aids and refuses to take them for any length of time.

Hello Sheila,

The first question you need to answer is what are the medications your=20
mother is currently taking?? If she is taking eldepryl/selegline then=20
careful attention must be paid to the type of sleeping aide that could=20
safely be prescribed for her. =20

I take .25 mg Alprazolam (Xanax=AE), 2.5 mg Amitryptyline (Elavil) and 5.=
0 mg=20
Melatonin. Although these meds are not specifically sleeping aides, Elavi=
l=20
is an anti-choligernic as well as an anti-depressive and therefore helps=20
sleeping.   Works well for me! This combination works for me. There are=20
people who experience side effects and need to have their doctor try=20
different combinations. It is very important to not self medicate--even o=
ver=20
the counter drugs have ingredients that need to be scrutinized carefully =
for=20
possible interaction.

The following is taken from "A Summary of Medications Both Commonly and
Occasionally Used in Treating Parkinson's Disease by Neal Slatkin MD",
  =20
ANTI-ANXIETY AND SLEEPING MEDICATIONS

ANTI-ANXIETY: E.G., VALIUM (DIAZEPAM), ATIVAN (LORAZEPAM), KLONOPIN
(CLONAZEPAM), BUSPAR (BUSPIRONE)

SLEEPING MEDICATIONS: E.G., HALCION (TRIAZOLAM), AMBIEN (ZOLPIDEM)

All of these medications are classified as sedative-hypnotic agents and c=
an
be beneficial in reducing anxiety and promoting sleep. Since some=20
Parkinson's symptoms can be worsened by anxiety, these medications can he=
lp=20
relieve symptoms such as tremor and dyskinesia. Klonopin appears to have=20
some=20
unique characteristics and has been used in the treatment of several=20
abnormal=20
movement types. Buspar has been used to treat dyskinesias with variable=20
success.

SIDE EFFECTS OF ANTI-ANXIETY AND SLEEPING MEDICATIONS

+ Sedation (excessive sleepiness): This can interfere with one's ability =
to
operate machinery, such as a motor vehicle and contribute to waling=20
imbalance
and falls.
+ Occasionally, patients can become psychologically, as well as physicall=
y,
dependent upon these medications and experience withdrawal symptoms upon
their discontinuation.
+ Patients who depend upon these medications to sleep can have after effe=
cts
lasting into the next day, which can impair memory and other thinking
functions. Under these conditions, patients may have greater problems wit=
h
walking balance and be more susceptible to falls.
+ Buspar (buspirone) appears to have a lower risk of physical and
psychological dependence, but some patients may experience a worsening of
Parkinson's symptoms.
---------------------------------------------------

Margaret Tuchman(54yrs,dx1980)
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