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Lisa Plymale wrote: > > I am new to the list, as my father was diagnosed with Parkinson's about a > year ago at age 73. I have a question about his behavior. He has never > been the most reasonable person around, however lately my mother has > noticed that he has been acting very unreasonable lately. For instance, > one of my cousins, her brother's daughter, died recently and she wanted to > travel from Ohio to New York to attend the funeral. My father didn't want > her to go. He finally made the comment that she would do anything to get > out of the house. > > Does Parkinson's affect the mind in this manner? I live next door to > them, so he shouldn't fear being left alone. Any information would be > helpful. Lisa, I asked you to tell me what medications he had been using over the past 5 years. I'm taking the liberty of pasting your reply into my answer. > Over the past 5 years he has taken Hytrin for high blood pressure, and Inderal for migraines. Now he is taking Sinemet, 1 1/2 years, Eldaryl, the past 3 months, and Zoloft for 2 months. > The reason I asked about medications is that there is a growing concern among geriatric health care professionals that some older adults are suffering from 1) too many medications 2) drug-drug interactions 3)too high a dose of a medication 4) taking a medication for an extended period; and many other problems, such as depression, behavior changes, nutritional changes, etc, due to medication use. Many older adults are less able to metabolize certain medications. The resulting side effects can be devastating. And in some cases, can mimic PD. I have, in fact, a feature on "Drugs that mimic Parkinson's in my latest newsletter, because I think too few people are aware of this possiblity. Your father is not using medications that mimic PD, as far as I can tell. However, let's take a look at what he has been using. I ran a check on them using "PharmAssist" a software program available to anyone, and one which I use for my older clients who use medications. Inderal -- you don't say what dose, it ranges from 10-80 mg. Also, there is Inderal LA, up to 120 mg. Cautions found in PharmAssist: People over 60 may experience problems with this drug. There may be problems with extended use (you mentioned he has been taking it for 5 years). Other medical problems may affect use. Rare: anxiety, hallucinations, nightmares. Do not use with MAO inhibitors (Eldepryl is an MAO inhibitor.) One geriatrician believes that Inderal should not be prescribed for older adults, or only used with great caution. Hytrin -- Cautions found in PharmAssist: possible dizziness, headaches. Do not use if prone to depression. People over 60 may experience problems with this drug, consult with doctor before using. Need examination if using for extended periods. Sinemet -- Cautions found in Pharmassist: People over 60 may experience problems with this drug. If high blood pressure present, consult with doctor before using. Rare: mental depression, mood changes, dizziness, nightmares. (I believe you mention he has been using Sinemet for 1-1/2 years.) Eldepryl: Cautions found: People over 60 may experience problems with this drug. Caution with extended use. Possible mood changes, hallucinations. Increased chance of adverse effects if used with levodopa (Sinemet). Zoloft: (from "Food-Medication Interactions") Caution with elderly: decreased plasma clearance of drug (means it takes longer to get out of the system than for a younger person); insomnia, dizziness, agitation, anxiety, visual disturbances. Lisa, I'm sure your father's doctor (or doctors) are aware of all these possibilities. However, since you and your mother have seen some recent changes, I believe it would be a good idea to report them to his doctor(s) along with a complete list of all medications used, and the length of time used, especially since several of the drugs (Sinemet, Eldepryl, and Inderal) can interact with each other. If your father receives prescriptions from more than one doctor, it's important to be sure that all doctors know about all the drugs he uses, and any side effects he experiences. If you can't get in touch with all his physicians right away, you could also talk with his pharmacist, who should be able to help. Please keep in touch; I share your concern. -- Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD Editor-in-Chief, "Spotlight on Food--nutrition news for people 60-plus" Tel: 970-493-6532 Fax: 970-493-6538 http://www.fortnet.org/~fivstar Contact Better Business Bureau of the Mountain States, < [log in to unmask]>