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Rachel,
 
May I suggest your father seek an alternative opinion of the medications he
is currently taking.  It may well be he is overdosed and might do better with
a protein redistribution diet which would enable a drug such as Sinemet to
work better.  Parkinsons can cause a patient to be between a rock and a hard
place when choosing between mobility and cognition.  Dementia  is not an
unknown side effect of Parkinsons and/or the medicine used to treat the
symptoms.
 
Dr. Jonathan Pincus Head of Neurology at Georgetown University Hospital,
Washington DC has suggested that patients sometimes improve on a diet low in
protein during the mobility hours (usually daytime) with protein taken at
night.  Ensure or a protein rich milkshake such as used in Instant Breakfast
with Ice Cream  can be used to provide protein if a patient loses too much
weight on the special diet.  Check first with your physician and ask for a
professional opinion for suitability for your father from your neurologist.
 The doctor can contact Dr. Pincus to discuss your father's situation..
 
My mother improved using this method, in combination by deleting several
other parkinsons medications and just using sinemet every 2 hours.    Each
person's chemistry and lifestyle is different.  Always check with your
physician first.  This is a somewhat controversial area.  Best to consult
your physician first for his/her professional medical opinon.
 
Overmedication can cause problems with halucinating with doctors sometimes
using Clozeril which requires blood tests or other antipsychotic medications.
 Ask your Doctor treating your father to obtain from Dr. Pincus' a copy of
the protein redistribution diet if it of interest and medically and
 appropriate for your father's lifestyle.  Dr. Pincus sometimes places
patients in the hospital to test for protein sensitivity and medication
adjustment.
 
Eric      [log in to unmask]