SYLVIA ROGERS wrote:
> My Father was diagnosed a year ago with parkinsons. He
> was having trouble with his balance,no energy, and trouble breathing. He
> has been diagnosed with emphazema sp. also. He walks very slow and
> staggers some and has to catch himself. His eating is
> sooooo!!!! slow and I notice he does not swallow meat much any more. He
> still says he does not have parkinsons but a breathing problem,thats
> all.
Sylvia, the most important thing you can possibly do for
your father is locate a neurologist who specializes in
Parkinson's disease. His emphysema is no doubt causing or
contributing to some of his problems, such as lack of
energy; however if he has had tremor for 13 years his PD
could be advanced beyond the early stages, and if so, he
will need PD medications in order to help with his balance.
A PD specialist can make that decision much better than a
generalist.
I'm concerned about his slowed eating, and not swallowing
meat. These often indicate a more advanced stage of PD.
Difficulty swallowing a certain food often leads the person
to avoid that food, and can lead to nutrient deficiencies if
not attended to. Difficulty swallowing can also lead to a
risk for choking, or aspirating food into the lungs. His
physician should refer him to a registered dietitian for
dietary concerns, and to a speech pathologist for a
swallowing evaluation.
I think you will get a lot of help from this listserv, it's
a very caring and supportive group.
My very best regards to you and your father --
Kathrynne
--
Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD
Author: "Eat well, stay well with Parkinson's disease"
"Constipation and Parkinson's" -- audiocassette & guidebook
"Guidelines for Medical Nutrition Therapy for Parkinson's
disease"
& Risk Assessment Tools
"Risk for malnutrition and bone fracture in Parkinson's
disease,"
J Nutr Elderly. V18:3;1999.
http://www.nutritionucanlivewith.com/
