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This can't be repeated often enough: Were I to have to choose the principal thing that I have learned from being a member of this listserv for the past six years, it is that one must not assume that all doctors are as knowledgeable about drug interactions as we might like them to be. Parkinson's is not such a common disease that all doctors have had experience with it, and it is wise, perhaps necessary, to remind them to check the possibility of interactions before we go for surgery and for our caregivers to stay on top of the situation while we are sedated. It is for this reason that I gave up Eldepryl (selegiline). When I had no caregiver to speak for me, I worried that should I be in a situation that required immediate sedation, there would be nobody to say, "Don't use Demerol. It could kill." I understand that a number of deaths due to this drug interaction did occur. One can only conjecture how many of these occurred after the effect was known but before the information was disseminated - and how many afterwards before the knowledge was actually absorbed. A straggling few of us may remember the late Alan Bonander, who pushed to make this interaction better known. And although I have learned many useful things from the Parkinson Information Exchange, I have to rate this as the most important. Yesterday I had minor oral surgery, for which I was sedated. It took the doctor a short while to research it, but I wouldn't sign the consent form until he said, in the presence of others, that he had double checked for drug interactions. Art At 11:08 AM 9/18/02 , Dr. Robert A. Fink wrote: >Make sure that the doctors realizes that there are certain drugs >(including Demerol, a narcotic frequently used for pre-operative >sedation) which cause significant problems in Parkinsonian patients. > >Best, > >Bob > >********************************************** >Robert A. Fink, M. D., F.A.C.S., P. C. >From: Elvira Steele <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Colonoscopy >To: [log in to unmask] > >> My husband (PWP for 11 years) is scheduled to have colonoscopy in 4 >> weeks. He will be partially sedated. Has a PWP experienced this test? >> Are there any precautions to take with regards to this procedure? I >> have read adverse reactions to some anesthesia during the exam. I am >> concerned about the colonoscopy preparation he will have to take. >> >> I appreciate any information from the group. > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn